Cancer drug 'may make some cases worse'

Breast cancer drug may make some cases worse

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Thursday, 04, Dec 2008 08:02

A breast cancer drug may worsen the condition in a small number of patients, research has shown.

Tamoxifen, a commonly-used anti-oestrogen breast cancer drug, may promote more harmful cancer cell behaviour in patients who lack a protein, E-cadherin.

The authors of the article, published in the journal Breast Cancer Research, found in these patients, tamoxifen can make breast cancer cells more aggressive under conditions of poor cell-cell contact, a previously unknown effect of this drug.

Dr Stephen Hiscox from Cardiff University, who led the research team, said: "This could have major clinical implications for those patients with tumours where there is inherently poor intercellular adhesion.

"In such patients, oestrogen deprivation with aromatase inhibitors (AIs) may be a more appropriate treatment."