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Updated: May 22, 2026
10:36
Systems Biology of Metabolic Regulation by Estrogen Receptor Signaling in Breast Cancer
Published on: March 17, 2016
Pathologic changes in breast cancer after anti-estrogen therapy
Norasate Samarnthai1, Richard Elledge, Thomas J Prihoda
1Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
The Breast Journal
|May 24, 2012
Summary
Preoperative anti-estrogen therapy for breast cancer patients showed significant tumor cell differentiation. This treatment approach may correlate with improved clinical response in estrogen receptor-positive tumors.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Anti-estrogen therapies are not routinely administered before breast cancer surgery.
- Estrogen receptor-positive tumors are a significant subset of breast cancer.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the pathological changes in estrogen receptor-positive breast tumors following neoadjuvant anti-estrogen therapy.
- To assess the correlation between anti-estrogen treatment and tumor cell differentiation.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of postmenopausal breast cancer patients with estrogen receptor-positive tumors received combination therapy (anastrozole, fulvestrant, gefitinib).
- Core needle biopsies were performed at baseline (day 1) and day 21.
- Tumor excision was performed at day 112 for operable cases.
Main Results:
- Tumors exhibited degenerative changes, including nuclear smudging, decreased nuclear size, and vacuolation.
- Increased tubule formation and intracytoplasmic lumina were observed in 66.7% of cases.
- A decreased mitotic rate was noted in 77.8% of cases, indicating increased tumor cell differentiation.
Conclusions:
- Neoadjuvant anti-estrogen therapy induces significant differentiation in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells.
- These histological changes suggest a potential correlation with clinical response to treatment.
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