Letrozole: a review of its use in the treatment of postmenopausal women with hormone-responsive early breast cancer.
Letrozole (Femara) is a third-generation, nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor. Adjuvant therapy with letrozole is more effective than tamoxifen in postmenopausal women with hormone-responsive early breast cancer, and extended adjuvant therapy with letrozole after the completion of adjuvant tamoxifen therapy is more effective than placebo in this patient population; letrozole is generally well tolerated. Ongoing trials will help answer outstanding questions regarding the optimal duration of letrozole therapy in early breast cancer and its efficacy compared with other third-generation aromatase inhibitors such as anastrozole. In the meantime, letrozole should be considered a valuable option in the treatment of postmenopausal women with hormone-responsive early breast cancer, both as adjuvant and extended adjuvant therapy.
Keating
Gillian M
GM
Wolters Kluwer Health/Adis, 41 Centorian Drive, Mairangi Bay, North Shore 0754, Auckland, New Zealand. demail@adis.co.nz
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077289:Letrozole; D008875:Middle Aged; D009570:Nitriles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017698:Postmenopause; D011788:Quality of Life; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014230:Triazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D009570:Nitriles; D014230:Triazoles; D000077289:Letrozole
Biopharm Drug Dispos. 1997 Aug;18(6):489-97
9267682
Pharmacoeconomics. 2006;24(3):237-50
16519546
Onkologie. 2007 Feb;30(1-2):55-64
17264527
Cancer Res. 2003 Oct 1;63(19):6523-31
14559846
Clin Cancer Res. 2008 Oct 1;14(19):6330-5
18829517
Drugs. 2006;66(3):353-62
16526826
Drugs. 1998 Dec;56(6):1125-40
9878997
Semin Oncol. 2006 Apr;33(2 Suppl 7):S8-12
16730271
J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1995 Sep;80(9):2658-60
7673408
Clin Cancer Res. 2002 Jul;8(7):2378-88
12114443
Ann Oncol. 2006 Nov;17(11):1637-43
16936184
Breast Cancer Res Treat. 1999 Sep;57(2):183-92
10598045
J Clin Oncol. 2006 Aug 1;24(22):3629-35
16822845
Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2008 Dec;112 Suppl 1:25-34
19101792
Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2006 Oct;99(3):295-300
16541302
Ann Oncol. 2008 May;19 Suppl 2:ii7-10
18456775
Clin Breast Cancer. 2008 Dec;8(6):493-500
19073503
Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2007;105 Suppl 1:7-17
17912633
Breast Cancer Res Treat. 1998;49 Suppl 1:S23-6; discussion S33-7
9797014
Int J Cancer. 1995 Jul 28;62(3):297-302
7628871
Cancer. 2008 Mar 1;112(5):1001-10
18205185
Clin Breast Cancer. 2007 Jun;7(8):608-18
17592673
Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2007;105 Suppl 1:45-53
17912635
Ann Oncol. 2007 May;18(5):859-67
17301074
Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2008 Sep;111(2):365-72
17922185
J Clin Oncol. 2008 Jul 1;26(19):3147-52
18474874
J Clin Oncol. 2002 Feb 1;20(3):751-7
11821457
Cancer Res. 2003 Nov 15;63(22):8037-50
14633737
Ann Oncol. 2005 May;16(5):707-15
15817595
Ann Oncol. 2009 Sep;20(9):1489-1498
19474112
Lancet. 2002 Jun 22;359(9324):2131-9
12090977
Drugs. 2004;64(11):1213-30
15161328
Lancet Oncol. 2008 Jan;9(1):23-8
18083065
J Clin Oncol. 2008 Apr 1;26(10):1671-6
18375896
Eur J Health Econ. 2008 May;9(2):171-83
17602251
Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2007 Jan;101(1):37-49
16821085
Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2007;105 Suppl 1:55-66
17912636
Eur J Cancer. 2001 Aug;37(12):1510-3
11506958
Cancer. 2009 May 1;115(9):1813-26
19235248
N Engl J Med. 2003 Nov 6;349(19):1793-802
14551341
Breast. 2007 Jun;16(3):223-34
17368903
J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2001 Dec;79(1-5):93-102
11850212
Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2008 Dec;112 Suppl 1:35-43
19101793
Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2007;105 Suppl 1:67-74
17912637
Curr Med Res Opin. 2006 Aug;22(8):1609-21
16870085
J Clin Oncol. 2007 May 20;25(15):2006-11
17452676
Clin Breast Cancer. 2009 May;9(2):77-85
19433387
J Clin Oncol. 2005 Jan 20;23(3):619-29
15545664
Breast Cancer Res. 2008;10 Suppl 4:S17
19128430
Cancer Res. 1993 Jan 15;53(2):266-70
8417819
J Gen Intern Med. 2003 Nov;18(11):937-47
14687281
J Clin Oncol. 2008 Apr 20;26(12):1972-9
18332471
Am J Manag Care. 2006 Jul;12(7):374-86
16834524
J Clin Oncol. 2009 Mar 20;27(9):1382-7
19224856
Pharmacoeconomics. 2006;24(5):495-517
16706574
J Clin Oncol. 2008 Apr 20;26(12):1948-55
18332475
Eur J Cancer. 2007 Nov;43(17):2523-31
18029171
Cancer. 1995 Apr 15;75(8):2132-8
7697604
Cancer Res. 1995 Jul 15;55(14):3073-7
7606729
Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2008 Apr;108(3):375-87
17653859
Breast Cancer. 2009;16(3):207-18
19259765
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2002 Jul;11(7):614-21
12101108
J Clin Oncol. 2007 Mar 1;25(7):829-36
17159193
J Natl Cancer Inst. 2005 Sep 7;97(17):1262-71
16145047
J Clin Oncol. 2008 Apr 20;26(12):1956-64
18332474
N Engl J Med. 2005 Dec 29;353(26):2747-57
16382061
Clin Cancer Res. 1995 Dec;1(12):1511-5
9815951
Lancet. 2005 Jan 1-7;365(9453):60-2
15639680
Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2009 Apr;114(3):495-501
18438705
Ann Oncol. 2008 May;19(5):877-82
18332043
Clin Breast Cancer. 2008 Oct;8(5):411-7
18952554
J Clin Oncol. 2008 Dec 1;26(34):5569-75
18981464
J Clin Oncol. 2007 Dec 20;25(36):5715-22
17998546
J Bone Miner Res. 2002 Jan;17(1):172-8
11771665
J Clin Oncol. 2005 Oct 1;23(28):6931-40
16157934
Ann Oncol. 2005 Jan;16(1):70-4
15598941
J Clin Oncol. 2007 Sep 1;25(25):3846-52
17679725
Biopharm Drug Dispos. 2001 Jul;22(5):191-7
11745921
Endocr Relat Cancer. 1999 Jun;6(2):187-95
10731108
J Clin Oncol. 2007 Feb 10;25(5):486-92
17200148
Breast Cancer Res Treat. 1998 Jul;50(1):63-71
9802621
Eur J Cancer. 1999 Feb;35(2):208-13
10448261
J Clin Oncol. 2003 Nov 1;21(21):4042-57
12963702
Breast J. 2007 Jan-Feb;13(1):28-35
17214790