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NCI Drug Dictionary


fulvestrant  Patient Information
A synthetic estrogen receptor antagonist. Unlike tamoxifen (which has partial agonist effects) and the aromatase inhibitors (which reduce the estrogen available to tumor cells), fulvestrant binds competitively to estrogen receptors in breast cancer cells, resulting in estrogen receptor deformation and decreased estrogen binding. In vitro studies indicate that fulvestrant reversibly inhibits the growth of tamoxifen-resistant, estrogen-sensitive, human breast cancer cell lines. Check for active clinical trials or closed clinical trials using this agent. (NCI Thesaurus)
US brand name:Faslodex
Code names:ICI 182,780
ZD9238
Chemical structure:7a-[9-[(4,4,5,5,5,-Pentafluoropentyl)sulphinyl]nonyl]-estra-1,3,5(10)-triene-3,17b-diol