Comprehensive study to optimize the treatment of breast cancer in older patients

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K08660
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Human pathology
• Research Institution: Toho University
• Principal Investigator: Honma Naoko 東邦大学, 医学部, 准教授 (70321875)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 高齢者乳癌 / 内分泌療法 / 副作用 / エストロゲン / トリプルネガティブ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this study is to optimize the treatment of breast cancer in older patients. (i) We surveyed fifteen subjective symptoms by a questionnaire. Among older patients, many symptoms were significantly more frequent/severe with AIs than with SERMs, compared with contols, which suggests a difference in the profile of adverse events according to the type of endocrine therapy and the patient’s age. (ii) Triple-negative carcinoma with special histology (particularly, carcinoma with apocrine differentiation and metaplastic carcinoma) or with AR positivity was more frequent in older patients than in younger patients. (iii) Concentrations of estrogens were examined in breast cancerous tissue, non-cancerous tissue, and serum from older patients; and variations of concentrations were found for each case suggesting the different metabolism among cases.

Free Research Field

人体病理

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

超高齢社会にあって高齢者乳癌の治療適正化は急務だが、生物学的特徴や薬剤の副作用については不明な点が多かった。本研究により、高齢乳癌患者では多くの症状の出現率・程度が、抗エストロゲン薬でアロマターゼ阻害薬よりも有意に低く、QOL維持の観点からは抗エストロゲン薬が有利な可能性があることがわかった。また、triple-negative乳癌は一般的には化学療法の対象となるが、高齢者ではアンドロゲン受容体陽性率が高いため、アンドロゲン受容体標的療法への期待がもたれる。