乳腺癌他莫昔芬耐药机制的研究进展

他莫昔芬(Tamoxifen,TAM)对于治疗雌激素受体(ER)阳性的乳腺癌是一种重要的治疗策略.然而TAM耐药是内分泌治疗失败的一个主要原因.TAM耐药的潜在机制是多因素的,其中大部分仍是未知的.本文介绍了近年来有关乳腺癌TAM耐药机制的研究进展,为阐明TAM耐药机理及克服耐药性提供有价值的信息和思路.     

三苯氧胺诱导人乳腺癌MCF-7细胞株耐药及自噬的关系研究

背景与目的:三苯氧胺(tamoxifen)作为第一代选择性雌激素受体调节剂(selective estrogen receptor modulator,SERM)被广泛地应用于激素敏感型乳腺癌的内分泌一线治疗。三苯氧胺耐药的发生严重限制了临床治疗,是乳腺癌患者用药面临的重大难题,明确其耐药机制对乳腺癌的治疗有重要临床意义。本研究通过体外诱导人乳腺癌细胞MCF-7三苯氧胺耐药,探讨细胞产生三苯氧胺耐药时自噬水平的变化与MAPK家族蛋白细胞外信号调节激酶(extracellular signal-regulated kinase,ERK)蛋白表达量及磷酸化水平的变化。方法:浓度递增筛选法诱导MCF-7细胞耐药,透射电镜观察MCF-7细胞与耐药细胞内的自噬泡数量,CCK8法检测细胞增殖状态,应用Western blot检测LC3Ⅱ、ERK1/2、Phospho-ERK1/2蛋白的表达情况。结果:诱导的三苯氧胺耐药细胞株TR5达到5μmol/L的耐药浓度。TR5细胞内的自噬泡数量与LC3Ⅱ表达量明显高于MCF-7细胞。ERK蛋白在两种细胞中的表达量差异无统计学意义,但其在TR5中的磷酸化水平比MCF-7细胞高。结论:...     

Combination hormonal therapy with tamoxifen plus fluoxymesterone versus tamoxifen alone in postmenopausal women with metastatic breast cancer. An updated analysis

A randomized trial was performed to determine if therapy with tamoxifen (TAM) plus fluoxymesterone (FLU) was more efficacious than TAM alone for postmenopausal women with metastatic breast cancer. Patients failing TAM could subsequently receive FLU. The dose of both drugs was 10 mg orally twice daily. Objective responses were seen in 50 of 119 (42%) TAM patients and 64 of 119 (54%) TAM plus FLU patients (two-sided P = 0.07). Time to disease progression was better for TAM plus FLU (medians: 11.6 versus 6.5 months; Cox model, P = 0.03). Duration of response and survival were similar in the two treatment arms. Among 97 patients with estrogen receptor (ER) of 10 or greater and 65 years of age or older, there were highly significant advantages for treatment with TAM plus FLU in both response rate and time to progression. Of particular note is that in this patient group TAM plus FLU showed a survival advantage (Cox model, P = 0.05). Although these data require confirmation in a prospective randomized trial, they suggest that there is a substantive therapeutic advantage for TAM plus FLU over TAM alone in elderly women with ER of 10 fmol or greater.     

Toremifene and tamoxifen in advanced breast cancer - a double-blind cross-over trial

Summary Toremifene (TOR) is a triphenylethylene derivative related to tamoxifen (TAM). TOR has antitumor activity, not dependent on estrogen receptors, and responses with TOR have been observed in patients with progressive disease during TAM-treatment. To elucidate possible cross-resistance between these two antiestrogens, we compared their anti-tumor activity in a randomized, double-blind, cross-over study.66 postmenopausal women with advanced estrogen receptor positive or unknown breast cancer and a median age of 63 years (range 38-82) were included. Patients were randomized to TAM 40mg/day or TOR 240mg/day. Treatment continued until progressive disease, when cross-over to the alternative treatment was done. The response rate with first line TOR was 29% (95% confidence limits 10–41%) and with TAM 42% (95% confidence limits 25–61%). Response rates and response durations, survival and toxicity were not significantly different between the two treatments. 44 patients progressing on first line TAM or TOR were evaluable for second line TOR or TAM treatment. As no responses were observed, the possibility of overlooking a response rate of 20% or more is less than 1%.In conclusion, this study strongly indicates that TOR and TAM are clinically cross-resistant in patients with advanced breast cancer.     

