Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0149871 (deep vein thrombosis)
 12,364 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Ethinyl estradiol is the only estrogen form used in low-dose oral contraceptive (OC) pills. Progestogenic compounds used in OCs include norethindrone, norethindrone acetate, ethynodiol diacetate, norgestrel, levonorgestrel, and norethynodrel. The newest third generation progestins are desogestrel and norgestimate. The most important benefits associated with OC use are a decrease in benign breast disease, less incidence of ovarian and endometrial cancers, and a decrease in the incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease. The most serious risks to OC users who are over age 35 and smoke are deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolus, retinal thrombosis, or cardiovascular disease. Other risk factors for cardiovascular disease include obesity, diabetes, hypertension, increased serum cholesterol, and a family history of premature myocardial infarction. All users should have blood pressure checks 3 and 6 months after commencing pill use. OC preparations cause an increase in total cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein (LDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), and a decrease in high density lipoprotein (HDL), but norgestimate may actually increase HDL levels. Preparations with levonorgestrel may produce the greatest decrease in glucose tolerance, while those with 35 mcg of ethinyl estradiol and 0.5 mg of norethindrone have the least effect. OCs do not increase the risk of developing breast cancer, but can stimulate the growth of breast cancer once it has occurred. The incidence of gallbladder disease is increased slightly in OC using women who are predisposed. Hepatocellular adenomas are associated with combined OC use. Underweight women are more prone to side effects and need a very low potency preparation. A common problem encountered by patients on OCs is amenorrhea. This usually resolves after 3 cycles. Breakthrough bleeding is also very common. Post-pill amenorrhea is frequently found after stopping OCs. Combined oral contraceptives are a safe and effective contraceptive method for most women throughout their reproductive years.
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PMID:Combined oral contraceptive pills: a brief review. 783 35

The aim of the study was to compare efficacy and tolerability of the new aromatase inhibitor formestane (Lentaron) with megestrol acetate (Megestat) (MGA) in postmenopausal patients with advanced breast cancer. 179 patients were randomised to receive either 250 mg formestane intramuscularly biweekly or MGA 160 mg orally daily. 51% of the patients had received tamoxifen as adjuvant treatment; 73% of the patients had positive and 16% unknown oestrogen receptor values. The response rate was 17% in both treatment arms (95% confidence interval 10-26% for formestane and 10-27% for MGA). Disease stabilisation > or = 6 months was seen in 25% of the formestane and 22% of the MGA patients. Time to treatment failure was 120 days in the formestane arm and 111 days in the MGA arm. There was no significant difference between the treatments with regard to response rate and time to treatment failure. Overall toxicity was similar in both arms, but weight gain > 3 kg (P = 0.081) and severe cardiovascular toxicity (P = 0.044) were more frequently observed with MGA, e.g. deep vein thrombosis 0/90 formestane versus 5/81 MGA cases (P = 0.022). Formestane was associated with worsening of hot flushes/sleeping problems (P = 0.051) and mild leucopenia (P = 0.004). In our study, formestane and MGA showed similar antineoplastic activity as second-line hormonal treatment for advanced breast cancer. Both drugs have a specific toxicity profile. MGA was associated with significantly more severe cardiovascular toxicity and weight increase than formestane.
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PMID:Formestane versus megestrol acetate in postmenopausal breast cancer patients after failure of tamoxifen: a phase III prospective randomised cross over trial of second-line hormonal treatment (SAKK 20/90). Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research (SAKK) 937 2