New Drug Prevents Reoccurence by 65%!!!!

No, Aromasin is for those of us with breast cancer. The article talked about Tamoxifen and Aromasin being used by women with cancer so avoid a recurrence, but the medical field is now considering using them (pre-or-post menopausal) to prevent breast cancer in the first place! That was my question years ago when a customer of mine told me she was taking Tamoxifen so her cancer wouldn't come back. I asked her why we all couldn't take it then!!

Pure is correct.   Those numbers are for preventing "first breast cancer".  

Figures I read about were 50% not 65% and it has se's just like the other AIs - also recommended for women with "high risk for getting bc" not everybody - I wish the news media would try to interview bc patients and get their point of view - no one ever wants to talk about the se's and in my case the se's make me bedridden - now the general public thinks we have a "cure".

Sandy

In the article Pure linked, the study was looking at postmenopausal women over 35 who were either: 60+, or had previous ADLH, or LCIS, or DCIS treated by Mx, but not BC, or "Gail five-year risk score greater than 1.66%" (whatever that is)  So none of them was looking at what those of us who have had BC would term a recurrence, nonetheless they were not a healthy, breast-disease-free cohort to start with. As I read it, the researchers were looking at preventing early warning signs or precancerous conditions from turning into actual invasive BC.

To be fair, the editor included comment from "some leading oncologists" and the input from <Kent Osborne, MD, director of the breast center at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston>, did also present the patients' viewpoint and the frequent difficulties with side effects, which were reported by 88% of study participants. Interesting that the placebo also gave side-effects to 85%, so I wonder what that was then?? ( So, taking nothing is better than a placebo?)

Also I didn't realise Aromasin was a new drug; from reading these boards it seems to be a common standard of care for many post-meno ladies?

I was wondering what the difference between Aromasin and some of the other Als like Anastrozole. There was a study that ended this past March but I can't find any info on the results yet. (I'm sure the full report isn't out).

So interesting to read all the new information on this drug. I'm on Arimidex, 41 and post menopausal. I wonder if my doctor would switch me? would I want him to? Anyone know the benefits? And Pure, there is always hope. I never let it go, it's what keeps me running...hope. I know what you mean though, so hard sometimes but we just have to get a good grip on it and never let it go. Kinda like Rose in Titanic..."I'll never let it go, Jack". LOL!!!

Deanna, thanks for the real numbers. That's what I meant when I said I  hoped someone who has taken Statistics 101 would jump in and make it real for us!

Barb, I'm far from a math whiz, but I'm so tired of sensational headlines like these that purposely manipulate stats to make a drug sound far more beneficial than it is.  

The objective of this study was clearly to find more customers for Aromasin, and presenting a 65% benefit to women concerned about developing bc will probably do that. Thank goodness a few news sources like The New York Times understand the difference between relative and absolute statistics, and bother to include the actual numbers.     Deanna 

I'm interested in knowing that too.  My onc put me on Aromasin because he said it did less damage to the bones than the other AIs  (and I have osteoporosis and osteopenia)

Barb, the link she posted said "first breast cancer", not recurrence.

"Make room, tamoxifen: The aromatase inhibitor exemestane (Aromasin) prevents first breast cancers in moderate- to high-risk postmenopausal women, according to randomized trial results."

I found this so called breaking news weird. Aromasin is in same family as Arimidex. Neither worked for me and I am highly ER/PR+. I;d  want to see the results. Proven or another money grab. How long do you take it. When do you start. Is is worth the SE's. How high risk do you have to be? I was expecting a real breakthrough not reconstitured rubbish.

I also despise the 65% that really means a few percentage points difference. (using that as a broad term not specifics of this study).  Media does it all the time and I hate it.  However, I did think this was exciting.  We now have 3 classes of drugs proven to help in chemoprevention. Tamoxifen, Evista and Aromasin.  They're not perfect, but, anything being done to help us prevent or treat this disease I'll applaud.  Tamoxifen does suck, hate the side effects, but, the side effects of my operation and chemo were a lot worse and more long lasting.  So, Tamoxifen--bring it on.  Might just say the same to an aromatase inhibitor next.