Endocrine therapy of metastatic breast cancer

Breast cancer growth and dissemination is regulated by estrogen and different growth factor receptor signalling pathways. The increasing knowledge of the biology of breast cancer regarding the interaction of these signalling pathways provides a tool to understand endocrine therapies response and resistance mechanisms. In patients with slowly progressive disease, no visceral involvement, and minimal symptoms, endocrine therapy could be the strategy of choice, even if the tumor has low estrogen receptor expression. Ovarian suppression and tamoxifen are recommended for premenopausal patients whether aromatase inhibitors are the option for postmenopausal ones. Chemotherapy still remains as the right alternative for hormone unresponsive or resistant patients. This is a review focused on the different strategies and combinations of endocrine therapies for metastatic breast cancer patients considering the potential strategies clinically tested to overcome resistance and the different treatments of choice available for each scenario of disseminated disease.     

雄激素受体在乳腺癌他莫昔芬耐药中的作用和机制研究进展

他莫昔芬(tamoxifen,TAM)为人工合成的非甾体类抗雌激素药物,被普遍的应用于雌激素受体(estrogen receptor,ER)阳性的乳腺癌患者中。但大约一半的ER阳性的患者会出现耐药。可见内分泌耐药是当前临床迫切需要解决的问题。随着对耐药机制的深入研究:发现雄激素受体(androgen receptor,AR)在 72.9%的原发性乳腺癌病例中表达,并在约65%的乳腺癌中与ER同时表达。有研究显示:AR/ER越高预示着TAM治疗率越低;AR与人类表皮生长因子受体2（human epidermal growth factor receptor 2,HER2）之间所形成的正反馈循环能够增加TAM耐药;AR、髓样细胞白血病-1蛋白(myeloid cell leukemia-1,Mcl-1)与TAM耐药有可能相关。所以探讨AR在TAM耐药中的作用和机制是非常有意义的。为乳腺癌的靶向治疗掀开了新的一页。     

A phase III comparison of two toremifene doses to tamoxifen in postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer

Efficacy and safety of toremifene 60 and 240mg daily (TOR60 and TOR240) are compared to40 mg tamoxifen daily (TAM40) in postmenopausal womenwith advanced estrogen receptor (ER) positive or ERunknown breast cancer. The study is randomized andopen label in three parallel groups. Primary efficacyvariables are response rate and time to progression.WHO and ECOG criteria were used for measurableand nonmeasurable disease assessment, respectively. Safety was reportedaccording to WHO criteria. Altogether 463 patients wererandomized (157 to TOR60, 157 to TOR240, and149 to TAM40). By data cut-off, after 20.5months median follow-up time, over 70% of thepatients had experienced disease progression. Response rates are20.4%, 28.7%, and 20.8% in TOR60, TOR240, andTAM40, respectively. TOR60 and TAM40 show statistically equivalentefficacy and the difference between TOR240 and TAM40is not significant (P=0.112). Median timesto progression are 4.9 (TOR60), 6.1 (TOR240), and5.0 (TAM40) months and the corresponding hazard ratios(TAM:TOR) 1.015 and 1.124. Again, TOR60 and TAM40are statistically equivalent and the difference between TOR240and TAM40 is not significant (P=0.374).All treatments were well tolerated. As a conclusion,TOR60 and TAM40 show equivalent clinical efficacy andtolerability. The higher dose of toremifene slightly butnot statistically significantly improves response rate and timeto progression. In postmenopausal women, toremifene 60 mgdaily is an effective and safe treatment ofadvanced ER-positive or ER-unknown breast cancer.     

