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Adjuvant aromatase inhibitors
Author(s) -
Fleming Gini F.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/cncr.11746
Subject(s) - anastrozole , medicine , tamoxifen , breast cancer , adjuvant , oncology , aromatase , aromatase inhibitor , overall survival , clinical trial , gynecology , cancer
The current issue contains an update on the results of the ATAC (Arimidex, Tamoxifen Alone or in Combination) trial. After a median follow‐up period of 47 months, there remains an advantage in terms of disease‐free survival (DFS) for patients treated with anastrozole compared with patients treated with tamoxifen for breast malignancies. Is it necessary to wait for a difference in overall survival to emerge before recommending anastrozole over tamoxifen, the current standard therapeutic agent? In previous trials involving tamoxifen, early benefits in terms of DFS translated into later benefits in terms of overall survival. Nonetheless, given the long natural history of breast cancer and the uncertainties regarding the duration of anastrozole's effects, a change in the standard of care is not yet warranted. See pages 1802–10.