Serum estradiol level and risk of breast cancer during treatment with raloxifene.
BACKGROUND
As endogenous estradiol increases, risk of breast cancer increases. Raloxifene competes with endogenous estrogen for binding to estrogen receptors in breast tissue. A woman's estradiol level may alter the effects of raloxifene on breast cancer and other outcomes.


OBJECTIVE
To test the hypothesis that raloxifene reduces breast cancer risk more in women with relatively high estradiol levels than in women with very low estradiol levels.


METHODS
Analysis of the Multiple Outcomes of Raloxifene Evaluation, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted from 1994 to 1999.


METHODS
One hundred eighty community settings and medical practices in 25 countries including the United States.


METHODS
A total of 7290 postmenopausal women aged 80 years or younger with osteoporosis who had baseline serum estradiol concentrations measured by a central laboratory using a sensitive assay. Women with a history of breast cancer or estrogen use were excluded.


METHODS
Participants were randomly assigned to receive 60 mg/d or 120 mg/d of raloxifene (n = 4843) or matching placebo (n = 2447) for 4 years.


METHODS
New cases of histopathologically confirmed breast cancer in the treatment and placebo groups, stratified by estradiol levels.


RESULTS
In the placebo group, women with estradiol levels greater than 10 pmol/L (2.7 pg/mL) had a 6.8-fold higher rate of breast cancer (3.0% per 4 years; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8%-4.1%) than that of women with undetectable estradiol levels (0.6% per 4 years; 95% CI, 0%-1.1%; P =.005 for trend). Women with estradiol levels greater than 10 pmol/L in the raloxifene group had a rate of breast cancer that was 76% (95% CI, 53%-88%) lower than that of women with estradiol levels greater than 10 pmol/L in the placebo group (absolute rate reduction, 2.2% [95% CI, 1.0%-3.5%; number needed to treat = 45]). In contrast, women with undetectable estradiol levels had similar breast cancer risk whether or not they were treated with raloxifene (risk difference, -0.1%; 95% CI, -0.8% to 0.6%; P =.02 for the interaction). In this cohort, treating women with estradiol levels greater than 10 pmol/L with raloxifene for 4 years would have avoided 47% of breast cancer cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Measurement of estradiol level by sensitive assay in postmenopausal women identifies those at high risk of breast cancer who may benefit most from raloxifene. If confirmed, this suggests that measuring estradiol and treating women with high estradiol levels could substantially reduce the rate of breast cancer among postmenopausal women.
Cummings
Steven R
SR
Coordinating Center, University of California, Suite 600, 74 New Montgomery St, San Francisco, CA 94105, USA. scummings@psg.ucsf.edu
Duong
Tu
T
Kenyon
Emily
E
Cauley
Jane A
JA
Whitehead
Malcolm
M
Krueger
Kathryn A
KA
D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D019584:Hot Flashes / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012306:Risk; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000453:epidemiology
D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride; D004958:Estradiol