[LHRH analogs in adjuvant endocrine therapy for pre-menopausal localized breast cancers: Ending the controversy for novel guidelines?]

Abstract

Endocrine treatment represents the cornerstone of endocrine-sensitive pre-menopausal early breast cancer. The estrogen blockade plays a leading role in the therapeutic management with surgery, radiotherapy and selective antiestrogen treatment. For several years, selective estrogen receptor modulators, such as tamoxifen, have revolutionized medical care of hormone receptors-positive breast cancer and have conquered the therapeutic arsenal while becoming the gold standard of treatment. Other combinations associating the ovarian function suppression using LHRH agonists with tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors have been recently investigated, leading to mitigated opinions regarding the clinical benefit of these associations. We propose here a comprehensive overview on existing data and their actualization concerning LHRH analogues, whilst emphasizing benefit-risk balance for this targeted population.

Keywords: Analogues de la LHRH; Anti-œstrogènes; Antiestrogen; Aromatase inhibitors; Breast cancers; Cancer du sein; Hormone therapy; Hormonothérapie; Inhibiteurs d’aromatase; LHRH analogues; Ovarian function suppression; Suppression de la fonction ovarienne.