Mechanisms of estrogen-independent breast cancer growth driven by low estrogen concentrations are unique versus complete estrogen deprivation.

ABSTRACT: Despite the success of the aromatase inhibitors (AIs) in treating estrogen receptor positive breast cancer, 15-20 % of patients receiving adjuvant AIs will relapse within 5-10 years of treatment initiation. Long-term estrogen deprivation (LTED) of breast cancer cells in culture mimics AI-induced estrogen depletion to dissect mechanisms of AI resistance. However, we hypothesized that a subset of patients receiving AI therapy may maintain low circulating concentrations of estrogens that influence the development of endocrine resistance. We expanded established LTED models to account for incomplete suppression of estrogen synthesis during AI therapy. MCF-7 cells were grown in medium with charcoal-stripped serum supplemented with defined concentrations of 17β-estradiol (E2) or the estrogenic a

SUBMITTER: Sikora MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3951731 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature