Randomized trial of adjuvant ovarian suppression in 926 premenopausal patients with early breast cancer treated with adjuvant chemotherapy.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this multicenter trial was to evaluate the role of ovarian suppression in patients with early breast cancer previously treated with local surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy.


METHODS
Nine hundred and twenty-six premenopausal patients with completely resected breast cancer and either axillary node involvement or histological grade 2 or 3 tumors were randomized after surgery to adjuvant chemotherapy alone (control arm) or adjuvant chemotherapy plus ovarian suppression (ovarian suppression arm). Ovarian suppression was obtained by either radiation-induced ovarian ablation or triptorelin for 3 years. The analyses were performed with Cox models stratified by center.


RESULTS
Median follow-up was 9.5 years. Mean age was 43 years. Ninety per cent of patients had histologically proven positive axillary nodes, 63% positive hormonal receptors and 77% had received an anthracycline-based chemotherapy regimen. Ovarian suppression was by radiation-induced ovarian ablation (45% of patients) or with triptorelin (48%). At the time of randomization, all patients had regular menses or their follicle-stimulating hormone and estradiol levels indicated a premenopausal status. The 10-year disease-free survival rates were 49% [95% confidence interval (CI) 44% to 54%] in both arms (P = 0.51). The 10-year overall survival rates were 66% (95% CI 61% to 70%) for the ovarian suppression arm and 68% (95% CI 63% to 73%) for the control arm (P = 0.19). There were no variations in the treatment effect according to age, hormonal receptor status or ovarian suppression modality. However, in patients <40 years of age and with estrogen receptor-positive tumors, ovarian suppression significantly decreased the risk of recurrence (P = 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this trial, after at least 10 years of follow-up, do not favor the use of ovarian suppression after adjuvant chemotherapy. The potential beneficial effect in younger women with hormono-dependent tumors should be further assessed.
Arriagada
R
R
Institut Gustave-Roussy, Bureau 607 A, +1, rue Camille Desmoulins, 94805 Villejuif Cedex, France. arriagada@igr.fr
Lê
M G
MG
Spielmann
M
M
Mauriac
L
L
Bonneterre
J
J
Namer
M
M
Delozier
T
T
Hill
C
C
Tursz
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D018275:Carcinoma, Lobular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008186:Luteolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D010053:Ovary / Q000528:radiation effects*; D017697:Premenopause; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D012307:Risk Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D017329:Triptorelin Pamoate / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D008186:Luteolytic Agents; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D017329:Triptorelin Pamoate; D004958:Estradiol; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone