Current Problems in Surgery
Volume 45, Issue 1 , Pages 13-55 , January 2008

Recent Advances in the Hormonal Treatment of Breast Cancer

  • Judy C. Boughey, MD

      Affiliations

    • Assistant Professor of Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
    • ,
  • Aman U. Buzdar, MD

      Affiliations

    • Professor of Medicine, Breast Medical Oncology Deputy Chair, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
    • ,
  • Kelly K. Hunt, MD

      Affiliations

    • Professor of Surgery, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas

References 

  1. Beatson GT. On the treatment of inoperable cases of carcinoma of the mamma: suggestions for a new method of treatment, with illustrative cases. Lancet. 1896;2:104–107
  2. Fisher B, Costantino JP, Wickerham DL, Redmond CK, Kavanah M, Cronin WM, et al. Tamoxifen for prevention of breast cancer: report of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project P-1 Study. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1998;90:1371–1388
  3. Powles T, Eeles R, Ashley S, Easton D, Chang J, Dowsett M, et al. Interim analysis of the incidence of breast cancer in the Royal Marsden Hospital tamoxifen randomised chemoprevention trial. Lancet. 1998;352:98–101
  4. Veronesi U, Maisonneuve P, Costa A, Sacchini V, Maltoni C, Robertson C, et al. Prevention of breast cancer with tamoxifen: preliminary findings from the Italian randomised trial among hysterectomised women. Italian Tamoxifen Prevention Study. Lancet. 1998;352:93–97
  5. Powles TJ, Eeles R, Salmon A, et al. Update of the Royal Marsden Hospital tamoxifen breast cancer chemoprevention trial. [abstract 375] Proc Am Soc Clin Oncol. 2003;22:94
  6. Veronesi U, Maisonneuve P, Rotmensz N, Costa A, Sacchini V, Travaglini R, et al. Italian randomised trial among women with hysterectomy: tamoxifen and hormone-dependent breast cancer in high-risk women. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2003;95:160–165
  7. Cuzick J, Forbes J, Edwards R, Baum M, Cawthorn S, Coates A, et al. IBIS investigators First results from the International Breast Cancer Intervention Study (IBIS-I): a randomised prevention trial. Lancet. 2002;360:817–824
  8. Cuzick J, Powles T, Veronesi U, Forbes J, Edwards R, Ashley S, et al. Overview of the main outcomes in breast-cancer prevention trials. Lancet. 2003;361:296–300
  9. Cummings SR, Eckert S, Krueger KA, Grady D, Powles TJ, Cauley JA, et al. The effect of raloxifene on risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women: results from the MORE randomized trial. Multiple Outcomes of Raloxifene Evaluation. JAMA. 1999;281:2189–2197
  10. Cauley JA, Norton L, Lippman ME, Eckert S, Krueger KA, Purdie DW, et al. Continued breast cancer risk reduction in postmenopausal women treated with raloxifene: 4-year results from the MORE trial. Multiple outcomes of raloxifene evaluation. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2001;65:125–134
  11. Ettinger B, Black DM, Mitlak BH, Knickerbocker RK, Nickelsen T, Genant HK, et al. Reduction of vertebral fracture risk in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis treated with raloxifene: results from a 3-year randomized clinical trial. Multiple Outcomes of Raloxifene Evaluation (MORE) Investigators. JAMA. 1999;282:637–645
  12. Vogel VG, Costantino JP, Wickerham DL, Cronin WM, Cecchini RS, Atkins JN, et al. National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) (Effects of tamoxifen vs raloxifene on the risk of developing invasive breast cancer and other disease outcomes: the NSABP Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene (STAR) P-2 trial). JAMA. 2006;295:2727–2741
  13. Narod SA, Brunet JS, Ghadirian P, Robson M, Heimdal K, Neuhausen SL, et al. Tamoxifen and risk of contralateral breast cancer in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers: a case-control study. Hereditary Breast Cancer Clinical Study Group. Lancet. 2000;356(9245):1876–1881
  14. Chlebowski RT, Col N, Winer EP, Collyar DE, Cummings SR, Vogel VG, et al. American Society of Clinical Oncology Breast Cancer Technology Assessment Working Group American Society of Clinical Oncology technology assessment of pharmacologic interventions for breast cancer risk reduction including tamoxifen, raloxifene, and aromatase inhibition. J Clin Oncol. 2002;20:3328–3343
  15. Cuzick J, Forbes JF, Sestak I, Cawthorn S, Hamed H, Holli K, et al. Long-term results of tamoxifen prophylaxis for breast cancer—96 month follow-up of the randomised IBIS-I trial. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2007;99:272–282
  16. Early Breast Cancer Trialists’ Collaborative Group (EBCTCG). Effects of chemotherapy and hormonal therapy for early breast cancer on recurrence and 15-year survival: an overview of the randomised trials. Lancet. 2005;365:1687–1717
  17. Fisher B, Dignam J, Bryant J, Wolmark N. Five versus more than five years of tamoxifen for lymph node-negative breast cancer: updated findings from the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project B-14 randomized trial. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2001;93:684–690
  18. Stewart HJ, Prescott RJ, Forrest AP. Scottish adjuvant tamoxifen trial: a randomized study updated to 15 years. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2001;93:456–462
  19. Tormey DC, Gray R, Falkson HC. Postchemotherapy adjuvant tamoxifen therapy beyond five years in patients with lymph node-positive breast cancer (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group). J Natl Cancer Inst. 1996;88:1828–1833
  20. Jonat W, Kaufmann M, Sauerbrei W, Blamey R, Cuzick J, Namer M, et al. Zoladex Early Breast Cancer Research Association Study (Goserelin versus cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil as adjuvant therapy in premenopausal patients with node-positive breast cancer: the Zoladex Early Breast Cancer Research Association Study). J Clin Oncol. 2002;20:4628–4635
  21. Danforth DN. How subsequent pregnancy affects outcome in women with a prior breast cancer. Oncology (Williston Park). 1991;5(11):23–30
  22. Sankila R, Heinavaara S, Hakulinen T. Survival of breast cancer patients after subsequent term pregnancy: “healthy mother effect. ” Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1994;170:818–823
  23. Howell A, Cuzick J, Baum M, Buzdar A, Dowsett M, Forbes JF, et al. Results of the ATAC (Arimidex, Tamoxifen, Alone or in Combination) trial after completion of 5 years’ adjuvant treatment for breast cancer. Lancet. 2005;365:60–62
  24. Thurlimann B, Keshaviah A, Coates AS, Mouridsen H, Mauriac L, Forbes JF, et al. Breast International Group (BIG) 1-98 Collaborative Group A comparison of letrozole and tamoxifen in postmenopausal women with early breast cancer. N Engl J Med. 2005;353:2747–2757(Erratum: N Engl J Med 2006;18:354[20]:2200.)
  25. Coombes RC, Hall E, Gibson LJ, Paridaens R, Jassem J, Delozier T, et al. Intergroup Exemestane Study (A randomized trial of exemestane after two to three years of tamoxifen therapy in postmenopausal women with primary breast cancer). N Engl J Med. 2004;350:1081–1092(Erratum: N Engl J Med 2004;351[23]:2461.)
  26. Jakesz R, Jonat W, Gnant M, Mittlboeck M, Greil R, Tausch C, et al. ABCSG and the GABG Switching of postmenopausal women with endocrine-responsive early breast cancer to anastrozole after 2 years’ adjuvant tamoxifen: combined results of ABCSG trial 8 and ARNO 95 trial. Lancet. 2005;366:455–462
  27. Boccardo F, Rubagotti A, Puntoni M, Guglielmini P, Amoroso D, Fini A, et al. Switching to anastrozole versus continued tamoxifen treatment of early breast cancer: preliminary results of the Italian Tamoxifen Anastrozole Trial. J Clin Oncol. 2005;23:5138–5147
  28. Boccardo F, Rubagotti A, Guglielmini P, Fini A, Paladini G, Mesiti M, et al. Switching to anastrozole versus continued tamoxifen treatment of early breast cancer (Updated results of the Italian tamoxifen anastrozole (ITA) trial). Ann Oncol. 2006;17(suppl 7):vii10-4
  29. Goss PE, Ingle JN, Martino S, Robert NJ, Muss HB, Piccart MJ, et al. A randomized trial of letrozole in postmenopausal women after five years of tamoxifen therapy for early-stage breast cancer. N Engl J Med. 2003;349:1793–1802
  30. Goss PE, Ingle JN, Martino S, Robert NJ, Muss HB, Piccart MJ, et al. Randomized trial of letrozole following tamoxifen as extended adjuvant therapy in receptor-positive breast cancer: updated findings from NCIC CTG MA.17. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2005;97(17):1262–1271
