|
|
Gamma
linolenic acid with tamoxifen as primary therapy in breast cancer
Kenny
FS, Pinder SE, Ellis IO, Gee JM, Nicholson RI, Bryce RP, Robertson JF
Professorial
Unit of Surgery, City Hospital, Nottingham, UK
Gamma
linolenic acid (GLA) has been proposed as a valuable new cancer therapy having
selective anti-tumour properties with negligible systemic toxicity.
Proposed mechanisms of action include modulation of steroid hormone receptors.
We have investigated the effects of GLA with primary hormone therapy in an
endocrine-sensitive cancer.
Thirty-eight breast cancer patients (20 elderly Stage I-II, 14 locally advanced,
4 metastatic) took 8 capsules of oral GLA/day (total = 2.8 g) in addition to
tamoxifen 20 mg od (T+GLA).
Quality and duration of response were compared with matched controls receiving
tamoxifen 20 mg od alone (n = 47).
Serial tumour biopsies were taken to assess changes in oestrogen receptor (ER)
and bcl-2 expression during treatment.
GLA was well tolerated with no major side effects.
T+GLA cases achieved a significantly faster clinical response (objective
response vs. static disease) than tamoxifen controls, evident by 6 weeks on
treatment (p = 0.010).
There was significant reduction in ER expression in both treatment arms with
T+GLA objective responders sustaining greater ER fall than tamoxifen
counterparts (6-week biopsy p = 0.026; 6-month biopsy p = 0.019).
We propose GLA as a useful adjunct to primary tamoxifen in endocrine-sensitive
breast cancer.
The effects of GLA on ER function and the apparent enhancement of
tamoxifen-induced ER down-regulation by GLA require further investigation.
Copyright 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
PMID:
10699943 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Source: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10699943&dopt=Abstract
|
