Aromatase (CYP19A1)
The enzyme that turns androgens into oestrogen in fat, muscle and breast tissue after the menopause. Aromatase inhibitors remove the oestrogen that drives most breast cancers in post-menopausal women.
Overview
Aromatase, the product of the CYP19A1 gene, converts androstenedione and testosterone into oestrone and oestradiol. After the menopause the ovaries stop making oestrogen and aromatase in peripheral fat, muscle and the breast itself becomes the main source, so inhibiting it with letrozole, anastrozole or exemestane lowers circulating oestrogen to very low levels and deprives hormone receptor-positive breast cancer of its growth signal. Aromatase inhibitors are the standard endocrine partner for CDK4/6 inhibitors in advanced disease and a standard adjuvant treatment in early disease; joint pain and bone loss are their characteristic side effects.
- Target · the protein and the cell it sits on
- Drug · antibody, small molecule, cell or radioligand
- Effect · signal, damage or kill
In plain words · The enzyme that turns androgens into oestrogen in fat, muscle and breast tissue after the menopause. Aromatase inhibitors remove the oestrogen that drives most breast cancers in post-menopausal women.
- 1 · What it is
The enzyme that turns androgens into oestrogen in fat, muscle and breast tissue after the menopause. Aromatase inhibitors remove the oestrogen that drives most breast cancers in post-menopausal women.
- 2 · What goes wrong in cancer
Cytochrome P450 enzyme that aromatises the A ring of androgens to form oestrogens; expressed in adipose tissue, muscle, bone, brain and breast tumour stroma.
- 3 · How drugs use it
No product in this corpus aims at Aromatase (CYP19A1) yet. Inhibitors are shaped to fit the enzyme's active site so the reaction the cancer relies on stops.
External identifiers
Biology
Cytochrome P450 enzyme that aromatises the A ring of androgens to form oestrogens; expressed in adipose tissue, muscle, bone, brain and breast tumour stroma.
- Hormone receptor-positive breast cancer in post-menopausal women
Latest papers
topQuery for this target: (TITLE:"Aromatase" OR ABSTRACT:"Aromatase" OR TITLE:"CYP19A1" OR ABSTRACT:"CYP19A1") AND (cancer OR tumor OR tumour OR oncology OR carcinoma OR lymphoma OR leukemia OR leukaemia OR myeloma OR sarcoma OR melanoma OR glioma). Results are unfiltered search hits about Aromatase (CYP19A1), not a curated reading list.
Similar pages
not linked directly; found by shared links- PersonWendy Parulekar
Shares Letrozole (and other aromatase inhibitors), HR-positive / HER2-negative breast cancer.
- TechnologyAcupuncture for hot flushes on endocrine therapy
Shares Exemestane, Letrozole (and other aromatase inhibitors), HR-positive / HER2-negative breast cancer.
- TechnologyAcupuncture for aromatase-inhibitor joint pain
Shares Exemestane, Letrozole (and other aromatase inhibitors), HR-positive / HER2-negative breast cancer.
- TrialevERA
Shares Exemestane, HR-positive / HER2-negative breast cancer.
- TrialPALOMA-2
Shares Letrozole (and other aromatase inhibitors), HR-positive / HER2-negative breast cancer.
- TrialSOFT & TEXT
Shares Exemestane, Letrozole (and other aromatase inhibitors), HR-positive / HER2-negative breast cancer.
- TrialMONALEESA-2
Shares Letrozole (and other aromatase inhibitors), HR-positive / HER2-negative breast cancer.
- TrialMONARCH 3
Shares Letrozole (and other aromatase inhibitors), HR-positive / HER2-negative breast cancer.