  31. Winer EP, Hudis C, Burstein HJ, Wolff AC, Pritchard KI, Ingle JN, et al. American Society of Clinical Oncology technology assessment on the use of aromatase inhibitors as adjuvant therapy for postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer: status report 2004. J Clin Oncol. 2005;23:619–629
  32. Brufsky A, Harker WG, Beck JT, Carroll R, Tan-Chiu E, Seidler C, et al. Zoledronic acid inhibits adjuvant letrozole-induced bone loss in postmenopausal women with early breast cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2007;(25):829–836
  33. Fisher B, Dignam J, Wolmark N, Wickerham DL, Fisher ER, Mamounas E, et al. Tamoxifen in treatment of intraductal breast cancer: National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project B-24 randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 1999;353(9169):1993–2000
  34. Allred D, Bryant J, Land S, et al. Estrogen receptor expression as a predictive marker of the effectiveness of tamoxifen in the treatment of DCIS: findings from NSABP B-24. In: Presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, San Antonio, TX, December 11-14. 2002;
  35. Buchholz T, Hunt KK, Whitman GJ Sahin AA, Hortobagyi GN. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast carcinoma: multidisciplinary considerations of benefits and risks [review]. Cancer. 2003;98(6):1150–1160
  36. Kuerer HM, Newman LA, Smith TL, Ames FC, Hunt KK, Dhingra K, et al. Clinical course of breast cancer patients with complete pathologic primary tumor and axillary lymph node response to doxorubicin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy. J Clin Oncol. 1999;17(2):460–469
  37. Guarneri V, Broglio K, Kau SW, Cristofanilli M, Buzdar AU, Valero V, et al. Prognostic value of pathologic complete response after primary chemotherapy in relation to hormone receptor status and other factors. J Clin Oncol. 2006;24(7):1037–1044
  38. Fisher B, Jeong J-H, Bryant J, Anderson S, Dignam J, Fisher ER, et al. Treatment of lymph-node-negative, oestrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer: long-term findings from National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project randomised clinical trials. Lancet. 2004;364(9437):858–868
  39. Preece PE, Wood RA, Mackie CR, Cushieri A. Tamoxifen as initial sole treatment of localized breast cancer in elderly women: a pilot study. BMJ. 1982;284:869–870
  40. Bradbeer JW, Kyngdon J. Primary treatment of breast cancer in elderly women with tamoxifen. Clin Oncol. 1983;9:31–34
  41. Campbell FC, Morgan DA, Bishop HM, Benton FM, Blamey CW, Elston CW, et al. The management of locally advanced carcinoma of the breast by Novaldex (tamoxifen): a pilot study. Clin Oncol. 1984;10:111–115
  42. Helleberg A, Lundgren B, Norin T, Sander S. Treatment of early localized breast cancer in elderly patients by tamoxifen. Br J Radiol. 1982;55:511–515
  43. Gazet JC, Markopolous CH, Ford HT, Coombes RC, Bland JM, Dixon RC. Prospective randomised trial of tamoxifen versus surgery in elderly patients with breast cancer. Lancet. 1988;1(8587):679–681
  44. Bates T, Riley DL, Houghton J, Fallowfield L, Baum M. Breast cancer in elderly women: a Cancer Research Campaign trial comparing treatment with tamoxifen and optimal surgery with tamoxifen alone (The Elderly Breast Cancer Working Party). Br J Surg. 1991;78(5):591–594
  45. Mustacchi G, Milani S, Pluchinotta A, de Matteis A, Rubagotti A, Perrota A. Tamoxifen or surgery plus tamoxifen as primary treatment for elderly patients with operable breast cancer: The G.R.E.T.A. Trial. Group for Research on Endocrine Therapy in the Elderly. Anticancer Res. 1994;14(5B):2197–2200
  46. Fentiman IS, Christiaens MR, Paridaens R, Van Geel A, Rutgers E, Berner J, et al. Treatment of operable breast cancer in the elderly: a randomised clinical trial EORTC 10851 comparing tamoxifen alone with modified radical mastectomy. Eur J Cancer. 2003;39(3):309–316
  47. Gazet JC, Coombes RC, Ford HT, Griffin M, Corbishley C, Makinde V, et al. Assessment of the effect of pretreatment with neoadjuvant therapy on primary breast cancer. Br J Cancer. 1996;73(6):758–762
  48. Dixon JM, Renshaw L, Bellamy C, Stuart M, Hoctin-Boes G, Miller WR. The effects of neoadjuvant anastrozole (Arimidex) on tumor volume in postmenopausal women with breast cancer: a randomized, double-blind, single-center study. Clin Cancer Res. 2000;6(6):2229–2235
