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Current Breast Cancer Reports
Published in: Current Breast Cancer Reports 4/2017

01-12-2017 | Systemic Therapies (M Liu and T Haddad, Section Editors)

Extended Adjuvant Aromatase Inhibitor Therapy in Post-Menopausal Women

Authors: Stephen M. Schleicher, Maura N. Dickler

Published in: Current Breast Cancer Reports | Issue 4/2017

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Abstract

Purpose of Review

The purpose of this review is to understand the evidence for extending adjuvant aromatase inhibitor (AI) therapy from 5 to 10 years in post-menopausal women with hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer.

Recent Findings

Multiple large trials have investigated this question. The two trials most representative of the dilemma faced in clinical practice are the MA.17R and NSABP-B42 trials, which both investigated the benefit of continuing versus stopping AI therapy beyond 5 years. Both trials showed that extended AI therapy led to a reduction in new or recurrent breast cancers, but had no effect on survival outcomes when death from any cause was included.

Summary

The decision to extend AI therapy beyond 5 years remains a personalized one based on a discussion of the projected risk of recurrence, the expected benefits of prolonged AI treatment, and the patient’s ability to tolerate side effects so that quality of life is preserved.
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Metadata
Title
Extended Adjuvant Aromatase Inhibitor Therapy in Post-Menopausal Women
Authors
Stephen M. Schleicher
Maura N. Dickler
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
Current Breast Cancer Reports / Issue 4/2017
Print ISSN: 1943-4588
Electronic ISSN: 1943-4596
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s12609-017-0260-9

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