Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Trends in endocrine therapy and chemotherapy for early breast cancer: a focus on the premenopausal patient

  • Review
  • Published:
Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose: The majority of breast cancers are diagnosed at an early stage, and treatment is focused on cure and prolonging disease-free survival. Local therapy (surgery and/or radiation treatment) is standard, along with systemic adjuvant therapy that may effectively prevent or delay relapse and death in early-stage disease. In premenopausal women, adjuvant therapeutic approaches include combination cytotoxic chemotherapy and endocrine therapy. Cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and 5-fluorouracil (CMF) was the established chemotherapy regimen; however, newer regimens have more recently been introduced that may offer some benefit over CMF including anthracycline-containing regimens [e.g. cyclophosphamide, epirubicin and 5-fluorouracil (CEF)], and taxane-containing regimens. For women with oestrogen receptor (ER)-positive disease, a second option is endocrine therapy that aims to suppress mitogenic oestrogen signalling. Until recently, 5 years of tamoxifen was regarded as the standard adjuvant endocrine treatment in ER-positive disease. Ovarian ablation is also effective in premenopausal women, and can be achieved by surgery, radiotherapy, or via the use of a luteinising hormone-releasing hormone analogue such as goserelin. Combining tamoxifen and goserelin treatment provides more effective oestrogen blockade than either drug alone. However, as the third-generation aromatase inhibitors (AIs) have demonstrated improved efficacy over tamoxifen in postmenopausal women with early and advanced disease, combination treatment with goserelin plus an AI may provide optimal oestrogen blockade in premenopausal patients. Conclusions: This review assesses the relative merits of chemotherapeutic and endocrine approaches for the treatment of early breast cancer, and summarises relevant ongoing clinical trials, with an emphasis on the premenopausal setting.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aebi S, Gelber S, Castiglione-Gertsch M, Gelber RD, Collins J, Thürlimann B, Rudenstam CM, Lindtner J, Crivellari D, Cortes-Funes H, Simoncini E, Werner ID, Coates AS, Goldhirsch A (2000) Is chemotherapy alone adequate for young women with oestrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer? Lancet 355:1869–1874

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Albain K, Barlow W, O’Malley F, Siziopikou K, Yeh I-T, Ravdin P, Lew D, Farrar W, Burton G, Ketchel S, Cobau C, Levine E, Ingle J, Pritchard K, Linchter A, Schneider D, Abeloff M, Henderson IC, Norton L, Hayes D, Green S, Livingston R, Martino S, Osborne CK, Allred DC, for the Breast Cancer Intergroup of North America (2004) Concurrent (CAFT) versus sequential (CAF-T) chemohormonal therapy (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, 5-fluorouracil, tamoxifen) versus T alone for postmenopausal, node-positive, estrogen (ER) and/or progesterone (PgR) receptor-positive breast cancer: mature outcomes and new biologic correlates on phase III intergroup trial 0100 (SWOG-8814). Breast Cancer Res Treat 88 (Suppl 1):abstract 37

  • Anderson WF, Chatterjee N, Ershler WB, Brawley OW (2002) Estrogen receptor breast cancer phenotypes in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Breast Cancer Res Treat 76:27–36

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Apantaku LM (2000) Breast cancer diagnosis and screening. Am Fam Physician 62:596

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Arora NK, Gustafson DH, Hawkins RP, McTavish F, Cella DF, Pingree S, Mendenhall JH, Mahvi DM (2001) Impact of surgery and chemotherapy on the quality of life of younger women with breast carcinoma: a prospective study. Cancer 92:1288–1298

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • ATAC Trialists’ Group (2005) Results of the ATAC (Arimidex, Tamoxifen, Alone or in Combination) trial after completion of 5 years’ adjuvant treatment for breast cancer. Lancet 365:60–62

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bardou VJ, Arpino G, Elledge RM, Osborne CK, Clark GM (2003) Progesterone receptor status significantly improves outcome prediction over estrogen receptor status alone for adjuvant endocrine therapy in two large breast cancer databases. J Clin Oncol 21:1973–1979

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Baum M, Houghton J, Odling-Smee W (2001) Adjuvant Zoladex in premenopausal patients with early breast cancer: results from the ZIPP trial. Breast 10(Suppl 1):S23–S33

    Google Scholar 

  • Berglund G, Nystedt M, Bolund C, Sjoden PO, Rutquist LE (2001) Effect of endocrine treatment on sexuality in premenopausal breast cancer patients: a prospective randomized study. J Clin Oncol 19:2788–2796

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Berry DA, Cirrincione C, Henderson IC, Citron ML, Budman DR, Goldstein LJ, Martino S, Perez EA, Muss HB, Norton L, Hudis C, Winer EP (2004) Effects of improvements in chemotherapy on disease-free and overall survival on estrogen-receptor negative, node-positive breast cancer: 20-year experience of the CALGB and U.S. Breast Intergroup. Breast Cancer Res Treat 88:S17

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bianco AR, Constanzo R, Di Lorenzo G, Adamo V, Altavilla G, D’Aprile M, Palazzo S, Manzione L, Farris A, De Lena M (2001) The Mam-1 GOCSI trial: a randomised trial with factorial design of chemo-endocrine adjuvant treatment in node-positive (N+) early breast cancer (EBC). Proc Am Soc Clin Oncol 21:27a

    Google Scholar 

  • Blamey RW (2002) Guidelines on endocrine therapy of breast cancer EUSOMA. Eur J Cancer 38:615–634

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boccardo F, Rubagotti A, Amoroso D, Mesiti M, Massobrio M, Benedetto C, Porpiglia M, Rinaldini M, Paladini G, Distante V, Franchi R, Failla G, Bordonaro R, Sismondi P (2003) Anastrozole appears to be superior to tamoxifen in women already receiving adjuvant tamoxifen treatment404. Breast Cancer Res Treat 82(Suppl 1):S6–S7

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonadonna G, Valagussa P, Moliterni A, Zambetti M, Brambilla C (1995) Adjuvant cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil in node-positive breast cancer: the results of 20 years of follow-up. N Engl J Med.332:901–906

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burdette-Radoux S, Muss HB (2003) Optimizing the use of anthracyclines in the adjuvant treatment of early-stage breast cancer. Clin Breast Cancer 4:264–272

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burstein HJ, Winer EP (2000) Primary care for survivors of breast cancer. N Engl J Med 343:1086–1094

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Buzdar AU, Singletary SE, Valero V, Booser DJ, Ibrahim NK, Rahman Z, Theriault RL, Walters R, Rivera E, Smith TL, Holmes FA, Hoy E, Frye DK, Manuel N, Kau SW, McNeese MD, Strom E, Thomas E, Hunt K, Ames F, Berry D, Hortobagyi GN (2002) Evaluation of paclitaxel in adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with operable breast cancer: preliminary data of a prospective randomized trial. Clin Cancer Res 8:1073–1079

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Campone M, Fumoleau P, Bourbouloux E, Kerbrat P, Roché H (2005) Taxanes in adjuvant breast cancer setting: which standard in Europe? Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 55:167–175

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Castiglione-Gertsch M, O’Neill A, Price KN, Goldhirsch A, Coates AS, Colleoni M, Nasi ML, Bonetti M, Gelber RD (2003) Adjuvant chemotherapy followed by goserelin versus either modality alone for premenopausal lymph node-negative breast cancer: a randomized trial. J Natl Cancer Inst 95:1833–1846

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Citron ML, Berry DA, Cirrincione C, Hudis C, Winer EP, Gradishar WJ, Davidson NE, Martino S, Livingston R, Ingle JN, Perez EA, Carpenter J, Hurd D, Holland JF, Smith BL, Sartor CI, Leung EH, Abrams J, Schilsky RL, Muss HB, Norton L (2003) Randomized trial of dose–dense versus conventionally scheduled and sequential versus concurrent combination chemotherapy as postoperative adjuvant treatment of node-positive primary breast cancer: first report of Intergroup Trial C9741/Cancer and Leukemia Group B Trial 9741. J Clin Oncol 21:1431–1439

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coombes RC, Hall E, Gibson LJ, Paridaens R, Jassem J, Delozier T, Jones SE, Alvarez I, Bertelli G, Ortmann O, Coates AS, Bajetta E, Dodwell D, Coleman RE, Fallowfield LJ, Mickiewicz E, Andersen J, Lonning PE, Cocconi G, Stewart A, Stuart N, Snowdon CF, Carpentieri M, Massimini G, Bliss JM (2004) A randomized trial of exemestane after two to three years of tamoxifen therapy in postmenopausal women with primary breast cancer. N Engl J Med 350:1081–1092

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Couteau C, Dalenc F, Ferron G, Lacroix-Triki M, Marty M-H, Garrido I, Gladieff L, Roché H (2004) Neoadjuvant sequential treatment in women with breast cancer: FEC100 then docetaxel: Results in clinical practice. Proc Am Soc Clin Oncol 23:63

