THE ROLE OF ANTIESTROGENS IN THE TREATMENT AND PREVENTION OF BREAST-CANCER

The antiestrogen agent tamoxifen is currently the therapy of choice in postmenopausal patients with metastatic breast cancer or with early s tage breast cancer following surgery. Toremifene, a tamoxifen analogue approved in May 1997, has shown efficacy similar to tamoxifen in pati ents with metastatic disease. Recently, preliminary data from preventi on trials have shown that raloxifene, another antiestrogen agent, redu ces the risk of breast cancer in women with high-risk profiles. Anties trogens are well tolerated in the short term; however tamoxifen (and. possibly toremifene) has been associated with a small increase in the risk of endometrial cancer in the long term. At present, minimal data exist regarding the efficacy of investigational antiestrogens, includi ng droloxifene, idoxifene, TAT-59, and the pure antiestrogen ICI 182,7 80.