Anastrozole halves breast cancer risk?

Anastrozole halves breast cancer risk

14/12/2013

In women at high risk, the drug anastrozole can more than halve the onset of breast cancer. This is the result of a British study in which some 4,000 women participated.

Risk can be halved
In postmenopausal women at high risk, the drug anastrozole can more than halve the incidence of breast cancer. This is the result of a study by the Queen Mary University of London in which around 4,000 women took part. The participants of the study, which are now presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in Texas and at the same time in the journal „The Lancet“ were published between 40 and 70 years old and came from 18 different countries.

More effective and with fewer side effects
It has been shown that the drug is not only more effective, but also leads to fewer side effects than the currently used drugs. It was also cheaper. Anastrozole stops the production of the hormone estrogen, which promotes growth in the majority of tumors. Doctors and activists are now demanding to consider whether the drug should not be offered to healthy women as a preventive measure. Drugs that block the activity of the hormone, such as tamoxifen or raloxifene, are already being used in some countries. However, these agents also increased the risk of other conditions such as uterine cancer, deep vein thrombosis or hot flushes. In the treatment of breast cancer, aromatase inhibitors such as anastrozole are already being used.

Leading scientist sees big opportunity
The study, which limited treatment to five years, found that out of around 2,000 women who received placebo, 85 had breast cancer. Of the approximately equal number of participants who received preventive anastrozole, only 40 women fell ill. In addition, according to the report in „The Lancet“ hardly any side effects are noted. It is noteworthy that now has the opportunity to reduce the number of diseases, said the lead scientist Jack Cuzick. It was crucial that anastrozole be more effective and cause fewer side effects than older remedies.

Benefit remains controversial
The question then arises whether the drug could also reduce mortality, according to Montserrat Garcia-Closas of the Institute of Cancer Research. This could only be shown by long-term studies. The benefit is therefore likely to remain controversial despite the good preventive effect, because breast cancer is today usually curable in an early diagnosis. All women taking part in the study had been advised to have a regular mammogram because of their increased risk. After five years, relatively few women had died from cancer or other causes. There were only 18 deaths among women in the anastrozole arm and 17 in the placebo arm.

Most common cancer in women
With more than 70,000 new cases a year, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women, which statically affects every eighth woman. The sooner a tumor is discovered in the breast, the greater the chance of recovery. About 80 percent of ill women today can be successfully treated, reported physicians at the annual meeting of the German Society of Senology (DGS) in June this year. Doctors can resort to different treatment options, which are often used to maintain the breast and the lymph nodes under the armpits can be operated more gently, so that those affected suffered from less long-term discomfort. (Ad)