It has to do with
estrogen and progesterone receptors on the tumor.
To find out, scientists at Cancer Research UK and the University of Adelaide in Australia studied the interactions between
estrogen and progesterone receptors in breast cancer cells.
So in a real sense,
estrogen and progesterone receptors are constantly reprogramming our cells by turning selected genes on and off.
What are
estrogen and progesterone receptors, and what do they do?
In the study, scientists took breast cancer cells that were ER positive / PR positive and exposed them to enough estrogen and progesterone to activate both
the estrogen and progesterone receptors.
Consistent with this observation of MELK overexpression in BBC, we found that MELK expression in breast tumors has a significant inverse correlation with the expression of luminal markers, including
estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER, PR)(Figure 2F, Figure 2 — figure supplement 1F).
Despite marked advances in breast cancer therapy, basal - like breast cancer (BBC), an aggressive subtype of breast cancer usually lacking
estrogen and progesterone receptors, remains difficult to treat.
Chemotherapy is a key part of the standard treatment regimen for triple - negative breast cancer patients whose cancer lacks expression of
estrogen and progesterone receptors and the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2...
«This observation is important,» he added, «because more than two - thirds of breast cancers contain
both estrogen and progesterone receptors.»
Because it tests negatively for
estrogen and progesterone receptors, it is unresponsive to hormonal therapies.
Because
estrogen and progesterone receptor sites are very similar at the cellular level, estrogen receptor sites can «wake up» when occupied by progesterone molecules, enhancing the action of estrogen for a short period of time.
High dietary intake of soy isoflavones was associated with lower risk of recurrence among post-menopausal patients with breast cancer positive for
estrogen and progesterone receptor and those who were receiving anastrozole as endocrine therapy.
Not exact matches
High total
and saturated fat intake were associated with greater risk of
estrogen receptor -
and progesterone receptor - positive (ER+PR +) breast cancer (BC),
and human epidermal growth factor 2
receptor - negative (HER2 --RRB- disease, according to a new study published April 9 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
It is called triple negative because it lacks
receptors for the hormones
estrogen and progesterone and makes little of a protein called HER2.
About 15 to 20 % of breast cancers are classified as «triple negative,» so called because these tumors do not express three key proteins that are biomarkers
and / or drug targets for breast cancer: the
estrogen receptor, the
progesterone receptor,
and HER2 (a member of the epidermal growth factor
receptor family).
It derives its name from the lack of
receptors for
estrogen,
progesterone and Her2.
For this study, Dr. Lou
and his colleagues focused on triple - negative breast cancer, which is difficult to treat, because it does not exhibit
receptors for
estrogen,
progesterone or the HER - 2 / neu gene, which are targets for many current breast cancer treatments.
The Penn scientists also utilized synthetic derivatives of
estrogen and progesterone that do not bind ER / PR (but still bind the nonclassical
receptors) to boost skin pigment through GPER, or decrease it through PAQR7.
Neither
receptor had been studied previously in melanocytes, but the results of the new study, which abolished the
estrogen and progesterone effects by deleting the
receptors, confirmed that the new
receptors are responsible for the skin pigment effects.
Triple - negative breast cancers are those whose cells lack
estrogen receptors and progesterone receptors,
and do not have an excess of the HER2 protein on their surfaces.
Since
estrogen receptor (ER)
and progesterone receptor (PR) data were available
and HER2 status was not, the researchers categorized the tumors as ER or PR positive (HR positive), or both ER
and PR negative (HR negative).
During pregnancy, the number of neurosteroid
receptors typically drops, presumably to protect the brain from high levels of
progesterone and estrogen circulating at the same time.
Triple - negative cancers are so called because they do not express
receptors for the hormones
estrogen and progesterone, nor for HER2 (human epidermal growth factor 2),
and hence patients with these cancers are not candidates for treatment with modern hormonal therapies or the highly effective HER2 - targeted drug Herceptin (trastuzumab).
Approximately 65 percent of all breast cancers express the
estrogen receptor (ER +)
and / or the
progesterone receptor (PR +).
Currently, there are no molecularly targeted therapies aimed at triple - negative breast cancer, which is a type of cancer negative for
estrogen receptor,
progesterone receptor and the HER2 protein — all key targets for current therapies.
But recent work shows that while these cancers lack
estrogen receptors,
progesterone receptors,
and aren't driven by the gene HER2, up to a third of these tumors express the androgen
receptor — clinical trials are underway to inhibit the androgen
receptor in these tumors in much the same way that the drug Tamoxifen inhibits
estrogen receptor in
estrogen -
receptor - positive breast cancers.