  49. Ellis MJ, Coop A, Singh B, Mauriac L, Llombert-Cussac A, Janicke F, et al. Letrozole is more effective neoadjuvant endocrine therapy than tamoxifen for ErbB-1- and/or ErbB-2-positive, estrogen receptor-positive primary breast cancer: evidence from a phase III randomized trial. J Clin Oncol. 2001;19(18):3808–3816
  50. Smith IE, Dowsett M, Ebbs SR, Dixon JM, Skene A, Blohmer JU, et al. Neoadjuvant treatment of postmenopausal breast cancer with anastrozole, tamoxifen, or both in combination: the Immediate Preoperative Anastrozole, Tamoxifen, or Combined with Tamoxifen (IMPACT) multicenter double-blind randomized trial. J Clin Oncol. 2005;23(22):5108–5116
  51. Dowsett M, Smith IE, Ebbs SR, Dixon JM, Skene A, A’Hern R, et al. Prognostic value of Ki67 expression after short-term presurgical endocrine therapy for primary breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2007;99(2):167–170
  52. Akashi-Tanaka S, Omatsu M, Shimizu C, Ando M, Terada K, Shien T, et al. Favorable outcome in patients with breast cancer in the presence of pathologic response after neoadjuvant endocrine therapy. Breast. 2007;16:482–488
  53. Saji S, Omoto Y, Shimizu C, Warner M, Hayashi Y, Horiguchi S-I, et al. Expression of estrogen receptor (ER) (beta)cx protein in ER(alpha)-positive breast cancer: specific correlation with progesterone receptor. Cancer Res. 2002;62(17):4849–4853
  54. Cappelletti V, Celio L, Bajetta E, Allevi A, Longarini R, Miodini P, et al. Prospective evaluation of estrogen receptor-beta in predicting response to neoadjuvant antiestrogen therapy in elderly breast cancer patients. Endocr Relat Cancer. 2004;11(4):761–770
  55. Sorlie T, Perou CM, Tibshirani R, Aas T, Geisler S, Johnsen H, et al. Gene expression patterns of breast carcinomas distinguish tumor subclasses with clinical implications. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2001;98(19):10869–10874
  56. Paik S, Shak S, Tang G, Kim C, Baker J, Cronin M, et al. A multigene assay to predict recurrence of tamoxifen-treated, node-negative breast cancer. N Engl J Med. 2004;351(27):2817–2826
  57. Sparano JA. TAILORx: trial assigning individualized options for treatment (Rx). Clin Breast Cancer. 2006;7(4):347–350
  58. Ma CX, Ellis MJ. Neoadjuvant endocrine therapy for locally advanced breast cancer. [review] Semin Oncol. 2006;33(6):650–656
  59. A randomized trial in postmenopausal patients with advanced breast cancer comparing endocrine and cytotoxic therapy given sequentially or in combination (The Australian and New Zealand Breast Cancer Trials Group, Clinical Oncological Society of Australia). J Clin Oncol. 1986;4:186–193
  60. Taylor SG, Gelman RS, Falkson G, Cummings FJ. Combination chemotherapy compared to tamoxifen as initial therapy for stage IV breast cancer in elderly women. Ann Intern Med. 1986;104:455–461
  61. Boccardo F, Rubagotti A, Perrotta A, Amoroso D, Balestrero M, De Matteis A, et al. Ovarian ablation versus goserelin with or without tamoxifen in pre-perimenopausal patients with advanced breast cancer: results of a multicentric Italian study. Ann Oncol. 1994;5:337–342
  62. Buzdar AU, Jones SE, Vogel CL, Wolter J, Plourde P, Webster A. A phase III trial comparing anastrozole (1 and 10 milligrams), a potent and selective aromatase inhibitor, with megestrol acetate in postmenopausal women with advanced breast carcinoma (Arimidex Study Group). Cancer. 1997;79:730–739
  63. Buzdar AU, Jonat W, Howell A, Jones SE, Blomqvist CP, Vogel CL, et al. Anastrozole versus megestrol acetate in the treatment of postmenopausal women with advanced breast carcinoma: results of a survival update based on a combined analysis of data from two mature phase III trials. Arimidex Study Group. Cancer. 1998;83:1142–1152
  64. Dombernowsky P, Smith I, Falkson G, Leonard R, Panasci L, Bellmunt J, et al. Letrozole, a new oral aromatase inhibitor for advanced breast cancer: double-blind randomized trial showing a dose effect and improved efficacy and tolerability compared with megestrol acetate. J Clin Oncol. 1998;16:453–461

PII: S0011-3840(07)00162-1

doi: 10.1067/j.cpsurg.2007.10.004

Current Problems in Surgery
Volume 45, Issue 1 , Pages 13-55 , January 2008

Article Tools

* Image Usage & Resolution