Paper II
2023 July (Supplementary) (2019 Scheme) · 100 marks · 180 min

Question

Pharmacological basis for the use of Tamoxifen in Carcinoma Breast.

Q84 marksShort Answers

Answer

Tamoxifen is a selective estrogen receptor modulator used in ER-positive breast cancer. It competitively binds estrogen receptors in breast tissue, acting as an antagonist there and blocking estrogen-driven proliferative signaling that would otherwise promote growth of ER-positive tumour cells — the direct rationale for its use as adjuvant and metastatic therapy in this specific tumour subtype. It is used only where the tumour is confirmed ER-positive, since its antagonist action is specifically tissue-selective and would offer no benefit in ER-negative disease. Its partial agonist action in the endometrium (raising endometrial cancer risk) and bone is a separate, tissue-specific consequence of the same tissue-selective mechanism, not relevant to its anti-tumour rationale in the breast itself.

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