Hormonal approaches to the chemoprevention of endocrine-dependent tumors

The estrogen dependency of human breast cancer has been successfully exploited in the treatment of early and advanced diseases and provides a unique opportunity for chemoprevention of this common malignancy. Preliminary results with the antiestrogens Tamoxifen and Raloxifene show an encouraging reduction in the incidence of breast cancer. Alternative approaches include the use of highly selective and non-toxic aromatase inhibitors and, in premenopausal women, the use of LHRH agonists in conjunction with the administration of small doses of estrogen and progesterone. The rationale for these chemopreventive strategies and their possible limitations are briefly discussed.