title: Immunomodulatory effects of anti-estrogenic drugs.
abstract: There are substantial experimental, epidemiological and clinical evidences that show that breast cancer pathology is influenced by endogenous estrogens. This knowledge is the foundation upon which endocrine deprivation therapy has been developed as a major modality for the management of breast cancer. Tamoxifen, which functions as a competitive partial agonist-inhibitor of estrogen at its receptor, has been widely used for more than three decades for adjuvant endocrine treatment in breast cancer. Currently, other effective drugs for endocrine therapy include raloxifene, different aromatase inhibitors (particularly third-generation agents) and luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonists. In recent years, a growing body of evidence suggests that these drugs can also act as immune modulators by altering the function of various leukocytes and the release of different cytokines. Moreover, there is evidence that anti-estrogens may prove to be beneficial in the treatment or prevention of some autoimmune diseases due to their effects on immune function. However, their immunopharmacological aspects in the present state of knowledge are not precisely comprehensible. Only a clear pathophysiological understanding could lead to an efficient strategy for breast cancer prevention and decrease in the mortality due to this disease.
authors: Saint James School of Medicine, Anguilla, British West Indies. amitraym@rediffmail.com
authors: Amitabha
authors: A
authors: Ray
authors: Monica
authors: M
authors: Ficek
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020847:Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004967:Estrogens / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000819:agonists; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists; D020847:Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D004967:Estrogens; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone