Dr. Pagani Discusses Aromatase Inhibitors for Premenopausal Women with Breast Cancer

Olivia Pagani, MD, Institute of Oncology, Southern Switzerland, discusses the result of a joint analysis of two phase III trials involving a total of 4690 premenopausal women with hormone-receptor—positive (HR+) breast cancer who were treated with the aromatase inhibitor exemestane.

Pagani says it is known that aromatase inhibitors are more effective than tamaxofin in postmenopausal women but it was unknown if this were true for premenopausal women. In order to give a patient aromatase inhibitors, they have to have low estrogen levels so patients are given ovarian suppression to premenopausal women.

Study results showed that aromatase inhibitors were more effective than tamoxifen in this population of patients, Pagani says. Now, physicians have an additional treatment strategy for premenopausal women.