Endocrine therapy for advanced/metastatic breast cancer.
First-line endocrine therapy by estrogen antagonism or suppression of estrogen achieves objective responses (ORs) and clinical benefit (CB) in around 30% and 50% of estrogen receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer patients, respectively. Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are the most effective treatment in previously untreated postmenopausal women. Tamoxifen is an effective alternative. The optimal endocrine therapy on relapse remains uncertain. Tamoxifen and fulvestrant achieve CB in around 50% of patients and ORs of 10%. CB of exemestane after nonsteroidal AIs is 30% to 50% but ORs are rare. Targeted agents (eg, everolimus) plus endocrine therapy are likely to become increasingly important in overcoming endocrine resistance.
['Schiavon|Gaia|G|', 'Smith|Ian E|IE|']
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors D001943:Breast Neoplasms D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm D004967:Estrogens D005260:Female D006801:Humans D008593:Menopause D009367:Neoplasm Staging D010052:Ovariectomy D011372:Progestins D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators D013629:Tamoxifen
Endocrine therapy Advanced Metastatic Breast cancer Endocrine resistance