NCIt definition : the core chemical structure of a number of related anti-estrogen compounds. The triphenylethylene
antiestrogens, which include idoxifene, toremifene, chlorotrianisene, raloxifene and
tamoxifen, act at the level of the estrogen receptor, triggering inhibition or stimulation
of estrogen-dependent gene transcription and cellular physiology. Triphenylethylenes
were initially developed for the treatment of estrogen-dependent breast cancers. Selective
estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) such as raloxifene and tamoxifen represent triphenylethylene
derivatives that affect transcriptional regulation through modulation of specific
alpha and beta estrogen receptors that are differentially expressed in various normal
and neoplastic tissues. (NCI04);