Clinical parameters were reviewed by which it could be possible to predict a therapeutic success by an endocrine manipulation in breast cancer patients. During the last two decades this spectrum was supplied by determination of steroid hormone receptor binding ability of the tumour tissue. In the past there were given many reports representing high scattering results referring the predictive value of steroid receptor determinations. In our experience 60% of estradiol receptor positive and 42% of estradiol receptor negative patients with disseminated breast cancer benefited from therapy with tamoxifen or ethinylestradiol sulfonate with complete and partial remission or subjective clinical improvement. Clinical facts were discussed which could be responsible for unsatisfying results of therapy prediction on basis of receptor determinations, as well as hints from clinical points of view which confirm that sometimes endocrine treatment should be applied although the tumour shows a receptor negative status.