title: Compliance, analgesic use and side-effect protection within a German cohort of the TEAM trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Compliance is an essential aspect for the success of any medical intervention. Adverse events (AEs) contribute significantly to non-compliance with endocrine treatment. The Tamoxifen Exemestane Adjuvant Multinational (TEAM) trial compared five years of adjuvant exemestane therapy with the sequence of tamoxifen followed by exemestane.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of the German cohort of TEAM was conducted to determine the effects of prior tamoxifen on the tolerability profile of exemestane in both treatment arms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fracture incidence was significantly higher during the first 30 months of exemestane versus the 30 months of exemestane following tamoxifen for 2-3 years; however, the incidence of AEs was not significantly different. With regard to compliance, the use of analgesics did not influence overall or disease-free survival (DFS) nor the incidence of distant recurrence in both treatment groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tamoxifen has a boneprotective effect when applied before exemestane treatment. Intake of analgesics (or pain medication) does not influence compliance or treatment outcome.
authors.affiliation: University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bossart
authors.forename: Meike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: Peyman
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hadji
authors.forename: Dirk G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Kieback
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hasenburg
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000730:Androstadienes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000730:Androstadienes; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D013629:Tamoxifen; C056516:exemestane