Pilot Study Evaluating the Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, and Safety of the Combination of Exemestane and Tamoxifen
Vol. 10, 1943–1948, March 15, 2004 Clinical Cancer Research 1943 Pilot Study Evaluating the Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, and Safety of the Combination of Exemestane and Tamoxifen Edgardo Rivera,1 Vicente Valero,1 pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics and that the com- Deborah Francis,1 Aviva G. Asnis,2 bination is well-tolerated and active. Further clinical inves- Larry J. Schaaf,2 Barbara Duncan,2 and tigation is warranted. Gabriel N. Hortobagyi1 1Department of Breast Medical Oncology, The University of Texas INTRODUCTION 2 M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, and Pharmacia Breast cancer growth frequently is promoted by estrogen, Corporation, Peapack, New Jersey and approximately one-third of tumors respond to estrogen deprivation therapy (1). In current clinical practice, two main ABSTRACT single-agent strategies are used to deprive breast cancer cells of Purpose: We conducted a pilot study assessing the ef- estrogen. A selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), such fects of the selective estrogen receptor modulator, tamox- as tamoxifen, is given to block binding of the hormone to the ifen, on the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and cancer cells. Alternately, in postmenopausal women, an inhib- safety of the steroidal, irreversible aromatase inhibitor (AI), itor of the enzyme, aromatase, is administered to suppress their exemestane, when the two were coadministered in post- main source of estrogen synthesis, conversion of androgens by menopausal women with metastatic breast cancer. this enzyme. Experimental Design: Patients with documented or un- One aromatase inhibitor (AI) that has been studied exten- known hormone receptor sensitivity were eligible. Patients sively and shown activity as a single agent in postmenopausal received oral exemestane at 25-mg once daily.
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