Title : Tamoxifen : Contraceptive pill to anti-cancer drug
Abstract:
Tamoxifen, an anticancer drug which acts by competitive binding to estrogen receptor by blocking G1 phase of cell cycle to slow cell proliferation by reduction of transcription of estrogen regulated genes.
Tamoxifen which was synthesized in 1962 and first discovered as compound ICI 46,474 used as an anti-estrogen to prevent ovulation in women.After completing some Clinical trials, it has been showed that it could prevent its occurance in women at high risk of developing breast cancer. Tamoxifen is a perfect example of pharmaceutical evaluation of drug which discovered as a contraceptive pill but used widely to prevent breast cancer by its pharmacological action. After discovering as a contraceptive, It was very difficult to prove that tamoxifen has a prominent action in palliative treatment for patients with breast cancer. As per initial results in 1983, The Lancet reported that Tamoxifen helped 10-20% more women over age 50 to survive for cancer in 2-3 years after surgery and radiation. Additional results published in 1985 proved that 6 years treatment of tamoxifen can reduce death 34% for patients of all ages with the disease.
However in the treatment of breat cancer, 5 years treatment of tamoxifen shows more effectiveness than lesser time treatment.
