title: New developments in the treatment of postmenopausal breast cancer.
abstract: In recent years, new agents have challenged tamoxifen as the standard endocrine therapy for postmenopausal breast cancer. This article reviews developments with regard to the third-generation aromatase inhibitors (AIs)--anastrozole, letrozole and exemestane--and fulvestrant, the first of a new type of estrogen receptor antagonist that, unlike tamoxifen, has no partial agonist activity. The final results of the "Arimidex", Tamoxifen, Alone or in Combination (ATAC) trial, at a median follow-up of more than five years, and recent results from switching studies with anastrozole and exemestane, strengthen the position of these AIs as adjuvant treatment for hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer. Sequencing options for the future are also discussed because non-steroidal AIs are increasingly used early in the treatment sequence.
authors.affiliation: CRUK Department of Medical Oncology, Christie Hospital NHS Trust, Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4BX, UK. maria.parker@christie-tr.nwest.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Howell
mesh_terms: D000077384:Anastrozole; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009570:Nitriles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017698:Postmenopause; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014230:Triazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D009570:Nitriles; D014230:Triazoles; D013629:Tamoxifen; D000077384:Anastrozole