    Google Scholar 

  • Davidson NE, O’Neill A, Vukov A, Osborne CK, Martino S, White D, Abeloff M, for the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (2003) Chemohormonal therapy in premenopausal node-positive, receptor-positive breast cancer: an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group phase III intergroup trial (E5188, INT-0101). Proc Am Soc Clin Oncol 22:5–15

    Google Scholar 

  • Davidson NE, O’Neill AM, Vukov AM, Osborne CK, Martino S, White DR, Abeloff MD (2005) Chemoendocrine therapy for premenopausal women with axillary lymph node-positive, steroid hormone receptor-positive breast cancer: results from INT 0101 (E5188). J Clin Oncol 23:5973–5982

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • De Haes H, Olschewski M, Kaufmann M, Schumacher M, Jonat W, Sauerbrei W (2003) Quality of life in goserelin-treated versus cyclophosphamide + methotrexate + fluorouracil-treated premenopausal and perimenopausal patients with node-positive, early breast cancer: the Zoladex Early Breast Cancer Research Association trialists group. J Clin Oncol 21:4510–4516

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Del Mastro L, Venturini M, Sertoli MR, Rosso R (1997) Amenorrhea induced by adjuvant chemotherapy in early breast cancer patients: prognostic role and clinical implications. Breast Cancer Res Treat 43:183–190

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Early Breast Cancer Trialists’ Collaborative Group (1998a) Polychemotherapy for early breast cancer: an overview of the randomised trials. Lancet 352:930–942

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Early Breast Cancer Trialists’ Collaborative Group (1998b) Tamoxifen for early breast cancer: an overview of the randomised trials. Lancet 351:1451–1467

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fallowfield L, Atkins L, Catt S, Cox A, Coxon C, Langridge C, Morris R, Price M (2005) Patients’ preference for administration of endocrine treatments by injection or tablets: results from a study of women with breast cancer. Ann Oncol (submitted)

  • Ferlay J, Bray F, Pisani P, Parkin DM (2004) GLOBOCAN 2002: Cancer incidence, mortality and prevalence worldwide, version 2.0. IARC CancerBase No. 5. Limited version available from: http://www-depdb iarc fr/globocan/GLOBOframe.htm

  • Forward DP, Cheung KL, Jackson L, Robertson JF (2004) Clinical and endocrine data for goserelin plus anastrozole as second-line endocrine therapy for premenopausal advanced breast cancer. Br J Cancer 90:590–594

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ganz PA, Rowland JH, Desmond K, Meyerowitz BE, Wyatt GE (1998) Life after breast cancer: understanding women’s health-related quality of life and sexual functioning. J Clin Oncol 16:501–514

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gehl J, Boesgaard M, Paaske T, Vittrup JB, Dombernowsky P (1996) Combined doxorubicin and paclitaxel in advanced breast cancer: effective and cardiotoxic. Ann Oncol 7:687–693

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gianni L, Baselga J, Eiermann W, Guillem Porta V, Semiglazov A, Lluch A, Zambetti M, Valagussa P, Bonadonna G, ECTO Study Group (2005) European Cooperative Trial in Operable Breast Cancer (ECTO): Improved freedom from progression (FFP) from adding paclitaxel (T) to doxorubicin (A) followed by cyclophosphamide methotrexate and fluorouracil (CMF). Proc Am Soc Clin Oncol 23(16S, Pt 1):7S

    Google Scholar 

  • Gnant M, Hausmaninger H, Samonigg H, Mlineritsch B, Taucher S, Luschin-Ebengreuth G, Jakesz R (2002) Changes in bone mineral density caused by anastrozole or tamoxifen in combination with goserelin (±zoledronate) as adjuvant treatment for hormone receptor-positive premenopausal breast cancer: results of a randomized multicenter trial. Breast Cancer Res Treat 76(Suppl 1):S31

    Google Scholar 

  • Gnant M, Jakesz R, Mlineritsch B, Luschin-Ebengreuth G, Schmid M, Menzel C, Kubista E, Samonigg H, Hausmaninger H, The ABCSG (2004) Zoledronic acid effectively counteracts cancer treatment induced bone loss (CTIBL) in premenopausal breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant endocrine treatment with goserelin plus anastrozole versus goserelin plus tamoxifen – bone density subprotocol results of a randomized multicenter trial (ABCSG-12). Breast Cancer Res Treat 88(Suppl 1):S8

