Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Systems Biology of Metabolic Regulation by Estrogen Receptor Signaling in Breast Cancer
Published on: March 17, 2016
[Hormonal therapy with aromatase inhibitor in advanced breast cancer]
D Vrbanec1, B Belev, V Pavlinić-Diminić
1Klinika za patofiziologiju, KBC Rebro, Zagreb.
Abstract:
We investigated the aminogluthetimide therapy effect on 30 postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer previously treated with tamoxifen as a first-line hormonal treatment. Aminogluthetimide exhibits anticancer effect by inhibition of aromatase enzyme which plays a key role in the conversion of androgen to estrogen in peripheral adipose tissue. This pathway presents the main source of estrogen in postmenopausal women. Mean duration of the treatment was 14.3 months. Complete remission has been achieved in 10% of all patients, and partial remission in 16.6%. Mean duration of free intervals was 16.1 months in the group with ER+/PgR+ hormonal status, which is significantly longer compared to the ER+/PgR- and ER-/PgR+ groups where it was 11.8 months (p < 0.01). Aminogluthetimide treatment led to significant decrease in estradiol (E2) and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate (DHAS) levels in plasma. Thus, the effect of aminogluthetimide therapy as a second-line hormonal therapy has a benefit in the treatment of metastatic hormon-dependent breast cancer patients.
Related Concept Videos
Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Hormonal Control of the Ovarian Cycle
Before puberty, the hypothalamus releases GnRH in a low frequency, low amplitude pulsatile manner. This along with the immature hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis activity, results in low estrogen levels and the absence of a fully functional ovarian cycle. At puberty, GnRH secretion increases in both frequency and...
Treatment Resistant Cancers
Treatment Resistent Cancers
Cancer Therapies
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...