title: Remission of porphyria cutanea tarda after anastrozole treatment of breast cancer.
abstract: Porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) is sometimes precipitated or aggravated by increased exposure to estrogen, estrogen-like compounds, or tamoxifen. We report the case of a 37-year-old white woman who developed sporadic PCT after she took oral contraceptives for 10 years. She was heterozygous for the common H63D mutation of the hemochromatosis-associated HFE gene. The PCT responded partially to the cessation of oral contraceptives and to phlebotomy therapy to maintain low iron stores, but only remitted after she received anastrozole therapy for management of adenocarcinoma of the breast at age 59 years. The pertinence of HFE mutations, anastrozole and tamoxifen treatment, and chemotherapy to the development and management of PCT in women with breast cancer is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Brookwood Medical Center, Birmingham, AL, USA.
authors.forename: Luigi F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Bertoli
authors.forename: James C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Barton
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000328:Adult; D000077384:Anastrozole; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D000071020:Hemochromatosis Protein; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D009154:Mutation; D009570:Nitriles / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018962:Phlebotomy; D017119:Porphyria Cutanea Tarda / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy; D014230:Triazoles / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; C103673:HFE protein, human; D000071020:Hemochromatosis Protein; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009570:Nitriles; D014230:Triazoles; D000077384:Anastrozole; D005293:Ferritins