title: SERMs: meeting the promise of multifunctional medicines.
abstract: The successful development and clinical evaluation of the selective estrogen receptor modulators in the Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene trial provides an occasion to reflect on the milestone that has been achieved and the potential for further progress in the chemoprevention of breast cancer. The evolution of tamoxifen from a successful treatment for breast cancer to the first chemopreventive for any cancer took two decades. Clinicians gained an enormous amount of experience with the use of tamoxifen as a treatment, and, as a result, there were few surprises in terms of efficacy or the side effect profile when the medicine was used to prevent breast cancer in high-risk women. In contrast, raloxifene emerged via the novel path of the evidence-based hypothesis that a drug targeted at one disease, osteoporosis, could also prevent breast cancer. Changes in health care strategies to implement chemoprevention take time, but the evidence now suggests that chemoprevention has become a reality in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Fox Chase Cancer Center, 333 Cottman Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA. v.craig.jordan@fccc.edu
authors.forename: V Craig
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Jordan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000191:economics / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002170:Canada; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009376:Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000191:economics / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D013629:Tamoxifen; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride