OBJECTIVE Cases of men with estrogen resistance and aromatase deficiency have highlighted the effects of estrogens on bone metabolism, the cardiovascular system and biochemical variables of the metabolic syndrome. In eugonadal men, administration of an aromatase inhibitor induces a substantial elevation of LH and testosterone due to the decreased negative-feedback signal of estrogen and may thw...

BACKGROUND Cancer is a major cause of mortality and a major contributor to health care costs in the United States. An increasing number of cancer patients are treated with oral cancer therapy. Older patients are more likely to have cancer and to be at risk for adherence problems with oral cancer drugs. As a result of substantial cost sharing required for oral cancer drugs and the possibility of...

Cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors (palbociclib, abemaciclib, ribociclib) are used to treat human epithelial growth factor receptor (HER)-2 negative hormone (HR) positive advanced breast cancer in combination with aromatase (letrozole, anastrozole) or an estrogen antagonist (fulvestrant). Administration of these drugs frequently causes severe side effects, such as neutropenia d...

Patients with hormone-sensitive breast cancer who have responded to tamoxifen may receive additional benefit from a second endocrine agent following progression or relapse after tamoxifen therapy. Fulvestrant (Faslodex((R)), ICI 182780, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals; Wilmington, Delaware) is a selective antagonist of estrogen designed to have no estrogenic effects. Lack of aqueous solubility led ...

PURPOSE Endocrine therapies include aromatase inhibitors and the selective estrogen receptor (ER) downregulator fulvestrant. This study aimed to determine whether the reported efficacy of fulvestrant over anastrozole, and high- over low-dose fulvestrant, reflect distinct transcriptional responses. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Global gene expression profiles from ERα-positive breast carcinomas before a...

BACKGROUND We investigated the efficacy and safety of anastrozole as neoadjuvant therapy in a group of postmenopausal patients with locally-advanced breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS This was an open-label trial, which recruited patients with histopathologically-confirmed unilateral, locally-advanced, estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer (stage IIIA/B). All patients received anastrozole...

In the era of evidence-based medicine, convincing clinical trial data should influence clinical practice if disseminated in an appropriate manner. Here we discuss the influence of clinical trial results from the Arimidex, Tamoxifen Alone or in Combination trial on the usage of tamoxifen and anastrozole in the treatment of postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer. ...

Published literature indicates that the selective estrogen-receptor modulators (SERMs) tamoxifen and raloxifene (Evista) have favorable effects on bone density, lipid profiles, and the incidence of second breast cancers, and unfavorable effects on the incidence of venous thrombosis and hot flushes. Tamoxifen increases the risk of endometrial cancer, but raloxifene does not. The effects of SERMs...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of adjuvant hormonal therapy on the endometrium and ovary of breast cancer patients. METHODS A retrospective review was performed on the 207 patients who had taken tamoxifen or anastrozole, as adjuvant hormonal therapy after breast cancer surgery between January 2003 and December 2006. Gynecologic surveillance constituted of ultrasonographic exam of the end...