Aromatase Inhibitors (AIs) treat postmenopausal estrogen receptor positive tumours which
constitute the majority of breast cancer patients. This comprehensive volume brings together
the current knowledge from different relevant areas including molecular mechanisms and
translational aspects of drug resistance in AIs. Topics covered include research experimental
and clinical data specifically focused on AI resistance in breast cancer. The volume will
include three sections. The first section covers general knowledge about aromatase inhibitors
including regulation of aromatase genes and structure and function of aromatase protein. The
second section provides the detailed mechanisms of resistance to AIs while the third section
explores prediction of resistance and potential strategies to overcome resistance. Breast
cancer is the most common female cancer and AIs significantly improve treatments outcomes
compatibly to previously used endocrine treatments. However 10-15% of post-operative patients
develop a relapse during adjuvant treatment with AIs about 25-50% of the patients do not
respond to AIs in neo-adjuvant or metastatic setting and the majority of metastatic patients
who initially respond develop resistance within 3 years. There is an important need to
understand these mechanisms of resistance in order to develop methods of preventing or
overcoming the resistance to AIs which will ensure a more successful outcome in treating
breast cancer.
