Aromasin is effective in preventing breast cancer recurrence

Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist

Clinical trial shows that Aromasin improves recurrence-free survival in breast cancer.
Aromasin is a new type of drug against breast cancer known as an aromatase inhibitor. A report from the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project B33 Study now shows the value of aromasin when used after tamoxifen treatment among a group of breast cancer survivors.

The patients were post-menopausal and had had hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. They received five years of tamoxifen and were then assigned to either Aromasin or placebo. Those on Aromasin were 56 per cent less likely to have a relapse than those on placebo. The drug was approved in the US last year for treating post-menopausal women with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer after two to three years of tamoxifen for a total of five years of so-called chemoprevention - that is, using a drug to prevent the return of cancer. The addition of a new drug in the armoury against breast cancer is a welcome advance for women afflicted with this common disease.

Source
San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 15th December 2006

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