Steroid sulfatase inhibitors: promising new therapy for breast cancer

J Pak Med Assoc. 2013 Apr;63(4):509-15.

Abstract

Manipulation of the hormone oestrogen has been used for decades to treat hormone-dependent breast cancer. Currently, aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are used as first-line therapy against early and metastatic breast cancer in post-menopausal women. Despite these advances, several patients eventually experience a relapse of breast cancer and declined clinical response to treatment. As per recent findings, steroid sulfatase (STS) has emerged as a novel therapy target. This review aims at summarising the emerging field of STS inhibitor development and highlighting current findings from pre-clinical and clinical trials. The recently-developed dual-targeting compounds, such as dual aromatase-sulfatase inhibitors (DASI), have shown encouraging preclinical results and represent important new treatments for hormone-dependent breast cancer.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aromatase Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Azasteroids / therapeutic use
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Breast Neoplasms / enzymology*
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Coumarins / therapeutic use*
  • Drug Discovery
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Estrogens / biosynthesis
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Steryl-Sulfatase / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Sulfonamides / therapeutic use*
  • Sulfonic Acids

Substances

  • Aromatase Inhibitors
  • Azasteroids
  • Coumarins
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Estrogens
  • STX 213
  • Sulfonamides
  • Sulfonic Acids
  • irosustat
  • Steryl-Sulfatase