Turning scientific serendipity into discoveries in breast cancer research and treatment: a tale of PhD students and a 50-year roaming tamoxifen team.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

This retrospective, about a single "mobile" laboratory in six locations on two continents, is intended as a case study in discovery for trainees and junior faculty in the medical sciences. Your knowledge of your topic is necessary to expect the unexpected.

Historical method

In 1972, there was no tamoxifen, only ICI 46, 474, a non-steroidal anti-estrogen with little chance of clinical development. No one would ever be foolish enough to predict that the medicine, 20 years later, would achieve legendary status as the first targeted treatment for breast cancer, and millions of women would benefit from long-term adjuvant tamoxifen therapy. The secret of tamoxifen's success was a translational research strategy proposed in the mid 1970's. This strategy was to treat only pa

SUBMITTER: Jordan VC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8557169 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature