Jean R Lamonte 
Aromatase Inhibitors 
Types, Mode of Action and Indications

Aromatase inhibitors (AI) are a class of drugs used in the treatment of breast cancer and ovarian cancer in postmenopausal women. Aromatase is an enzyme that synthesizes estrogen and aromatase inhibitors block the synthesis of estrogen, which is needed in some cancers to grow. As breast tissue is stimulated by estrogens, decreasing their production is a way of suppressing recurrence of the breast tumor tissue. In contrast to pre-menopausal women, in whom most of the estrogen is produced in the ovaries, in post-menopausal women most of the body’s estrogen is produced in the adrenal gland from the conversion of androgens. Investigations are ongoing to look for other applications and researchers continue to study aromatase inhibitors as a way to stimulate ovulation or suppress estrogen production in endometriosis. This new book presents the latest research from around the world in this dynamic field.