Switching to Letrozole or Exemestane Improves Hot Flushes, Mood and Quality of Life in Tamoxifen Intolerant Women
Br J Cancer. 2008 May 6;98(9):1494-1499, R Thomas , M Williams, C Marshall, L Walker
TAKE-HOME MESSAGE
Abstract
Abstract
We report an open-label, prospective, crossover study involving 184 post-menopausal women experiencing hot flushes on adjuvant tamoxifen (T). Six weeks after switching to an AI, the primary end point, hot flush score, improved by 47.3% (P<0.001) compared to those reported on T. The mean mood rating scale (MRS) score improved by 9.7% (P=0.01). The total mean combined FACT (b+es) score improved from 134.2 (95% CI +/-2.96) to 143.5 (95% CI +/-2.96 <0.001), and the endocrine subscale improved by 9.8%...
SUMMARY
OncologySTAT Editorial Team
Adjuvant aromatase inhibitor (AI) treatment is becoming a standard of care for postmenopausal women with breast cancer because of its favorable effect on disease-free survival rates. However, questions remain regarding how well patients tolerate AI therapy and how it affects their quality of life (QOL). Researchers analyzed patients’ self-assessments of AI’s short-term impact on hot flushes, physical and psychological QOL, and mood and its long-term effect on arthralgia and patient preference regarding...