Breast cancer pharmacology

Question 1

What is a triple negative breast cancer?

Answer 1

lack expression of oestrogen receptors, progesterone receptors and ERBB2

Question 2

Tamoxifen drug type

Answer 2

selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs)

Question 3

When is Tamoxifen used in breast cancer?

Answer 3

treatment of ER +ve premenopausal breast cancer and in prevention of Er +ve breast cancer

Question 4

What drug should be given to postmenopausal women with ER +ve breast cancer?

Answer 4

aromatase inhibitors

Question 5

What drug should be given to premenopausal women with ER +ve breast cancer?

Answer 5

tamoxifen and ovarian suppression (LHRH agonists eg. goserelin)

Question 6

What drug should be given to men with ER +ve breast cancer?

Answer 6

tamoxifen

Question 7

Name some aromatase inhibitors

Answer 7

androstenedione
anastrazole
letrozole
exemastane

Question 8

What should be offered to patients with ER +ve advanced breast cancer whose cancer is imminently life threatening?

Answer 8

chemotherapy

Question 9

Which breast cancer patients should be offered neoadjuvant chemotherapy?

Answer 9

triple negative cancers

Question 10

Which breast cancer patients should be given Herceptin (Trastuzumab)?

Answer 10

people with tumours expressing human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) scored at level 3+ by immunohistochemical techniques

Question 11

How does HER2 predict breast cancer prognosis?

Answer 11

independent predictor of poor prognosis