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldhirsch A, Wood WC, Gelber RD, Coates AS, Thurlimann B, Senn HJ (2003) Meeting highlights: updated international expert consensus on the primary therapy of early breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 21:3357–3365

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Goldhirsch A, Glick JH, Gelber RD, Coates AS, Thurlimann B, Senn HJ (2005) Meeting highlights: international expert consensus on the primary therapy of early breast cancer 2005. Ann Oncol 16:1569–1583

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein L, O’Neill A, Sparano J, Perez E, Schulman L, Martino S, Davidson N (2005) E2197: Phase III AT (doxorubicin/docetaxel) vs. AC (doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide) in the adjuvant treatment of node positive and high risk node negative breast cancer. Proc Am Soc Clin Oncol 23(16S, Pt 1):7S

    Google Scholar 

  • Goss PE, Ingle JN, Martino S, Robert NJ, Muss HB, Piccart MJ, Castiglione M, Tu D, Shepherd LE, Pritchard KI, Livingston RB, Davidson NE, Norton L, Perez EA, Abrams JS, Therasse P, Palmer MJ, Pater JL (2003) A randomized trial of letrozole in postmenopausal women after five years of tamoxifen therapy for early-stage breast cancer. N Engl J Med 349:1793–1802

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Henderson IC, Berry DA, Demetri GD, Cirrincione CT, Goldstein LJ, Martino S, Ingle JN, Cooper MR, Hayes DF, Tkaczuk KH, Fleming G, Holland JF, Duggan DB, Carpenter JT, Frei E III, Schilsky RL, Wood WC, Muss HB, Norton L (2003) Improved outcomes from adding sequential Paclitaxel but not from escalating Doxorubicin dose in an adjuvant chemotherapy regimen for patients with node-positive primary breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 21:976–983

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jakesz R, Hausmaninger H, Kubista E, Gnant M, Menzel C, Bauernhofer T, Seifert M, Haider K, Mlineritsch B, Steindorfer P, Kwasny W, Fridrik M, Steger G, Wette V, Samonigg H (2002) Randomized adjuvant trial of tamoxifen and goserelin versus cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil: evidence for the superiority of treatment with endocrine blockade in premenopausal patients with hormone-responsive breast cancer – Austrian Breast and Colorectal Cancer Study Group Trial 5. J Clin Oncol 20:4621–4627

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jemal A, Murray T, Samuels A, Ghafoor A, Ward E, Thun MJ (2003) Cancer statistics, 2003. CA Cancer J Clin 53:5–26

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jonat W, Kaufmann M, Sauerbrei W, Blamey R, Cuzick J, Namer M, Fogelman I, de Haes JC, De Matteis A, Stewart A, Eiermann W, Szakolczai I, Palmer M, Schumacher M, Geberth M, Lisboa B (2002) 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 20:4628–4635

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kaufmann M, Jonat W, Blamey J, Cuzick J, Namer I, Fogelman I, De Haes J, Schumacher M, Sauerbrei W, Zoladex Early Breast Cancer Research Association (ZEBRA) Trialists Group (2003) Survival analyses from the ZEBRA study: goserelin (Zoladex™) versus CMF in premenopausal women with node-positive breast cancer. Eur J Cancer 39:1711–1717

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Klijn JG, Beex LV, Mauriac L, van Zijl JA, Veyret C, Wildiers J, Jassem J, Piccart M, Burghouts J, Becquart D, Seynaeve C, Mignolet F, Duchateau L (2000) Combined treatment with buserelin and tamoxifen in premenopausal metastatic breast cancer: a randomized study. J Natl Cancer Inst 92:903–911

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Klijn JG, Blamey RW, Boccardo F, Tominaga T, Duchateau L, Sylvester R, Combined Hormone Trialists’ Group, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (2001) Combined tamoxifen and luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist versus LHRH agonist alone in premenopausal advanced breast cancer: a meta-analysis of four randomized trials. J Clin Oncol 19:343–353

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Levine MN, Bramwell VH, Pritchard KI, Norris BD, Shepherd LE, Abu-Zahra H, Findlay B, Warr D, Bowman D, Myles J, Arnold A, Vandenberg T, MacKenzie R, Robert J, Ottaway J, Burnell M, Williams CK, Tu D (1998) Randomized trial of intensive cyclophosphamide, epirubicin, and fluorouracil chemotherapy compared with cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil in premenopausal women with node-positive breast cancer. National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group. J Clin Oncol 16:2651–2658

