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The mystery of Tamoxifen
Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) have been shown to reduce the risk of developing estrogen-positive breast cancer. Tamoxifen, a potent SERM, has been successfully administered as adjuvant therapy for breast cancer. However, uterine pathologic changes may develop due to the effect of tamoxifen as both an agonist and antagonist of estrogen on the uterus. Here, we discuss a case of breast cancer treated with tamoxifen to clarify one of the most important complications, namely, endometrial hyperplasia.
Personalized medicine
The introduction of personalized medicine (PM) has been a milestone in the history of medical therapy, because it has revolutionized the previous approach of treating the disease with that of treating the patient. It is known today that diseases can occur in different genetic variants, making specific treatments of proven efficacy necessary for a given endotype. There is a growing attention towards personalized medicine. This is led by a fundamental shift from the ‘one size fits all’.. (Every year in the USA 2 million people die due to adverse drug effects, Drug efficacy is only in 60 % of the population - Other 40 % have poor drug effects or no effect at all ) paradigm for treatment of patients with conditions or predisposition to diseases, to one that embraces novel approaches, such as tailored target therapies, to achieve the best possible outcomes.
Development of breast cancer therapy and gender
Breast cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells in the breast tissues multiply and form an invasive (or malignant) tumor. Such tumors can invade and damage the tissue around them and spread to other parts of the body through the lymphatic or vascular systems. We will describe in our study several types of breast cancer, since they are classified into two main categories: “invasive” and “non-invasive,” or in situ. While invasive cancer has spread from the breast ducts or glands to other parts of the breast, non-invasive cancer has not spread from the original tissue. Our study will focus on the best tests that examine the breasts which are used to detect and diagnose breast cancer: Physical exam and health history, Clinical breast exam (CBE), Mammogram, Ultrasound exam, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), Blood chemistry studies and Biopsy. We will include the value of such tests after breast cancer has been diagnosed, to find out if cancer cells have spread within the breast or to other parts of the body.
