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SeveredNeuron -> RE: "Newer breast cancer drugs save lives, study finds " (2/14/2007 4:51:09 PM)
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From what I can see, Tamoxifen (the 'old' treatment) is a competitve molecule against oestrogen (i.e. it binds to oestrogen receptors more readily then oestrogen and uses all of them up so oestrogen doesnt bind and thus there are no oestrogen signalling effects which are thought to perhaps fuel cancer).
Aromatase inhibitors block an enzyme called the aromatase which converts androgens (general sex hormones) into estrogens (the female sex hormones). Thus, it blocks the creation of oestrogen via androgens (which are released by the pituitary gland in the brain... which then stimulate the reproductive system to create even more oestrogen).
If your wondering about the name.. aromatase.. its probably due to the chemistry of the conversion of androgens to estrogens (Most androgens consist of benzene-like cyclic structures which make 'aromatic' compounds.. yes they are ones that smell nice and are the compounds the perfume industry tries to make). Plus, most steriodal hormones (i.e. androgens) can be created from cholesterol which in itself is formed of lots of complex cyclic carbon rings.
I think the reason why aromatase inhibitors can only be used in post-menustrating women is because blocking the production of oestrogen from the brain would screw up alot of processes. (Oestrogen is needed for initation of mentrual cycle and a few other things), while blocking some of the receptors of oestrogen wouldnt have such a massive effect (there is probably no way that you could block all of them, and i am sure that the drug would not be that efficient).
So, kinda the point of all this is to give a little more info -- Plus with new treatments for things esp. like cancer which is something we have very little understand about .. there will always be ones that are 'better' because there really arent that many out there.
Hope it helps,
Ania
P.S. If you want to find out more about aromatase inhibitors; the following link is a 'free' research article on them; if you haven't done much science recently, its probably best to stick to abstract/introduction/discussion as methods and results may be a little too much on the technical side and may induce headaches :).
http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0015-0282(06)00228-7
Attar & Bulun (2006) "Aromatase inhibitors: the next generation of therapeutics for endometriosis?" Fertility and Sterility, 85(5), pp 1307-1318
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