Biologic basis of sequential and combination therapies for hormone-responsive breast cancer

Although pharmacologic therapies that reduce or block estrogen signaling are effective treatments of estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer, acquired resistance to individual drugs can develop. Furthermore, this approach is ineffective as initial therapy for a subgroup of receptor-positive patients. The mechanisms of drug resistance are not completely understood, but the presence of alternative signaling pathways for activating ER response appears to play a significant role. Cross-talk between signaling pathways can activate ERs when conventional ER pathways are blocked or inactivated. For example, signaling via epidermal growth factor or HER-2 receptors, mitogen-activated protein kinases, phosphatidylinositol 3' kinase/protein kinase B, and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor can lead to estrogen-independent stimulation of ERs and tumor growth. The discovery that alternative pathways are involved in estrogen signaling has prompted development of newer endocrine therapies, such as aromatase inhibitors and pure estrogen antagonists, with distinct mechanisms for interrupting signal transduction. The existence of multiple pathways may explain the effectiveness of follow-up therapy with a different class of endocrine agents after failure of prior endocrine treatment. Because they do not have the partial agonist activity of tamoxifen that is enhanced by the adaptive hypersensitivity process, these alternative endocrine agents may play an increasingly important role in the treatment of ER-positive breast cancer. Although optimal sequencing of these agents has not been determined and is continuing to evolve, current evidence allows rational recommendations to be made. The multiple pathways involved in activating ERs also provide a rationale for combining endocrine and non-endocrine therapies that block different signaling pathways, which may have synergistic and overlapping interactions.     

Genistein sensitizes inhibitory effect of tamoxifen on the growth of estrogen receptor-positive and HER2-overexpressing human breast cancer cells

Although tamoxifen (TAM) is used for the front-line treatment and prevention of estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast tumors, nearly 40% of estrogen-dependent breast tumors do not respond to TAM treatment. Moreover, the positive response is usually of short duration, and most tumors eventually develop TAM-resistance. Overexpression of HER2 gene is associated with TAM-resistance of breast tumor, and suppression of HER2 expression enhances the TAM activity. Soy isoflavone genistein has been shown to have anti-cancer activities and suppress expression of HER2 and ERalpha. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that genistein may sensitize the response of ER+ and HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells to TAM treatment. The combination treatment of TAM and genistein inhibited the growth of ER+/HER2-overexpressing BT-474 human breast cancer cells in a synergistic manner in vitro. Determination of cellular markers indicated that this synergistic inhibitory effect might be contributed in part from combined effects on cell-cycle arrest at G(1) phase and on induction of apoptosis. Further determination of the molecular markers showed that TAM and genistein combination synergistically induced BT-474 cell apoptosis in part by synergistic downregulation of the expression of survivin, one of the apoptotic effectors, and downregulation of EGFR, HER2, and ERalpha expression. Our research may provide a novel approach for the prevention and/or treatment of TAM insensitive/resistant human breast cancer, and warrants further in vivo studies to verify the efficacy of genistein and TAM combination on the growth of ER+/HER2-overexpressing breast tumors and to elucidate the in vivo mechanisms of synergistic actions.     

Synergistic cytotoxic effects of tumor necrosis factor, interferon-gamma and tamoxifen on breast cancer cell lines.

The combined effects of recombinant human tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interferon-gamma (IFN) and tamoxifen (TAM) on the proliferation of human breast cancer cell lines were investigated. In estrogen receptor positive MCF-7 cells, relatively resistant to TAM or TNF, cytotoxicity significantly increased in combinations of TNF and IFN, and of a cytokine and TAM. The cytotoxicity of TNF increased when cells were pretreated with IFN, but not vice versa. Sequential treatment with IFN following TNF and TAM also exhibited significant antiproliferative effect on both cell lines. The combined or sequential cytokines and TAM treatments are possible modalities to overcome breast cancers unresponsive to endocrine treatment.     

