Study: Breast Cancer Drug Reduces Recurrence Rate

A large international study found that a drug for advanced breast cancer keeps localized tumors from returning after surgery better than the drug currently in wide use.

The standard therapy for breast cancer patients is tamoxifen for five years. In a study of more than 4,700 postmenopausal women in 37 countries, researchers found that a new drug, exemestane -- also known by the brand name Aromasin -- may reduce recurrence of breast cancer.

The study, published in this week's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, received funding from Pfizer, which makes Aromasin.

In the study, the recurrence of breast cancer was reduced by one-third in women who started on tamoxifen, then switched after two and a half years to exemestane, compared with those who took tamoxifen the whole time.

However, overall survival was not significantly different between the two groups, according to the study, led by researchers at Imperial College London.

The women switching to exemestane also had less serious side effects, were 56 percent less likely to get cancer in the other breast and were half as likely to develop unrelated cancer in other body areas.

Study Abstract