Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • News & Views
  • Published:

Targeted therapies

Any surprises from selective oestrogen-receptor modulators?

The marriage of medicinal chemistry, molecular biology and medicine is perhaps best exemplified by the evolution of selective oestrogen-receptor modulators (SERMs). Translational studies might be useful for predicting the myriad clinical responses to SERMs, contributing to improvements in women's health.

Key Points

  • Raloxifene must not be used to prevent breast cancer in high-risk premenopausal women

  • Tamoxifen is the only selective oestrogen-receptor modulator available to prevent breast cancer in premenopausal women

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: Molecular networks potentially influence the expression of SERM action in a target tissue.

References

  1. Cuzick, J. et al. Selective oestrogen receptor modulators in prevention of breast cancer: an updated meta-analysis of individual participant data. Lancet 381, 25–31 (2013).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Maximov, P. Y., Lee, T. M. & Jordan, V. C. The discovery and development of selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) for clinical practice. Curr. Clin. Pharmacol. 8, 135–155 (2013).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Fisher, B. et al. Tamoxifen for prevention of breast cancer: report of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project P-1 study. J. Natl Cancer Inst. 90, 1371–1388 (1998).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Jordan, V. C. Tamoxifen: a most unlikely pioneering medicine. Nat. Rev. Drug Discov. 2, 205–213 (2003).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Powles, T. J. et al. A pilot trial to evaluate the acute toxicity and feasibility of tamoxifen for prevention of breast cancer. Br. J. Cancer 60, 126–131 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Fornander, T. et al. Adjuvant tamoxifen in early breast cancer: occurrence of new primary cancers. Lancet 1, 117–120 (1989).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Cummings, S. R. et al. The effect of raloxifene on risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women: results from the MORE randomized trial. Multiple Outcomes of Raloxifene Evaluation. JAMA 281, 2189–2197 (1999).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Vogel, V. G. et al. Effects of tamoxifen vs raloxifene on the risk of developing invasive breast cancer and other disease outcomes: the NSABP Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene (STAR) P-2 trial. JAMA 295, 2727–2741 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Vogel, V. G. et al. Update of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene (STAR) P-2 trial: preventing breast cancer. Cancer Prev. Res. (Phila.) 3, 696–706 (2010).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Jordan, V. C. Selective estrogen receptor modulation: concept and consequences in cancer. Cancer Cell 5, 207–213 (2004).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The author is supported by the Department of Defense Breast Program (award number W81XWH-06-1-0590) Center of Excellence, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation (award number SAC100009), Georgetown–Howard Universities Center for Clinical and Translational Science Clinical and Translational Science Awards (grant UL1RR031975) and the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center Support Grant (core grant NIH P30 CA051008). The views and opinions of the author do not reflect those of the US Army or the Department of Defense.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The author declares no competing financial interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jordan, V. Any surprises from selective oestrogen-receptor modulators?. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 10, 432–434 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrclinonc.2013.94

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrclinonc.2013.94

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing: Translational Research

Sign up for the Nature Briefing: Translational Research newsletter — top stories in biotechnology, drug discovery and pharma.

Get what matters in translational research, free to your inbox weekly. Sign up for Nature Briefing: Translational Research