Aromasin after tamoxifen ups breast cancer survival

NEW YORK, Dec 19 (Reuters) After surgery for early-stage breast cancer, women may be treated with tamoxifen for 5 years.

After that point, treatment with Aromasin significantly improves survival, according to a new study.

The results were presented at the annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. The finding shows that Aromasin, known technically as exemestane, following tamoxifen reduces breast cancer recurrence ''by about half,'' reported Dr Terry Mamounas of the Aultman Health Foundation of Canton, Ohio.

The study randomly assigned 1,598 postmenopausal women with early-stage breast cancer to take exemestane or an inactive placebo, beginning after five years on tamoxifen.

Women taking exemestane were 50 per cent less likely to see a recurrence of breast cancer. The drug was as well-tolerated, with adverse events approximately the same as with placebo.

Fatigue, joint pain and bone pain were the most common complaints.

''This gives women with breast cancer another option,'' Mamounas told Reuters Health.

REUTERS MS RK0946