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The evolving role of aromatase inhibitors in the treatment of early-stage breast cancer

Nature Clinical Practice Oncology volume 2, pages 596–597 (2005)Cite this article

Aromatase inhibition is proving to be an important strategy in controlling early-stage, hormone-dependent breast cancer. A modest improvement in progression-free survival achieved by aromatase inhibitors (AIs) in the metastatic setting has led to substantial gains in early-stage disease, and use of AIs is rising worldwide. This article provides updated results from recent and ongoing adjuvant AI trials, and discusses options for integrating tamoxifen with AIs in different subsets of patients and different clinical scenarios.

Tamoxifen's role in the adjuvant treatment of breast cancer is summarized in the recent Early Breast Cancer Trialists' Collaborative Group (EBCTCG) 15-year update. In women with estrogen-receptor-positive disease, 5 years of tamoxifen reduces the annual death rate by 31%.1 Despite its beneficial impact on disease-free and overall survival, significant risk remains for disease recurrence and death at 15 years.1 Randomized trials with the third-generation nonsteroidal AIs anastrozole and letrozole, and the steroidal agent exemestane, have compared AIs to tamoxifen or placebo, either as upfront therapy or as sequential therapy after up to 5 years of tamoxifen.

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Director of the Breast and Ovarian Cancer Genetics Clinic at Massachusetts General Hospital and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Paula D Ryan

  2. Director of Breast Cancer Research at Massachusetts General Hospital, and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Paul E Goss

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  1. Paula D Ryan
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  2. Paul E Goss
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Correspondence to Paula D Ryan.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Ryan, P., Goss, P. The evolving role of aromatase inhibitors in the treatment of early-stage breast cancer. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2, 596–597 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncponc0360

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