Adjuvant Aromatase Inhibitor Treatment for Breast Cancer: Is the Advantage Durable?

At 100 months of follow-up, trial results continued to favor initial treatment with the aromatase inhibitor anastrozole over tamoxifen.

Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are now recommended as part of adjuvant therapy for postmenopausal women with hormone-receptor–positive early breast cancer, but the long-term benefits and risks of sequential tamoxifen (TAM)–AI therapy versus initial treatment with an AI remain unclear. In the multicenter ATAC trial, postmenopausal women who had completed initial treatment for localized breast cancer were randomized to receive an AI (anastrozole [Arimidex]) or TAM for 5 years (an AI+TAM arm was halted). At 68 months of follow-up, AI treatment was associated with better disease-free survival (DFS) and time to recurrence (TTR) than was TAM, particularly in women with hormone-receptor–positive tumors (Journal Watch Women’s Health Jan 12 2005).

At a m…

Reviewing Author

Andrew M. Kaunitz, MD

Disclosures

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Grant/Research SupportMerck, Mithra, Medicines360

Editorial BoardsContraception; Menopause; Contraceptive Technology Update; OBG Management; Medscape OB/GYN & Women’s Health

Andrew M. Kaunitz, MD

Disclosures

RoyaltiesUpToDate

Grant/Research SupportMerck, Mithra, Medicines360

Editorial BoardsContraception; Menopause; Contraceptive Technology Update; OBG Management; Medscape OB/GYN & Women’s Health

Adjuvant Aromatase Inhibitor Treatment for Breast Cancer: Is the Advantage Durable?

Topics

Reviewing Author