Why Tamoxifen Doesn't Work For All Women

Wednesday

Why Tamoxifen Doesn't Work For All Women

Women who have had breast cancer are often given the drug Tamoxifen to help prevent the return of the cancer, but in as many as 35% of woman the drug fails. Now doctors have found out why.

There is a strong cancer gene that the drug has to be able to turn off. When the gene cannot be turned off the tamoxifen will not work.

It seems to be down to a battle between two proteins and although this information will not help make the drug work better as of yet, it will allow doctors to identify which women it will not work in. This will save time in that doctors can choose other means of therapies. Eventually they may figure out how to use the drug in all women effectively.