Progesterone receptors - animal models and cell signaling in breast cancer: Diverse activation pathways for the progesterone receptor - possible implications for breast biology and cancer
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* Corresponding author: Alfredo A Molinolo molinolo@dna.uba.ar
Laboratory of Hormonal Carcinogenesis, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Breast Cancer Res 2002, 4:240-243 doi:10.1186/bcr539
Published: 12 September 2002Abstract
Progesterone and estradiol, and their nuclear receptors, play essential roles in the physiology of the reproductive tract, the mammary gland and the nervous system. Estrogens have traditionally been considered associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. There is, however, compelling evidence that progesterone plays an important role in breast cell proliferation and cancer. Herein, we review the possible role of progestins and the progesterone receptor-associated signaling pathways in the development of breast cancer, as well as the therapeutic possibilities arising from our growing knowledge of the activation of the progesterone receptor by other proliferative mechanisms.