Adjuvant Hormonal Therapy in Peri- and Postmenopausal Breast Cancer

Abstract

Abstract Learning Objectives After completing this course, the reader will be able to: Discuss the evidence from the recent large clinical trials supporting the use of aromatase inhibitors for the adjuvant treatment of postmenopausal breast cancer.Discuss the evidence related to the side effects and tolerability of aromatase inhibitors in the adjuvant treatment of postmenopausal breast cancer.Discuss the potential mechanisms of resistance to tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors in the treatment of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer and potential strategies to overcome them. Access and take the CME test online and receive 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ at CME.TheOncologist.com Tamoxifen has been the mainstay of endocrine treatment for early-stage breast cancer in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women for many years. Since 2001, the results of several large, randomized, clinical trials have provided evidence that aromatase inhibitor (AI) therapy, either upfront or in sequence after tamoxifen, improves disease-free survival and, in certain patients, overall survival for postmenopausal patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. Thus far, with relatively short-term follow-up, AIs have been generally safe and well tolerated among the population of patients treated in these adjuvant trials. However, important side effects such as musculoskeletal and bone-related problems, including the risk for osteoporosis and fractures, remain of concern and warrant continued monitoring and follow-up. Several questions regarding the appropriate AI to use and the timing of AI therapy remain unresolved, and ongoing studies will help address these issues. Caution is warranted in the use of AIs in perimenopausal women, including those that develop chemotherapy-induced amenorrhea, and clinical evidence supports the role for AI use in postmenopausal women only. Areas of active investigation include the mechanisms of resistance to endocrine therapy with tamoxifen and AIs and clinical strategies to overcome this resistance.