Today, Kirsten M. Woolpert defended her PhD dissertation entitled "Endocrine therapy adherence and effectiveness in premenopausal breast cancer patients".

Most breast cancer patients are advised to undergo at least five years of adjuvant endocrine therapy, which can nearly halve the risk of their cancer returning. However, suboptimal adherence of ET is well established, and issues such as acquired resistance and reduced drug efficacy in some patients further impact treatment effectiveness. This is particularly true for younger patients treated with tamoxifen (a type of endocrine therapy), who often face more aggressive disease and a higher side effect burden. This thesis explores clinical, genetic, and pharmacologic factors influencing endocrine therapy outcomes in young premenopausal breast cancer patients. By identifying key determinants of adherence and effectiveness, these studies provide insights that may guide personalized treatment strategies and improve patient outcomes.

The summary is written by the PhD student.