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Table 1 Biomarker change by antihormone type and menopause

From: Surrogates are just surrogates, but helpful just the same

Biomarker and menopause status

Tamoxifen

Aromatase inhibitor

Breast density premenopause

Marked

NA

Breast density postmenopause

Minimal

?

Serum IGF-1/IGFBP3 ratio

Decrease

No change

Serum E2 premenopause

Large increase

NA

Serum E2 postmenopause (no HRT)

Slight increase

Decrease

Reverse atypia in 6 to 12 months

Doubtful

Doubtful

  1. E2, oestradiol; IGF, insulin-like growth factor; HRT, hormonre replacement therapy; IGFBP, IGF-1 binding protein; NA, not applicable.