chemotherapy + endocrine therapy

Chemotherapy + endocrine therapy refers to the combined use of cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents with hormonal (endocrine) therapies in the treatment of cancers—most commonly hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer. Chemotherapy works by impairing cell cycle machinery, causing irreversible blockade of cellular proliferation and leading to cancer cell death. Endocrine therapies inhibit steroid receptor-mediated gene expression (primarily estrogen or progesterone receptors), resulting in tumor cell senescence or apoptosis. This combination is used primarily for advanced or high-risk HR+ breast cancer patients, either sequentially (one after another) or concurrently (at the same time). While both modalities are effective individually for luminal breast cancers, their concurrent use remains controversial due to differing mechanisms of action; however, some studies suggest that in certain advanced cases or specific regimens (e.g., metronomic low-dose chemo plus endocrine agents), this approach can be beneficial with manageable toxicity[2][5][6]. The optimal sequencing and patient selection remain areas of ongoing research.

Other names

chemo-endocrine therapycombination chemotherapy and endocrine therapyconcurrent chemotherapy and hormone therapysequential chemotherapy and hormone therapy