[New options in adjuvant endocrine therapy in breast cancer]

Abstract

Endocrine therapy is a compulsory step in the adjuvant management of early breast cancer expressing the estrogen receptor, by reducing as much as possible serum and tissue levels of estrogens. Tamoxifen is the standard therapy for non-menopausal women. Ovarian function suppression, in addition to exemestane or tamoxifen, could be an alternative option for young women at high risk of recurrence and non menopausal after adjuvant or neo-adjuvant chemotherapy. Recent studies show a trend for improvement of overall survival and disease-free-survival with aromatase inhibitors among postmenopausal women. However, safety of aromatase inhibitors is controversial and adverse events may lead to switch for tamoxifen with no loss of efficacy. Extension therapy by tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitor after five years of tamoxifen and for a total duration of ten years significantly improves overall survival. There is to date no data supporting the extension therapy after five years of aromatase inhibitor.

Keywords: Adjuvant; Adjuvant therapy; Breast cancer; Cancer du sein; Endocrine therapy; Hormonothérapie.