Sweatman - Tx of Breast/Endo Cancer Flashcards
What 6 gene mutations are implicated in breast cancer?
- BRCA1/2: tumor suppressors involved in repair of double strand breaks (2-6%)
- PIK3CA: catalytic subunit of PO3 kinase; key signal transduction enzyme in cellular growth, survival, and insulin signaling (25-36%)
- TP53: tumor suppressor, key regulator of cell cycle, DNA repair, apoptosis (27-37%)
- GATA3: transcription factor that regulates luminal epi cell differentiation in mammary gland (4-11%)
- MAP3K1: kinase that activates ERK and JNK kinase pathways (3-8%)
- MLL3: histone-lysine N-methyltransferase involved in transcriptional coactivation (7%)
What are the cellular roles of BRCA1 and 2?
- Homologous recombination (HR) DNA repair during S and G2 phases of the cell cycle
- In response to DNA damage, BRCA1/2 mediate HR and cell cycle regulation when bound to different macrocomplexes
- Mutations in BRCA1/2 => DNA strand breaks, dysfunctional break repair, uncontrolled cell cycling via abrogation of the normal checkpoint machinery
1. INC division of cells carrying DNA damage and to the process of carcinogenesis
What are the options for mutant BRCA1/2 carriers?
- SURGERY: prophylactic mastectomy (DEC breast cancer risk by 90%) + bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy
- CHEMO: Tamoxifen or Raloxifene (SERMs) = 50% risk DEC for BRCA2, but no effect for BRCA1
1. BRCA2: 60-75% ER+
2. BRCA1: 70-90% ER- - NOTE: Tamoxifen use infrequent (6%) and Raloxifene (FDA approved for post-menopausal women only) used even less (3%)
What clinical features warrant referral for genetic testing for BRCA1/2 mutations?
- Early-onset breast cancer: <50, 45
- Ovarian, fallopian tube, or 1o peritoneal cancer
- Ppl w/2 or more 1o breast cancers, or breast AND ovarian cancer
- Male breast cancer
- 2 or more ppl in family w/breast and/or ovarian cancer
- Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry
- Testing for BRCA1/2 NOT universal for all patients
What is the best way to eradicate a primary, solid tumor that has not metastasized?
Surgically excise it
What 3 hormone receptors are critical in breast cancer tx decisions? Why?
- ER: drugs can be used to block receptor binding, or prevent generation of estrogen in post-meno women
- PR
- Her-2/neu: can be targeted with MAb’s or RTKI’s to block proliferative signaling pathway
- NOTE: triple negative tumors have a poor prognosis, and are treated with conventional therapies
What are the tx options for pre-meno women with ER+ breast cancer?
- Ovaries are the 1o source of estrogen pre-meno, so tx options are:
1. Sx removal of ovaries
2. Chemo castration w/GnRH agonists or antags that downregulate HP axis control
3. SERM can also be used to block ER in tumor and prevent estrogen binding (more commonly used in PM women - NOTE: drugs not currently employed to limit peripheral aromatization of steroids
What are the tx options for post-meno women with ER+ breast cancer?
- Ovaries are no longer the source of estrogen in these pts, so drugs targeting HP axis ineffective
- Instead, these are used:
1. Aromatase INH
2. SERMs
3. SERDs
How does estrogen proliferative signaling work?
- Estrogen binding to ER = activation/dimerization, then translocation to nucleus, activating target gene expression via ERE, coactivators, and o/transcription factors -> current drugs target these effects
- Can also have non-genomic actions via mem-bound ER -> interaxn w/GF receptor tyrosine kinases or downstream molecules (MAPK, PI3K)
1. Explanation for tx failure w/drugs targeting only classical genomic pathway
2. Clinical trials underway now to target these
What are the anti-estrogen Rx’s for breast cancer? Timing of clinical response?
- Clinical response in 8-12 weeks
1. Avg remission 6-12mos, but sometimes can last many years - Selective estrogen receptor downregulators (SERDs)
- Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs)
- Aromatase inhibitors (AI)
Fulvestrant
- SERD: for ER+ metastatic BC in PM women w/disease progression after anti-estrogen therapy
- Pure antagonist w/no estrogenic actions
-
MOA: steroidal drug binds to ER, but carries a bulky substituent that prevents ER dimerization in nucleus
1. Impaired dimerization, INC turnover, disrupted nuclear localization, degradation (DEC ER levels) - Monthly IM for sustained plasma levels; hepatic metabolism w/no drug interaxns
- AE’s: PM symptoms -> nausea, asthenia, pain, hot flashes (vasodilation), headache
- Failure of therapy: estrogen-independent cell growth
Tamoxifen/Raloxifene
- SERM’s: ER agonist/antag at ER subtypes alpha and beta -> estrogen effect on bone + anti-estrogen effect on mammary tissue (tissue-specific actions)
- Daily PO (Tam); monthly IM (Ral)
1. DEC bone metabolism + INC BMD
2. DEC serum chol, LDL, lipoproteins, and INC apolipoprotein A1
3. Retinal degeneration at high doses
4. Teratogens - BBWs: thromboembolic disease (DVT, PE), stroke
1. TAM: + endometrial hypertrophy, vaginal bleeding, endometrial cancer
Toremifene
- SERM: derivative of Tamoxifen w/anti-estrogenic props (for PM women)
- PO daily, CY3A4 metabolism (no active products)
- Teratogen
- Similar AE’s, but also prolongs QT (BBW)-> avoid in pre-existing condition and w/3A4 inhibitors
- No other BBWs, but recommended to AVOID w/hx of:
1. Endometrial cancer/hyperplasia
2. Thromboembolic disease
How can a single drug have agonistic and antagonistic actions?
- Depends on the CONTEXT of ER expression
- ER dimerizes in nucleus, and recruites co-activator proteins that help in mRNA synthesis -> when bound by an antagonist (Tam), it still dimerizes, but recruits a different set of proteins called co-repressors that act via histone deacetylase I to stabilize nucleosome structure and prevent mRNA production
- Expression pattern of both ancillary proteins and ER can therefore modulate Tam’s (and o/SERM) agonist (bone, endometrium) and antag (breast) effects
How can patient enzyme expression impact the efficacy of Tamoxifen therapy?
- Tamoxifen is metabolized via CYP2D6 to 4OH-tam and enoxifen, which have a MUCH HIGHER POTENCY than the parental agent
- Recent concern for potential sub-optimal clnical effect in poor metabolizers
- Clinical trials have failed to establish this link, but that doesn’t mean it does not exist
1. There is no requirement or recommendation for this testing at the time by the FDA, but testing companies exist