Associations of retinoids, tamoxifen and alpha-interferon 2a in human breast cancer

We evaluated in vitro the potentiating and/or synergistic antitumor effects among retinoids (all-trans-retinoic acid, tRA, and 13-cis-retinoic acid, 13cRA), alpha-interferon 2a (alpha-IFN 2a) and tamoxifen (TAM) on both estrogen receptor positive (ER(+)) and negative (ER(-)) human breast cancer cell lines. In our experimental model, the three studied agents showed antiproliferative activity in ER(+) cell lines MCF-7 and ZR-75.1, while alpha-IFN 2a was the most effective drug in the ER(-) cell line MDA-MB-231. Retinoids and TAM exerted a strong apoptotic effect in MCF-7 cells, while such an effect was obtained in MDA-MB-231 cells by alpha-IFN 2a. The tested combinations displayed different effects in the different evaluated cell lines: i) in MCF-7 cells tRA + TAM showed additive activity, both tRA + alpha-IFN 2a and TAM + alpha-IFN 2a association displayed a synergistic effect, and a further potentiation of the antiproliferative action was detected with the triple combination; ii) in ZR-75.1 cell line an additive activity was showed by tRA + TAM and TAM + alpha-IFN 2a, while tRA + alpha-IFN 2a produced synergistic action; iii) in MDA-MB-231 cell line only alpha-IFN 2a displayed a strong antiproliferative effect, and no significant potentiation was exerted by any drug association. The feasibility and activity of such combinations have been tested in two pilot clinical trials on patients with metastatic breast cancer: both the tested associations were tolerable, with good treatment compliance and low toxicity. The different antiproliferative and apoptotic effects observed in vitro on apparently similar breast cancer cell lines prompted us to a further investigation of the mutual biological modulations of these drug combinations, in view of a better selection of patients who might potentially benefit from these treatments.     

Long-term adjuvant tamoxifen therapy for breast cancer

Tamoxifen (ICI46,474) is a competitive inhibitor of estrogen action which has found ubiquitous application in the treatment of breast cancer. The drug is the front line endocrine therapy for breast cancer and is the proven treatment of choice for the adjuvant therapy of postmenopausal women with node-positive disease. Tamoxifen is available for the treatment of premenopausal patients with advanced disease, and is being evaluated in clinical trials as an adjuvant therapy for premenopausal patients with either node-positive or node-negative disease. Laboratory studies demonstrate that tamoxifen is a tumoristatic agent and long-term treatment strategies (chemosuppression) should be considered to apply the antiestrogen to its maximal therapeutic advantage. Optimal therapy with tamoxifen may also be achieved by treatment strategies to lower circulating estrogen levels in the premenopausal patient.Tamoxifen is a well tolerated drug, and long-term therapy does not appear to induce metabolic tolerance. Concerns about premature osteoporosis or cardiovascular disease appear to be unfounded because tamoxifen has an appropriate level of target site-directed estrogenic activity. Isolated reports about the growth or appearance of endometrial carcinoma during long-term adjuvant tamoxifen therapy must be balanced against the risks of withholding treatment to patients with a fatal disease.     

