title: Steroidal aromatase inhibitors in elderly patients.
abstract: The choice of treatment for elderly breast cancer patients needs particular care because the presence of physiological functional impairments can modify the drug bioavailability in an unpredictable manner. Hormonal treatment remains one of the choices and, although tamoxifen has proved to be effective in any setting, the use of selective aromatase inhibitors is arousing. Depending on their chemical structure, aromatase inhibitors are either steroidal (such as exemestane and formestane) or non-steroidal (such as letrozole, vorozole and anastrozole). Formestane has been studied in elderly patients with breast cancer and has been found to induce an overall response rate of 51% (95% CI, 35-67%). The drug suppresses estradiol (E2) levels, and changes in other hormones (FSH, LH and SHBG) are observed, but with poor clinical significance, thus confirming its selectivity and potency. Formestane has also been demonstrated to be as effective as tamoxifen. Exemestane and non-steroidal aromatase inhibitors appear to be very promising drugs.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bajetta
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zilembo
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bichisao
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pozzi
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Toffolatti
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000077384:Anastrozole; D000730:Androstadienes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000735:Androstenedione / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077289:Letrozole; D009570:Nitriles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014230:Triazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000730:Androstadienes; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009570:Nitriles; D014230:Triazoles; C060523:vorozole; D000077384:Anastrozole; D000735:Androstenedione; D000077289:Letrozole; C056516:exemestane; C014594:formestane