title: Endocrine effects of adjuvant letrozole + triptorelin compared with tamoxifen + triptorelin in premenopausal patients with early breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the endocrine effects of 6 months of adjuvant treatment with letrozole + triptorelin or tamoxifen + triptorelin in premenopausal patients with early breast cancer within an ongoing phase 3 trial (Hormonal Adjuvant Treatment Bone Effects study).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospectively collected hormonal data were available for 81 premenopausal women, of whom 30 were assigned to receive tamoxifen + triptorelin and 51 were assigned letrozole + triptorelin +/- zoledronate. Serum 17-beta-estradiol (E2), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), Delta4-androstenedione, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate, progesterone, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and cortisol were measured at baseline and after 6 months of treatment. For each hormone, 6-month values were compared between treatment groups by the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney exact test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median age was 44 years for both groups of patients. Letrozole + triptorelin (+/- zoledronate) induced a stronger suppression of median E2 serum levels (P = .0008), LH levels (P = .0005), and cortisol serum levels (P < .0001) compared with tamoxifen + triptorelin. Median FSH serum levels were suppressed in both groups, but such suppression was lower among patients receiving letrozole, who showed significantly higher median FSH serum levels (P < .0001). No significant differences were observed for testosterone, progesterone, ACTH, androstenedione, and dehydroepiandrosterone between the two groups of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Letrozole in combination with triptorelin induces a more intense estrogen suppression than tamoxifen + triptorelin in premenopausal patients with early breast cancer.
authors: Clinical Trials Unit, National Cancer Institute of Naples, Via Mariano Semmola, 80131, Napoli, Italy.
authors: Emanuela
authors: E
authors: Rossi
authors: Alessandro
authors: A
authors: Morabito
authors: Ermelinda
authors: E
authors: De Maio
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Di Rella
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Esposito
authors: Adriano
authors: A
authors: Gravina
authors: Vincenzo
authors: V
authors: Labonia
authors: Gabriella
authors: G
authors: Landi
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Nuzzo
authors: Carmen
authors: C
authors: Pacilio
authors: Maria Carmela
authors: MC
authors: Piccirillo
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: D'Aiuto
authors: Massimiliano
authors: M
authors: D'Aiuto
authors: Massimo
authors: M
authors: Rinaldo
authors: Gerardo
authors: G
authors: Botti
authors: Ciro
authors: C
authors: Gallo
authors: Francesco
authors: F
authors: Perrone
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: de Matteis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D005260:Female; D042341:Gonadal Hormones / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D000077289:Letrozole; D008875:Middle Aged; D009570:Nitriles / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017697:Premenopause; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014230:Triazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017329:Triptorelin Pamoate / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D042341:Gonadal Hormones; D009570:Nitriles; D014230:Triazoles; D017329:Triptorelin Pamoate; D013629:Tamoxifen; D000077289:Letrozole