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Martin M, Pienkowski T, MacKey J, Pawlicki M, Guastalla JP, Weaver C, Tomiak E, Al Tweigeri T, Chap L, Juhos E, Guevin R, Howell A, Fornander T, Hainsworth J, Coleman R, Vinholes J, Modiano M, Pinter T, Tang SC, Colwell B, Prady C, Provencher L, Walde D, Rodriguez-Lescure A, Hugh J, Loret C, Rupin M, Blitz S, Jacobs P, Murawsky M, Riva A, Vogel C (2005) Adjuvant docetaxel for node-positive breast cancer. N Engl J Med 352:2302–2313

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Milla-Santos A, Milla L, Portella J, Calvo N, Rallo L, Rodes E, Puig-Gali M (2002) A randomized trial of goserelin (Zoladex™) + tamoxifen versus goserelin + anastrozole (Arimidex™) in pre/perimenopausal women with hormone dependent advanced breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 76(Suppl 1):S32

    Google Scholar 

  • National Comprehensive Cancer Network (2003) Breast Cancer Version 1.2003. Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology v.1.2003

  • Pagani O, O’Neill A, Castiglione M, Gelber RD, Goldhirsch A, Rudenstam CM, Lindtner J, Collins J, Crivellari D, Coates A, Cavalli F, Thürlimann B, Simoncini E, Fey M, Price K, Senn HJ (1998) Prognostic impact of amenorrhoea after adjuvant chemotherapy in premenopausal breast cancer patients with axillary node involvement: results of the International Breast Cancer Study Group (IBCSG) Trial VI. Eur J Cancer 34:632–640

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Paik S, Shak S, Tang G, Kim C, Joo H, Baker J, Cronin M, Watson D, Bryant J, Costantino J, Wolmark N (2004) Expression of the 21 genes in the Recurrence Score assay and prediction of clinical benefit from tamoxifen in NSABP study B-14 and chemotherapy in NSABP study B-20. Breast Cancer Res Treat 88:S15

    Google Scholar 

  • Parulekar W, Di Primio G, Matzinger F, Dennie C, Bociek G (2001) Use of small-bore vs. large-bore chest tubes for treatment of malignant pleural effusions. Chest 120:19–25

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Perez EA, Suman VJ, Davidson NE, Kaufman PA, Martino S, Dakhil SR, Ingle JN, Rodeheffer RJ, Gersh BJ, Hillman DW, Jaffe AS (2005) Interim cardiac safety analysis of NCCTG N9831 Intergroup adjuvant trastuzumab trial. Proc Am Soc Clin Oncol 23(16S, Pt 1):17S

    Google Scholar 

  • Piccart-Gebhart M (2005) First results of the HERA trial. Oral presentation at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting 13–17 May, Orlando, USA. Advances in Monoclonal Antibody Therapy for Breast Cancer (Scientific Symposium)

  • Piccart MJ, Lohrisch C, Duchateau L, Buyse M (2001) Taxanes in the adjuvant treatment of breast cancer: why not yet? J Natl Inst Monogr 30:88–95

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Poikonen P, Saarto T, Elomaa I, Joensuu H, Blomqvist C (2000) Prognostic effect of amenorrhoea and elevated serum gonadotropin levels induced by adjuvant chemotherapy in premenopausal node-positive breast cancer patients. Eur J Cancer 36:43–48

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Praga C, Beretta G, Labianca R (1980) Cardiac toxicity from antitumor therapy. Oncology 37(Suppl 1):51–58

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pritchard KI, O’Malley FA, Andrulis I, Shepherd LE, Tu D, Levine MN, Bramwell VH (2002) Prognostic and predictive value of HER2/neu in a randomized trial comparing CMF to CEF in premenopausal women with axillary lymph node positive breast cancer (NCIC CTG MA.5). Proc Am Soc Clin Oncol 21:42

    Google Scholar 

  • Roché H, Kerbrat P, Bonneterre J, Fargeot P, Fumoleau P, Monnier A, Chapelle-Marcillac I, Bardonnet M (2000) Complete hormonal blockade versus chemotherapy in premenopausal early-stage breast cancer patients (pts) with positive hormone-receptor (HR+) and 1–3 node-positive (N+) tumor: results of the FASG 06 trial. Proc Am Soc Clin Oncol 19:72a

