ATAC
adjuvant trial: Arimidex versus Tamoxifen versus the Combination
Interview
with Neil Love, MD from Breast Cancer Update for Medical Oncologists,
Program 1 2000
Play
Audio Below:
Dr.
Buzdar: I think that is the most exciting study which has been carried
out at a global level. The study is very appropriate and very simple
study. The study was carried out in postmenopausal woman who are
ER-positive, predominantly. I would say that close to 96% of the
patients in that study are ER-positive, and these women are being
randomized to either receive tamoxifen – the standard treatment
arm – or they are receiving anastrozole, or they are receiving
a combination of both. And that study has now over 9,000 patients
entered into the study, and it is anticipated that in the next 18-20
months the preliminary data will become available. I’m very
optimistic that the data which we are now seeing in front-line metastatic
disease, that my feeling is that you will see a mirror image of
that "in at least disease" in the ATAC trial .
Dr.
Love:The other thing that's going to be equally interesting
are all the sub-protocols, particularly bone, lipid, side effects.
Dr.
Buzdar: But, I think the thing is that if the safety of the drug
is already established – that it is better from one of the
major concerns which is from the woman’s point of view is thromboembolic
complications and endometrial effect. Even though endometrial effect
we have indirect evidence that vaginal bleeding and things like
that are substantially reduced, but these patients with metastatic
disease are not followed long enough to have the incidence of endometrial
cancer, but my personal feelings would be that since the drug intrinsically
– anastrazole – does not have any hormonal properties
that it will be very low, and it will be comparable to the control
population.