Ince
and his team found that although TNBC lacks the three
receptors that fuel most breast cancers —
estrogen receptors,
progesterone receptors,
and human epidermal growth factor
receptor 2 — it does express androgen
receptors (AR)
and vitamin D
receptors (VDR).
Triple negative breast cancers are those that do not have
estrogen or
progesterone receptors,
and do not have an excess of the HER2 protein on the cancer cell surfaces.
Because most breast cancers are hormone
receptor - positive (i.e., they use
estrogen or
progesterone to grow
and spread), survivors often rely on hormone therapy, such as AIs, to keep the disease from returning.
Basal - like tumors compose 19 % of the set; these overlap considerably with so - called triple negative breast cancers, which are clinically negative for
estrogen receptor (ER),
progesterone receptor (PR),
and Her2
receptor (HER2).
«In the last year or two, researchers have tuned into the extensive
and previously unrecognized cross talk between the
progesterone and estrogen receptors,» said study author Geoffrey Greene, PhD, Co-Director of the Ludwig Center for Metastasis Research
and Chairman of the Ben May Department for Cancer Research at the University of Chicago.
«Our data further suggest that, despite the historical bias toward the effects of
estrogen on the
estrogen receptor, it's the
progesterone receptor that dominantly controls
estrogen receptor activity when both
receptors are present
and activated.»
Estrogen and progesterone decrease let - 7f microRNA expression
and increase IL - 23 / IL - 23
receptor signaling
and IL - 17A production in patients with severe asthma.
Triple - negative breast cancer (TNBC), a tumor type defined by its lack of
estrogen receptor,
progesterone receptor,
and Her2 (ERBB2) amplification, accounts for 16 % of breast cancers.
«The treatment for breast cancer is currently dependent on the type of breast cancer, defined by the
estrogen receptor,
progesterone receptor,
and HER2 status.
We carried out a multicentre single - arm phase II trial in women with AR - positive,
estrogen,
progesterone receptor and HER2 - negative (triple - negative) metastatic or inoperable locally advanced BC to assess the efficacy
and safety of abiraterone acetate (AA) plus prednisone.
Triple negative breast cancer is a type of breast cancer that does not express
receptors for the hormones
estrogen and progesterone, or for human epidermal growth factor.
In this cohort, 49 % had
estrogen receptor (ER)- negative
and progesterone receptor (PR)- negative disease,
and only 14 % were HER2 - positive.
Many women are «triple negative» No one yet knows precisely why, but African - American women are roughly twice as likely as white women to have triple - negative breast cancer — so called because tumor cells in this particularly aggressive form of the disease test negative for
estrogen receptor (ER),
progesterone receptor (PR),
and human epidermal growth factor
receptor 2 (HER - 2).
Triple - negative tumors are in the 4th category,
and are lacking
receptors for
estrogen,
progesterone,
and a protein known as HER2 / neu.
Binding dopamine
receptors, which works to reduce secretion of prolactin by the pituitary gland, in turn inhibiting
estrogen and progesterone.
Cancers that are positive for
estrogen receptors,
progesterone receptors,
and HER2 can be treated with hormone therapies
and drugs that target HER2.
Triple negative breast cancer is
estrogen receptor - negative,
progesterone receptor - negative,
and HER2 - negative.
Handle with Care
Estrogen is necessary to maintain progesterone receptors; it is necessary to maintain good brain function and healthy bones; and a true estrogen deficiency may compromise the ability of blood vessels to relax and thus help protect against a heart
Estrogen is necessary to maintain
progesterone receptors; it is necessary to maintain good brain function
and healthy bones;
and a true
estrogen deficiency may compromise the ability of blood vessels to relax and thus help protect against a heart
estrogen deficiency may compromise the ability of blood vessels to relax
and thus help protect against a heart attack.
The body's innate awareness of the importance of balance between the
estrogens and progesterone is illustrated by the fact that
estrogen increases the expression of
progesterone receptors.596061
JLML: That's right,
and vice versa —
progesterone stimulates
estrogen receptors.
It can also convert to
estrogen,
and since it's a progestin, it can stimulate the
progesterone receptor.
Similarly to their
estrogen lowering effects by inhibiting the aromatase enzyme, both
progesterone and Vitamin E also work by directly blocking
estrogen receptors.
However, these
receptors can only do their work if the body provides them with
estrogen and progesterone to activate them.
Since cortisol
and progesterone compete for common
receptors in the cells, cortisol impairs
progesterone activity, setting the stage for
estrogen dominance.