    Google Scholar 

  • Roché H, Fumoleau P, Spielmann M, Canon JL, Delozier T, Kerbrat P, Serin D, Lortholary A, de Ghislain C, Viens P, Bergerat JP, Genève J, Martin AL, Asselain B (2004) Five years analysis of the PACS 01 trial: 6 cycles of FEC100 vs. 3 cycles of FEC100 followed by 3 cycles of docetaxel (D) for the adjuvant treatment of node positive breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 88(Suppl 1):S16

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmid P, Untch M, Wallwiener D, Kosse V, Bondar G, Vassiljev L, Tarutinov V, Kienle E, Luftner D, Possinger K (2002) Cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and fluorouracil (CMF) versus hormonal ablation with leuprorelin acetate as adjuvant treatment of node- positive, premenopausal breast cancer patients: preliminary results of the TABLE-study (Takeda Adjuvant Breast cancer study with Leuprorelin Acetate). Anticancer Res 22:2325–2332

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schmid P, Possinger K, Kassjaneko I, Vassiljev L, Hillger H, Kienle E, Maubach L, Kahlert S, Untch M, Wallwiener D (2004) Leuprorelin acetate 3 month-depot versus cyclophosphamide, methotrexate and fluorouracil (CMF) as adjuvant treatment in premenopausal patients with node-positive breast cancer: 5-year results of the TABLE-study. Breast Cancer Res Treat 88(Suppl 1):S40

    Google Scholar 

  • Shenkenberg TD, Von Hoff DD (1986) Mitoxantrone: a new anticancer drug with significant clinical activity. Ann Intern Med 105:67–81

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Suter TM, Cook-Bruns N, Barton C (2004) Cardiotoxicity associated with trastuzumab (Herceptin) therapy in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. Breast 13:173–183

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tan AR, Swain SM (2001) Adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer: an update. Semin Oncol 28:359–376

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • The ATAC Trialists’ Group (2002) Anastrozole alone or in combination with tamoxifen versus tamoxifen alone for adjuvant treatment of postmenopausal women with early breast cancer: first results of the ATAC randomised trial. Lancet 359:2131–2139

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thürlimann B (2005) BIG 1-98: Randomized double-blind phase III study to evaluate letrozole (L) vs. tamoxifen (T) as adjuvant endocrine therapy for postmenopausal women with receptor-positive breast cancer. http://www.asco org/ac/1,1003,_12-002511-00_18-0034-00_19-003771,00.asp

  • Thürlimann B, Kesaviah A, Mouridsen H, Mauriac L, Forbes JF, Paridaens R, Castiglione-Gertsch M, Gelber RD, Smith I, Goldhirsch A (2005) BIG 1-98: Randomized double-blind phase III study to evaluate letrozole (L) vs. tamoxifen (T) as adjuvant endocrine therapy for postmenopausal women with receptor-positive breast cancer. J Clin Oncol (Meeting Abstracts) 23:6s

    Google Scholar 

  • Viale G, Gelber RD, Mastropasqua MG, Maiorano E, Aldrighetto S, Price KN, Castiglione-Gertsch M, Goldhirsch A (2003) Chemo-endocrine effects of adjuvant therapies for postmenopausal node-negative breast cancer according to ER, PgR, and Her2 assessed centrally. Breast Cancer Res Treat 82(Suppl 1):S16–S17

    Google Scholar 

  • Von Hoff DD, Layard MW, Basa P, Davis HL Jr, Von Hoff AL, Rozencweig M, Muggia FM (1979) Risk factors for doxorubicin-induced congestive heart failure. Ann Intern Med 91:710–717

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

Editorial assistance was provided by Dawn Batty PhD, which was provided through financial support from AstraZeneca

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Klinik fur Gynakologie und Gerburtshilfe, University of Kiel, 24105, Kiel, Germany

    W. Jonat

  2. Clinical Trials and Epidemiology, Toronto Sunnybrook Regional Cancer Centre, and Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada

    K.I. Pritchard

  3. Department of Surgery, Royal Free and University College Medical School, London, UK

    R. Sainsbury

  4. Daniel den Hoed Cancer Center and Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    J.G. Klijn

Authors
  1. W. Jonat
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. K.I. Pritchard
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. R. Sainsbury
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. J.G. Klijn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to W. Jonat.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jonat, W., Pritchard, K., Sainsbury, R. et al. Trends in endocrine therapy and chemotherapy for early breast cancer: a focus on the premenopausal patient. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 132, 275–286 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-006-0082-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-006-0082-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation