Terapia endocrina neoadyuvante en cáncer de mama, una alternativa de tratamiento e investigación / Neoadyuvant endocrine therapy in breast cancer

ABSTRACT

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is an accepted strategyforpatients with locally advanced breast cáncer. This approach increases the possibilities ofconservative treatment and improves the resectability rates ofinitially unresectable tumors. In addition, preoperative systemic therapy allows the evaluation of prognostic and predictive factors, dynamically and in vivo. Since over 80% ofthese tumors express estrogen receptors (ER), endocrine therapy seems a logical treatment to employ in the neoadjuvant setting. The advent ofnew drugs that regúlate the ERfunction, along with the results of severa! clinical studies with the use of neoadjuvant endocrine therapy, support the feasibility and safety of utilizing this strategy before surgery. We herein analyze the available clinical evidence about the use of neoadjuvant therapy aiming to regúlate the activity ofthe ER. We also discuss the valué of predictive factors that could help the oncologist to select those patients most likely to benefit from this approach and the role of endocrine therapy as a research instrument.