title: Adjuvant hormonal therapy and fertility preservation in premenopausal breast cancer: a survey among Italian oncologists.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increasing age of first pregnancy among Italian women with premenopausal breast cancer makes adjuvant hormonal therapy a hot topic, justifying a survey on the therapeutic approach of Italian oncologists.
  
  
  METHODS
  From April to July 2012, an 11-item electronic questionnaire was submitted to Italian oncologists and 611 out of 974 invited filled questionnaires were collected from all over Italy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 97.7% of patients aged <40 years needing only hormonal therapy would receive both tamoxifen and luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonists (LHRHa); 2.3% tamoxifen or LHRHa alone. For the majority of oncologists LHRHa was also the preferred choice to preserving fertility.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results are rather consistent with major guidelines but with a greater use of LHRHa and aromatase inhibitor.
authors.affiliation: UO Oncologia Medica, Azienda Ospedaliera Treviglio, Treviglio BG, Italy.
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Barni
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Collovà
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frassoldati
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Amoroso
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D005260:Female; D059247:Fertility Preservation; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000819:agonists*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008495:Medical Oncology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011258:Pregnancy Tests; D017697:Premenopause; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors; D013629:Tamoxifen; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone
keywords: adjuvant hormone-therapy; premenopausal breast cancer