Tumor‐associated macrophages secrete CC‐chemokine ligand 2 and induce tamoxifen resistance by activating PI3K/Akt/mTOR in breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most prevalent malignancy among women. Although endocrine therapy is effective, the development of endocrine resistance is a major clinical challenge. The tumor microenvironment (TME) promotes tumor malignancy, and tumor‐associated macrophages (TAM) within the TME play a crucial role in endocrine resistance. Herein, we aimed to elucidate the relationship between TAM and the endocrine‐resistant phenotype of breast cancer. Macrophages were cultured with conditioned medium (CM) from tamoxifen‐sensitive (MCF7‐S) or ‐resistant (MCF7‐R) MCF7 breast cancer cells. M2 polarization was detected by CD163 immunofluorescence. To determine the effect on endocrine resistance, MCF7 cells were cultured in the supernatant of different TAM, and then treated with tamoxifen. CC‐chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) immunohistochemistry was carried out on pathological sections from 100 patients with invasive estrogen receptor‐positive breast cancer. We found that macrophages cultured in the CM of MCF7‐S and MCF7‐R cells were induced into TAM, with a more obvious M2 polarization in the latter. Tamoxifen resistance was increased by culture in TAM medium. TAM secreted CCL2, which increased endocrine resistance in breast cancer cells through activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. High expression of CCL2 was correlated with infiltration of CD163+macrophages (r = 0.548, P < .001), and patients with high CCL2 expression presented shorter progression‐free survival than those with low CCL2 expression (P < .05). We conclude that CCL2 secreted by TAM activates PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling and promotes an endocrine resistance feedback loop in the TME, suggesting that CCL2 and TAM may be novel therapeutic targets for patients with endocrine‐resistant breast cancer.     

Combined endocrine treatment of elderly postmenopausal patients with metastatic breast cancer; A randomized trial of tamoxifen vs. tamoxifen + aminoglutethimide and hydrocortisone and tamoxifen + fluoxymesterone in women above 65 years of age

The efficacy of combined endocrine therapy with tamoxifen (TAM), aminoglutethimide (AG), and hydrocortisone (H) or tamoxifen and fluoxymesterone (FLU) was evaluated against treatment with tamoxifen alone in 311 patients above 65 years of age with a first recurrence of a metastatic breast cancer. A total of 279 patients were eligible. The response rates were assessed for 258 fully evaluable patients and were the following for the TAM (N=94), the TAM+AG+H (N=83), and the TAM+FLU (N=81) groups, respectively, PR: 14, 18, and 21%, and CR: 20, 11, and 23%. The overall response rates are not statistically different (p=0.30). The 95% CL of difference in response rates for TAM vs. TAM+AG+H are –9–19% and for TAM vs. TAM+FLU –4–25%. Time to treatment failure was comparable with median values of 9.2, 7.7, and 9.2 months in the TAM, TAM+AG+H, and TAM+FLU group, respectively (p=0.17). The corresponding figures for survival are median times of 22.0, 24.1, and 21.1 months with a p-value of 0.62. Toxicity was more pronounced in both the combined treatment groups, and could in most instances be attributed to treatment with either AG+H or FLU. Currently, new specific aromatase inhibitors with lesser toxicity than AG are being evaluated in combination with TAM for treatment of primary and metastatic breast cancer. In conclusion, the simultaneous use of TAM and AG+H or FLU does not seem to improve the therapeutic efficacy in elderly postmenopausal patients with metastatic disease. So far, combined endocrine therapy in this group of patients should only be used in the context of clinical trials.     

氟维司群治疗绝经后转移性乳腺癌患者的疗效及安全性

背景与目的:氟维司群是一种雌激素受体(estrogen receptor,ER)拮抗剂,该药对既往经内分泌治疗后进展的转移性乳腺癌(MBC)仍有较好疗效。本研究观察氟维司群对他莫昔芬(TAM)治疗后进展的绝经后MBC患者的疗效及安全性。方法:氟维司群250 mg,肌肉注射,每月1次,直至肿瘤进展。主要研究终点为至疾病进展时间(TTP),次要终点为客观有效率(ORR),缓解期(DoR)及临床获益率(CBR)。结果:本组21例患者中位TTP为4个月,ORR为19.0%,CBR为33.3%,其中部分缓解(PR)4例,疾病稳定(SD)超过24周3例,有效患者的中位DoR为8个月,1年生存率为42.8%,2年生存率为23.8%,中位总生存时间(OS)为11个月。氟维司群的疗效与患者ER状态、术后无病生存期(DFS)及是否为初始治疗等因素相关:ER高表达者较ER低表达者更易从氟维司群治疗中获益(CBR分别为100%和17.6%,P=0.002),DFS超过2年者的CBR明显较DFS小于2年者高(分别为46.7%和0,P=0.040),氟维司群为MBC初始治疗者的CBR较非初始治疗者明显增高(分别为80.0%和18.8%,...     

