Effects of OK-432 (Picibanil) on estrogen receptor levels and tamoxifen treatment in 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-induced rat mammary cancers

A New Endocrine Therapy Strategy for Bone Metastasis of Breast Cancer: The Effect of Biological Response Modifiers and 22-Oxacarcitriol on Animal Models

To consider the treatment order of hormonal agents is very important in order to achieve a higher quality of life (QOL) and better survival rates in breast cancer patients with bone metastasis. Tamoxifen (TAM) or a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH )analogue is the first-line, an LH-RH analogue (or TAM) the second-line, and medroxyprogesterone acetate(MPA) the third-line treatment in premenopausal patients with breast cancer. In postmenopausal patients, TAM (or toremifene) is the first-line, an aromatase inhibitor the second-line, and MPA the third-line treatment. In experimental studies using female Sprague-Dawley rats with 7, 12-dimethylbenz ma]anthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary carcinoma, biological response modifiers (BRM)(Krestin, Picibanil) and a vitamin D3 analogue, 22-oxacarcitriol (OCT)augmented the antitumor effect of hormonal agents. A combination of hormonal agents and BRM or OCT may be the endocrine therapy of choice for bone metastasis of breast cancer.