Section Review: Oncologic, Endocrine & Metabolic: New treatment approaches for metastatic breast cancer

Abstract

Breast cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths in women in Westernised countries. Mortality from breast cancer is due to the metastatic spread of cancer cells from their site of origin. Although breast cancer is relatively responsive to chemotherapy compared to other solid tumours, the disease remains incurable. Hormonal agents in development for use in metastatic breast cancer include new anti-oestrogens, anti-progestins, aromatase inhibitors and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonists. New chemotherapeutic agents with encouraging activity in this disease include the taxanes, vinorelbine, edatrexate and others. Finally, our expanding knowledge of molecular cancer pathogenesis is leading to the identification of new drug targets and novel treatment approaches.