Understanding Breast Cancer
Breast Anatomy and Cancer Development
Each breast contains 15-20 glands called lobes, where milk is produced. Each lobe consists of a branching structure made up of lobules and acini (alveoli). The acini are lined by a single layer of milk-secreting epithelial cells. Read More
Exposure to Estrogens and Breast Cancer
The duration or intensity of a women’s exposure to endogenous or exogenous estrogens are the major risk factors for breast cancer. Early menarche and or late menopause increase breast cancer risk. Read More
Local Production of Estrogen in Breast Cancer
The observation the 17b-estradiol (E2) levels are 10-fold higher in breast carcinoma tissue compared to plasma supports the role for intratumoral estrogen synthesis. Read More
Breast Density and the Risk of Breast Cancer
Among all other risk factors, breast density is the most important predictor of breast cancer risk. Increase in breast cancer risk from lowest to highest breast density category is on the order of fivefold depending on the age of the patient, Read More
Obesity, Aromatase and Breast Cancer Risk.
Approximately two-thirds of adult US women have excess body fat: 36% are obese with a body mass index (BMI) of more than 30, whereas another one-third are overweight (BMI: 25–29). Read More
Relationship between Exogenous Hormones (HRT), Breast Density and Cancer Risk
HRT, Hormone Replacement Therapy, (estrogen and a progestogen) slows normal breast involution and causes and increase in mammographic density.1-3The increase in density is most commonly diffuse but may be focal or multifocal. Read More
Prevention of Breast Cancer
Both raloxifene and tamoxifen are approved for the prevention of breast cancer in the United States. Evidence supporting anti-estrogens for the prevention of breast cancer is substantial. Read More
Endoxifen
Tamoxifenis metabolized in the liver by the cytochrome P450 isoform CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 into active metabolites such as afimoxifene (4-hydroxytamoxifen; 4-OHT) and endoxifen (N-desmethyl-4-hydroxytamoxifen) which have 30 to 100 times greater affinity for the ER than tamoxifen itself. Read More
Progesterone and Breast Cancer
Clinicians have long observed that breast cancer patients who are both estrogen receptor (ER) positive and progesterone receptor (PR) positive have better clinical outcomes. Read More