title: Adjuvant endocrine therapy in postmenopausal breast cancer patients.
abstract: Tamoxifen has been the endocrine agent of choice for adjuvant hormonal therapy for early breast cancer since approval in 1986. Five years of tamoxifen treatment produced a significant reduction in recurrence and death over more than 10 years of follow-up in women with estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer. In large randomised trials, the standard of 5 years tamoxifen has been challenged by third-generation aromatase inhibitors (AIs) in the adjuvant setting. This review provides a synopsis of the most recent trial results and a discussion of remaining areas of uncertainties. Although currently tamoxifen still remains a valid option, increasing evidence from the new AI adjuvant trials suggests that optimised adjuvant endocrine treatment should incorporate an AI either as initial or as sequential therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology/Hematology, Kantonsspital St. Gallen, CH 9007 St. Gallen, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Köberle
authors.forename: Beat
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Thürlimann
mesh_terms: D000077384:Anastrozole; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009570:Nitriles / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017698:Postmenopause; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014230:Triazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors; D009570:Nitriles; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D014230:Triazoles; D013629:Tamoxifen; D000077384:Anastrozole