title: A roundtable discussion of aromatase inhibitors as therapy for breast cancer.
abstract: This article summarizes the conclusions of a meeting of diverse breast cancer experts who discussed issues, controversies, and new clinical trial results relevant to the use of aromatase inhibitors for treating postmenopausal women with breast cancer. The new generation of aromatase inhibitors (anastrozole, letrozole, exemestane) have largely replaced megestrol acetate as a second-line therapy in postmenopausal women with hormone-responsive advanced breast cancer. In addition, anastrozole and letrozole have been shown to be superior to tamoxifen for first-line therapy. Finally, recent results suggest that anastrozole may be superior to tamoxifen as adjuvant therapy for early stage disease in postmenopausal women with hormone-responsive disease.
authors.affiliation: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: D Craig
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Allred
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baum
authors.forename: Aman U
authors.initials: AU
authors.lastname: Buzdar
authors.forename: Robert W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Carlson
authors.forename: Mitchell
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dowsett
authors.forename: Richard M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Elledge
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Gradishar
authors.forename: Generosa
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grana
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Howell
authors.forename: Eleftherios P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Mamounas
mesh_terms: D000077384:Anastrozole; D000730:Androstadienes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077289:Letrozole; D009570:Nitriles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017698:Postmenopause; D014230:Triazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000730:Androstadienes; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D009570:Nitriles; D014230:Triazoles; D000077384:Anastrozole; D000077289:Letrozole; C056516:exemestane