Tamoxifen, an estrogen-receptor antagonist with some agonist activity, prevents recurrences in women with estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer. The effectiveness of aromatase inhibitors (such as anastrozole), which . . .
Tamoxifen, an estrogen-receptor antagonist with some agonist activity, prevents recurrences in women with estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer. The effectiveness of aromatase inhibitors (such as anastrozole), which inhibit the synthesis of estrogens from androgens, in treating advanced breast cancer led this group of investigators to compare the established adjuvant therapy tamoxifen (20 mg daily) with anastrozole alone (1 mg daily) or in combination with tamoxifen for postmenopausal women with early, operable, invasive breast cancer.
In this international multicenter trial, sponsored by the manufacturer of anastrozole, researchers enrolled 9366 women; 7839 cancers (84%) were estrogen-receptor positive. Surgery, radiotherapy, and chemoth…