Keeping Up with the Joneses

Aaron L. Pierce

Drug Assignment #1

Question #1

To answer this question what you first have to know is that certain types of breast cancer require the hormone estrogen to grow. Tamoxifen is used to treat what is known as estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer (tamoxifen 0611). Tamoxifen is a man-made hormone which acts as a blocker or inhibitor thereby preventing estrogen from hooking up with its receptors and depriving the cancer cells of what they need estrogen (TamoxifenRegimen.html). Without the estrogen being supplied the cancers stop multiplying and the cancer goes into remission.

Question #2

The discovery about its effect on osteoporosis came as a bit of a surprise because it was first thought that the drug would possibly reduce bone density because it was blocking estrogen receptors. Estrogen plays a vital role in the maintenance of the bones. It turns out that in certain cells located in the bones and the uterus tamoxifen acts like estrogen and actually helps with bone density (breastcancer). Clearly in the case of blocking the estrogen receptor tamoxifen is acting as a receptor antagonist in breast cells, while in the bone and uterus it is being a receptor agonism.

Question #3

Normally patients have only taken tamoxifen for five years. This is because of the potential side effects such as hot flashes, depression, vaginal problems and endometrial cancer. The potential for all of these side effects increased over time.(TamoxifenRegimen). In doing the research it appears that there is mounting evidence that tamoxifen can be safely taken for up to ten years. In doing so the risk of death from breast cancer 10 to 15 years after diagnosis was 6.4% as compared to 9.0% for those who only took tamoxifen for five years (medicalnewstoday). As with any drug perceived benefits must be weighed against the potential side effects and in consultation with your doctor.

References

Clinical Trial Results. National cancer institute. 06 February 2011....