Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 9, 2026

Orthotopic Transplantation of Breast Tumors as Preclinical Models for Breast Cancer
07:45

Orthotopic Transplantation of Breast Tumors as Preclinical Models for Breast Cancer

Published on: May 18, 2020

7.1K

Cancer Navigation Strategy for Endocrine Therapy-Resistant Breast Tumors

Mitsuyoshi Nakao1, Saori Fujiwara2, Hirotaka Iwase3

  • 1Department of Medical Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-0811, Japan.

Trends in Cancer
|June 5, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Estrogen receptor (ER) positive breast cancers can become resistant to treatment. New strategies show that targeting these resistant cells with estrogen can induce apoptosis, offering a novel therapeutic approach.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Endocrinology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Estrogen receptor (ER) α-positive breast cancers often develop resistance to endocrine therapy.
  • A subset of these resistant tumors paradoxically overexpress ER.
  • Estrogen administration has been observed to induce apoptosis in certain ER-overexpressing cancer cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate a novel 'cancer navigation' strategy for treating endocrine-resistant ERα-positive breast cancer.
  • To explore the potential of estrogen treatment to induce growth arrest and apoptosis in resistant cancer cells.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic investigation of resistant cancer cell response to targeted estrogen administration.
  • Analysis of cell growth, cell cycle arrest, and apoptotic pathways.

Main Results:

  • Demonstration that estrogen treatment can effectively induce growth arrest in resistant ER-overexpressing breast cancer cells.
  • Confirmation that estrogen administration triggers apoptosis in these targeted cells, validating the 'cancer navigation' approach.

Conclusions:

  • The proposed 'cancer navigation' strategy offers a promising new avenue for overcoming endocrine resistance in ERα-positive breast cancer.
  • Targeting ER-overexpressing resistant cells with estrogen represents a viable therapeutic option to induce tumor cell death.
Keywords:
Breast cancerESR1 geneendocrine resistanceestrogen receptorestrogen-induced apoptosis

More Related Videos

Obtaining Cancer Stem Cell Spheres from Gynecological and Breast Cancer Tumors07:01

Obtaining Cancer Stem Cell Spheres from Gynecological and Breast Cancer Tumors

Published on: March 1, 2020

10.8K
Studying Triple Negative Breast Cancer Using Orthotopic Breast Cancer Model09:29

Studying Triple Negative Breast Cancer Using Orthotopic Breast Cancer Model

Published on: March 20, 2020

18.9K

Related Concept Videos

Endocrine Signaling01:45

Endocrine Signaling

Endocrine cells produce hormones to communicate with remote target cells found in other organs. The hormone reaches these distant areas using the circulatory system. This exposes the whole organism to the hormone but only those cells expressing hormone receptors or target cells are affected. Thus, endocrine signaling induces slow responses from its target cells but these effects also last longer.
68.2K
Cancer Therapies02:49

Cancer Therapies

Cancer therapies are various modes of treatment, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy that are administered to cancer patients.
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...
10.2K
Treatment Resistant Cancers02:56

Treatment Resistant Cancers

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. A cancer cell is genetically unstable and hence can mutate faster. They can also modify their microenvironment and escape immune surveillance. The difficulties in treating cancer are further compounded by the emergence of rapid resistance to anticancer drugs. The most common ways to attain resistance in cancer cells include alteration in drug transport and metabolism, modification of drug target, elevated DNA damage response, or...
3.8K
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
9.0K
What is the Endocrine System?00:46

What is the Endocrine System?

The endocrine system sends hormones—chemical signals—through the bloodstream to target cells—the cells the hormones selectively affect. These signals are produced in endocrine cells, secreted into the extracellular fluid, and then diffuse into the blood. Eventually, they diffuse out of the blood and bind to target cells which have specialized receptors to recognize the hormones.
420.9K
The Endocrine System01:29

The Endocrine System

The endocrine system is an extensive network of glands – organs or tissues in the body that create chemicals that control many bodily functions, that secrete hormones, which are chemical messengers that play essential roles in regulating various bodily functions. These hormones are secreted into the bloodstream and travel throughout the body. They require specific receptors to convey signals to cells possessing these corresponding receptors. This complex signaling mechanism ensures that...
1.4K