DALLAS — July 13, 2010 — Guidelines released today by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) recommend that post-menopausal women with hormone receptor positive breast cancer consider taking an aromatase inhibitor (AI). A thorough review of evidence shows a treatment regimen that contains an AI reduces the risk of recurrence compared to tamoxifen alone. There are three AIs on the market, and they may be prescribed following two to three years of tamoxifen or as initial therapy.
“This gives post-menopausal women and their doctors several options to choose from,” said Diana Rowden, Survivorship & Outcomes VP for Susan G. Komen for the Cure®.
Members of the guidelines panel took into consideration quality of life issues and noted that tamoxifen and AIs have different side effects. Women should discuss side effects with their doctors; switching from tamoxifen to an AI or from one AI to another could be an option for managing side effects.
AIs are not recommended for pre-menopausal women.“ But pre-menopausal women should know that tamoxifen is a proven therapy that greatly reduces the risk of recurrence,” said Rowden, who was a patient advocate on the guidelines panel.
For more information on the guidelines, visit ASCO’s sites www.asco.org or www.cancer.net.
For more information on breast cancer treatment options, visit www.komen.org.
