Mechanism Of Tamoxifen Resistance Research Articles

Mechanisms of tamoxifen resistance in the treatment of advanced breast cancer.

Multiple mechanisms may render breast cancer cells resistant to treatment with the antiestrogen tamoxifen. This review describes changes in the estrogen receptor (ER) signaling pathway which may lead to tamoxifen resistance: change in uptake or metabolism of tamoxifen, loss of expression of ER, decreased expression of ER, expression of mutant or variant forms of ER, intact ER but loss of cofactors, ligand-independent ER activation, modification of the estrogen response element, altered post-receptor events. Non-ER related alterations are also mentioned.

Possible mechanisms in the emergence of tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer.

Tamoxifen (TAM), a non-steroidal antiestrogen, is the endocrine treatment of choice for all stages of breast cancer. However, despite a favorable initial response to therapy, most tumors will eventually exhibit TAM resistance resulting in disease recurrence. Several mechanisms of TAM resistance have been proposed, yet a single distinct mechanism has not been identified. We will systematically consider the following steps of the estrogen receptor (ER)-mediated signal transduction pathway to identify possible sites of alteration leading to tamoxifen-resistance: (1) ligand metabolism and availability, (2) loss or mutation of the ER, (3) defects in ER post-translational modification, and (4) alteration of the estrogen response element (ERE). In particular, the ERE will be discussed as a position in the signal transduction pathway with considerable potential, if altered, to confer TAM resistance.

Mechanism of tamoxifen resistance?

Mechanism of tamoxifen resistance?

Mechanisms of tamoxifen resistance.

Though the antiestrogen tamoxifen prolongs disease-free and overall survival in the adjuvant setting, and induces remissions in over half of the patients with estrogen receptor positive metastatic disease, all patients eventually acquire tamoxifen resistance. Furthermore, many of the resistant tumors actually appear to be stimulated by tamoxifen just as they are by estrogens. In both animal models and clinical specimens, we have found lower tamoxifen uptake and somewhat altered tamoxifen metabolism in resistant tumors, but neither appears to explain tamoxifen stimulation of the resistant tumors. Nor do estrogen receptor losses or mutations appear to explain this phenomenon, although altered expression of transcriptional variant forms of the receptor may well contribute. Pure steroidal antiestrogens such as ICI 182,780 are capable of reversing tamoxifen-stimulated as well as estrogen-stimulated growth of these resistant tumors, and are now in clinical trials for this purpose.

Acquired tamoxifen resistance in human breast cancer and reduced intra-tumoral drug concentration

Reduced intra-tumoral drug concentrations have been investigated as a mechanism of tamoxifen resistance in 51 patients with locally recurrent breast cancer. Serum tamoxifen was similar in patients with acquired and de-novo resistance, but intra-tumoral concentrations were significantly lower in patients with acquired resistance. Tumour oestrogen-receptor concentrations at relapse did not support the hypothesis that selective outgrowth of oestrogen-receptor-negative cells is a major mechanism for acquired tamoxifen resistance. Reduced intra-tumoral tamoxifen levels during prolonged therapy may be an important mechanism for acquired resistance in breast cancer.