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Growth factor signalling in endocrine and anti-growth factor resistant breast cancer

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Abstract

Growth factors provide powerful mitogenic and survival signals to breast cancer cells and it is therefore not surprising that they are able to subvert inhibitory responses to anti-hormonal drugs. In this review we discuss several mechanisms by which this may be achieved and expand our observations to encompass recently emerging anti-growth factor treatments. The information presented is underpinned by inhibitor studies that show the targeting of such mechanisms in advance of anti-hormone or anti-growth factor resistance development is able to substantially delay this event, thus pointing the way forward to intelligent combination therapies relevant to the future management of breast cancer.

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  1. Tenovus Centre for Cancer Research, Welsh School of Pharmacy, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK

    R. I. Nicholson, I. R. Hutcheson, H. E. Jones, S. E. Hiscox, M. Giles, K. M. Taylor & J. M. W. Gee

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  1. R. I. Nicholson
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  2. I. R. Hutcheson
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  3. H. E. Jones
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  7. J. M. W. Gee
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Nicholson, R.I., Hutcheson, I.R., Jones, H.E. et al. Growth factor signalling in endocrine and anti-growth factor resistant breast cancer. Rev Endocr Metab Disord 8, 241–253 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11154-007-9033-5

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