title: Expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors across human malignancies: new therapeutic opportunities.
abstract: Estrogen and progesterone receptors (ERs and PRs) are known for their prognostic as well as treatment predictive value in breast cancer. Although these receptors are differentially expressed in some other malignancies, and likely participate in the biology of those cancer types, the relevance to outcome and therapy is not well established. The use of ER as a highly effective therapeutic target in oncology was pioneered in breast cancer, and the lessons learned from its success could potentially benefit patients with several other malignancies in which hormone receptors are highly expressed. Indeed, there are several potent drugs available that target hormone receptors. These agents show incontrovertible evidence of benefit in patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. It is conceivable that these drugs may have salutary effects in a variety of cancers other than those originating in the breast, based on the overexpression of hormone receptors in some patients, and the preclinical and clinical reports showing responses to these drugs in diverse cancers, albeit in small series or anecdotally. We therefore undertook a literature review in order to summarize the current data regarding the biologic and clinical implications of expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors in various malignancies and the possibilities for deployment of hormone manipulation beyond breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology-Oncology, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, Gilbert, AZ, USA. jlmunoz@mdanderson.org.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Munoz
authors.affiliation: Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics (Phase I Clinical Trials Program), The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wheler
authors.affiliation: Center for Personalized Cancer Therapy and Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of California San Diego Moores Cancer Center, San Diego, CA, USA.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kurzrock
mesh_terms: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D065171:Estrogen Receptor Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D004967:Estrogens / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; C506487:ESR1 protein, human; C000600034:ESR2 protein, human; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists; D065171:Estrogen Receptor Antagonists; D047628:Estrogen Receptor alpha; D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta; D004967:Estrogens; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D011374:Progesterone
keywords: Estrogen; Molecular; Phase I clinical trials; Progesterone; Receptor; Therapy