Scientists Unravel Mystery of Tamoxifen Resistance
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 12 — As many as 35 percent of women who take tamoxifen to prevent the return of breast cancer do not respond to the drug — and now scientists think they know why.
A battle between proteins to turn a breast cancer gene off or on determines if tamoxifen works or not, the scientists report. The finding could be used to spot those women who won’t respond to the drug, and it may even lead to new therapies.