Anti-oestrogens Flashcards
(28 cards)
What Are Hormones?
Hormones are chemical messengers that influence cell and tissue function.
What is Oestrogen?
Oestrogen promotes female sex traits and bone growth.
What is Progesterone?
Progesterone regulates the menstrual cycle and pregnancy.
How do Oestrogen and Progesterone affect breast cancer?
Both hormones can stimulate hormone-sensitive breast cancer growth by binding to receptors on cancer cells.
What Is Hormone Therapy?
Hormone therapy slows or stops hormone-sensitive breast tumour growth.
How does Hormone Therapy work?
It blocks hormone production or hormone-receptor interaction.
What does HR-positive mean?
HR-positive refers to cancers that are hormone receptor positive, including ER+ (oestrogen receptor positive) and PR+ (progesterone receptor positive).
What percentage of breast cancers are ER+?
Around 80% of breast cancers are ER+.
What are Hormone Insensitive Cancers?
ER-/PR- cancers do not rely on hormones to grow, making hormone therapy ineffective.
What is Triple-negative breast cancer?
Triple-negative breast cancer lacks ER, PR, and HER2 receptors and accounts for ~13% of cases, more common in younger women.
What are the types of Hormone Therapy?
Types include blocking ovarian function, blocking oestrogen production, and blocking oestrogen effects.
What is Ovarian Ablation?
Ovarian ablation involves surgical removal (oophorectomy), radiation, or GnRH agonists (e.g. Goserelin/Zoladex) to temporarily suppress ovarian activity.
What are Aromatase inhibitors?
Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are used mainly in postmenopausal women to block oestrogen production. Examples include Anastrozole, Letrozole, and Exemestane.
What are SERMs?
SERMs (e.g. Tamoxifen, Toremifene) block or mimic oestrogen, depending on tissue.
What are Pure anti-oestrogens?
Pure anti-oestrogens (e.g. Fulvestrant) block and degrade oestrogen receptors.
What is Adjuvant Therapy?
Adjuvant therapy is standard for ER+ early-stage breast cancer, commonly involving 5 years of tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors.
What is the treatment for Advanced/Metastatic Cancer?
Tamoxifen, Toremifene, Fulvestrant, and AIs are approved for advanced/metastatic cancer.
What is Neoadjuvant Therapy?
Neoadjuvant therapy aims to shrink tumours for breast-conserving surgery, effective in postmenopausal women.
Is Hormone Therapy used for prevention?
Yes, in high-risk women, especially postmenopausal.
What is the risk reduction with Tamoxifen?
Tamoxifen reduces risk by ~50% over 5 years.
What is the risk reduction with Raloxifene?
Raloxifene provides a ~38% risk reduction.
What is the risk reduction with AIs?
AIs can reduce risk by up to 65% and 50% respectively.
What are common side effects of Hormone Therapy?
Common side effects include hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, and menstrual changes.
What is a strategy to manage side effects?
Switching between tamoxifen and AIs may help balance benefits and harms.