Experience of high-dose toremifene treatment for postmenopausal women with metastatic breast cancer

Toremifene (TOR), a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), showed efficacy equivalent to Tamoxifen (TAM) in terms of the objective response rate, stable disease, time to progression and overall survival in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). High-dose TOR is also effective for patients with TAM-resistant breast cancer. We tried to study retrospectively the efficacy and the safety of high-dose TOR treatment for patients with MBC in our hospital. Ten patients received TOR 120 mg daily. Most of the patients were treated with one or more endocrine agents before high-dose TOR. Objective response and clinical benefits were found in 3 patients (30%) and 7 patients (70%), respectively. Median time to progression and median overall survival were 9 months and 21.5 months, respectively. In our study,we found the efficacy for patients with hormone receptor negative, TAM resistance and aromatase inhibitor (AI)-resistance breast cancer. Adverse events induced by high-dose TOR treatment were tolerable. High-dose TOR may be one of the optional treatments for patients with MBC after TAM and AI treatment.     

Mechanisms and therapeutic advances in the management of endocrine-resistant breast cancer

The estrogen receptor (ER) pathway plays a critical role in breast cancer development and progression. Endocrine therapy targeting estrogen action is the most important systemic therapy for ER positive breast cancer. However its efficacy is limited by intrinsic and acquired resistance. Mechanisms responsible for endocrine resistance include deregulation of the ER pathway itself, including loss of ER expression, post-translational modification of ER, deregulation of ER co-activators; increased receptor tyrosine kinase signaling leading to activation of various intracellular pathways involved in signal transduction, proliferation and cell survival, including growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases human epidermal growth factor receptor-2, epidermal growth factor receptor, PI3K/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), Mitogen activated kinase (MAPK)/ERK, fibroblast growth factor receptor, insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor; alterations in cell cycle and apoptotic machinery; Epigenetic modification including dysregulation of DNA methylation, histone modification, and nucleosome remodeling; and altered expression of specific microRNAs. Functional genomics has helped us identify a catalog of genetic and epigenetic alterations that may be exploited as potential therapeutic targets and biomarkers of response. New treatment combinations targeting ER and such oncogenic signaling pathways which block the crosstalk between these pathways have been proven effective in preclinical models. Results of recent clinical studies suggest that subsets of patients benefit from the combination of inhibitor targeting certain oncogenic signaling pathway with endocrine therapy. Especially, inhibition of the mTOR signaling pathway, a key component implicated in mediating multiple signaling cascades, offers a promising approach to restore sensitivity to endocrine therapy in breast cancer. We systematically reviewed important publications cited in PubMed, recent abstracts from ASCO annual meetings and San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, and relevant trials registered at ClinicalTrials.gov. We present the molecular mechanisms contributing to endocrine resistance, in particular focusing on the biological rationale for the clinical development of novel targeted agents in endocrine resistant breast cancer. We summarize clinical trials utilizing novel strategies to overcome therapeutic resistance, highlighting the need to better identify the appropriate patients whose diseases are most likely to benefit from these specific strategies.     

Targeting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer

Approximately 70−75% of breast cancers express the estrogen receptor (ER), indicating a level of dependence on estrogen for growth. Endocrine therapy is an important class of target-directed therapy that blocks the growth-promoting effects of estrogen via ER. Although endocrine therapy continues to be the cornerstone of effective treatment of ER-positive (ER+) breast cancer, many patients with advanced ER+ breast cancer encounter de novo or acquired resistance and require more aggressive treatment such as chemotherapy. Novel approaches are needed to augment the benefit of existing endocrine therapies by prolonging time to disease progression, preventing or overcoming resistance, and delaying the use of chemotherapy.