A review of selective estrogen receptor modulators in the treatment of breast and endometrial cancer.

The understanding of how estrogen affects different body tissues by selective actions on the two subtypes of estrogen receptors (alpha and beta) has created the possibility of targeted therapy by the manufacturing of a group of compounds known as selective estrogen receptor modulators. The goal of an ideal selective estrogen receptor modulator that has all the beneficial effects of estrogen receptor modulation without adverse side effects seems increasingly achievable with improving drug design. The clinical findings for the new selective estrogen receptor modulator, arzoxifene, which has been shown to be highly active in the treatment of advanced breast cancer as well as advanced endometrial cancer, has confirmed the value of selective targeting of the estrogen receptors, and may herald a new era in endocrine therapy in clinical oncology. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.