The aromatase inhibitors in early breast cancer: who, when, and why?

IC Nordman, AJ Spillane, AL Hamilton. Medical Journal of Australia. Jan 25 2005
The aromatase inhibitors deplete oestrogen by inhibiting aromatase, the enzyme that synthesises oestrogen from androgens. They are effective as therapies for breast cancer only in postmenopausal women whose tumours express oestrogen or progesterone receptors. As adjuvant therapy, tamoxifen and the aromatase inhibitors have similar efficacy in the first 5 years of treatment. Aromatase inhibitors can be used as an alternative to tamoxifen in women with symptomatic intolerance or a contraindication to tamoxifen. Early data suggest that switching to an aromatase inhibitor after 2–5 years of tamoxifen therapy is beneficial in women with high-risk disease. Aromatase inhibitors are associated with more hot flushes than placebo, but with fewer hot flushes, less endometrial toxicity and venous thromboembolism, and more arthralgia, myalgia and bone fracture than tamoxifen. --Click the title of this post to read the full article from its source--

Genomics in breast cancer-therapeutic implications

Lonning PE, Sorlie T, Borresen-Dale AL. Nat Clin Pract Oncol. 2005 Jan;2(1):26-33
The introduction of DNA microarray techniques has had dramatic implications on cancer research, allowing researchers to analyze expression of multiple genes in concert and relate the findings to clinical parameters. The main discoveries in breast cancer, as well as in other malignancies, have so far been with respect to two key issues. First, individual tumors arising from the same organ may be grouped into distinct classes based on their gene expression profiles, independent of stage and grade. Second, the biologic relevance of such classification is corroborated by significant prognostic impact. We review how the use of microarray technologies can provide unique possibilities to explore the mechanisms of tumor behavior in vivo that will allow evaluation of prognosis and, potentially, drug resistance. However, in spite of recent advances, we are not yet at a stage where the use of these techniques should be implemented for routine clinical use, whether to define prognostic factors or to predict sensitivity to therapy.

Dietary factors modifying breast cancer risk and relation to time of intake

01/01/2005 - Tsubura A, Uehara N, Kiyozuka Y, Shikata N., Journal of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia, 10:1 (January 2005), pp 87-100
Multiple factors contribute to the development of human breast cancer. However, environmental factors, especially dietary factors, appear to have the greatest effects. Evidence obtained in epidemiological studies has been corroborated by laboratory findings. Dietary components strongly associated with breast cancer include fat and phytochemicals. A diet high in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) or monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and low in n-6 PUFA is protective against breast cancer...