Anastrozole is an aromatase inhibitor, an enzyme that blocks the production of estradiol. Its use is effective in the treatment of breast cancer and better than tumor therapy with tamoxifen.
In mid-December 2007, the results of one of the largest studies on breast cancer were published in the US - it was shown that the use ofanastrozole(name commercial drug - Arimidex) gives better therapeutic effects compared to tamoxifen. Postmenopausal women with earlybreast cancerparticipated in the study.
The 100-month (over 8 years) ATAC study (Arimidex, Tamoxifen, Alone or in Combination) confirmed the thesis that anastrozole was superior to tamoxifen in reducing the risk of recurrence and prolonging disease-free survival. The results of the research, published in the prestigious journal "The Lancet Oncology", show that even nearly four years after the end of therapy, the risk of recurrence of breast cancer in any form is lower with anastrozole than with tamoxifen.
Test results
Anastrozole versus tamoxifen:
- reduces the risk of recurrence of all types of breast cancer by 24%
- Extends disease-free survival by 15%
- reduces the risk of distant metastases by 16%
- reduces the incidence of second breast cancer by 40%.