Phase III study compares exemestane to anastrozole in the adjuvant treatment of early breast cancer

Source: Journal of Clinical Oncology Area: News According to the results of a Phase III study, the steroidal aromatase inhibitor (AI) exemestane is associated with similar breast cancer outcomes to the non-steroidal AI anastrozole when used in the adjuvant treatment of postmenopausal breast cancer.   The authors note that the standard adjuvant therapy for patients with hormone-dependent postmenopausal breast cancer involves 5 years of the non-steroidal AIs anastrozole and letrozole. There has however to date been no comparison of exemestane with a non-steroidal AI. Exemestane is an irreversible AI (so may suppress oestrogens more than the reversible non-steroidals), is partially non-cross-resistant with the non-steroidal AIs, and is a mild androgen (so could have less impact on bone). They therefore sought to compare exemestane to anastrozole in the first-line adjuvant treatment of hormone-dependent early breast cancer in postmenopausal women, hypothesising that exemestane may have advantages over anastrozole in this ...
Source: NeLM - News - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news