Two studies published in the medical journal The Lancetshow that two classes of drugs, bisphosphonates (prescribed for the risk of osteoporosis) and aromatase inhibitors (drugs that prevent the stimulating action of female hormones on cancer cells) are particularly effective against recurrence.
Bisphosphonates, usually prescribed to fight against osteoporosis, would prevent breast cancer cells from spreading to the bones, the most common site of secondary cancers. And they would reduce the risk of dying from the disease by 18% within 10 years of diagnosis.
“We expected the drugs to have an effect on the risk of recurrence in another organ but the decrease in the risk of death is greater than we imagined” explains Professor Robert Coleman, director of the Sheffield Cancer Research Center (Great Britain) who led the study on the impact of bisphosphonates on the breast cancer. According to this study, these drugs marketed in generic form (therefore inexpensive) would prevent one in 6 postmenopausal women with breast cancer from dying of the disease.
Another type of drug, anti-aromatases, usually prescribed to postmenopausal women diagnosed with breast cancer have shown their benefit against the risk of recurrence. By inhibiting the production of estrogen, anti-aromatases stop stimulation of the tumor. A study of 30,000 women showed that five years of treatment reduced the risk of recurrence by 30% and the risk of death from breast cancer by 15% within 10 years of starting treatment.
“These simple and well-tolerated treatments should now be considered as routine drugs in the treatment of early breast cancer in postmenopausal women, both to reduce the risk of recurrence but also to improve the chances of survival” said the Prof. Coleman.
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