Post-menopausal breast cancer: from estrogen to androgen receptor.

ABSTRACT: In the United States, breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among women, and even though different therapies can treat primary breast tumors, most breast cancer-related deaths (>95%) occur due to metastasis. A majority (~70%) of breast tumors are found to express estrogen receptor, and a significant portion (~90%) of ER-positive (ER⁺) breast tumors are also androgen receptor-positive (AR⁺). Although ER is known to promote tumorigenesis, the role and underlying mechanism(s) of AR in these closely knit processes remain controversial. Endocrine therapies are the most commonly used treatment for patients with ER⁺ breast tumors; but, ~30%-50% of initially responsive patients develop resistance to these therapies. Whereas 70%-90% of all breast tumors

SUBMITTER: Majumder A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5731994 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature