SUMMARY: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the US and about 1 in 8 women (12%) will develop invasive breast cancer during their lifetime. Approximately 268,600 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in 2019 and about 41,760 women will die of the disease. Some high risk factors for the development of breast cancer include first-degree relative with breast cancer at any age, first-degree relative with bilateral breast cancer who developed the first breast cancer at 50 years of age or less, Lobular Carcinoma In Situ (LCIS), Atypical ductal or lobular hyperplasia in a benign lesion, and Ductal Carcinoma In-Situ (DCIS).
Previously published studies have shown a 38% reduction in all breast cancers and 50% reduction of ER-positive tumors with the use of SERMs (Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators) such as Tamoxifen and Raloxifene for breast cancer prevention. Further it has been shown that the effects of Tamoxifen continue with a constant 29% annual preventive effect for at least 15 years after completion of treatment. A further improvement in breast cancer incidence short-term was seen in two trials using, two Aromatase Inhibitors, ARIMIDEX® (Anastrozole) in the International Breast Cancer Intervention Study II (IBIS-II) and AROMASIN® (Exemestane) in the MAP.3 trial. However in the MAP.3 study, the study was unblinded after the initial publication and a post-treatment effect, as was seen with Tamoxifen, was not possible.
The International Breast Cancer Intervention Study II (IBIS-II) is an international, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, which was initiated in 2003. In this trial, 3864 postmenopausal women aged 40-70 years, at increased risk of developing breast cancer were recruited and were randomly assigned (1:1) to either ARIMIDEX® 1 mg orally daily (N=1920) or matching placebo (N=1944) daily for 5 years. After treatment completion, women were followed on a yearly basis and data was collected on breast cancer incidence, death, incidence of other cancers, and major adverse events (cardiovascular events and fractures). The median age at study entry was 59 years. The exclusion criteria for this study included premenopausal status, prior breast cancer including Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) diagnosed more than 6 months before trial entry, current or previous Tamoxifen, Raloxifene, or other SERM use for more than 6 months, or previous or planned prophylactic mastectomy. Unblinding was only permitted if the participant developed breast cancer, when a clinician considered there to be valid medical or safety reasons. The Primary outcome was the development of histologically confirmed breast cancer, either invasive or non-invasive (DCIS), particularly during the post-5-year time period. Secondary outcomes were ER-positive breast cancer, breast cancer mortality, incidence of other cancers, cardiovascular disease, fractures, and all-cause mortality. The decision to analyze the data was made without looking at the results before hand. The first analysis after a median follow-up of 60 months showed a significant reduction (53%) in incidence for all breast cancer (including DCIS). The authors now report the results on the extended duration of benefit of ARIMIDEX® in preventing breast cancer, for up to 12 years after trial entry.
After a median follow up of 10.9 years for this analysis, women assigned to the ARIMIDEX® group were 49% less likely to develop breast cancer than women assigned to the placebo arm of the study ((HR=0.51, P<0.0001). The reduction in incidence in the first 5 years of follow up was 61% (HR=0.39; P<0.0001), and a smaller but still significant 36% reduction (HR=0.64; P=0•014) was seen in subsequent years, which was still larger than that seen for Tamoxifen in previous trials, and the effects in the two time periods was not significantly different (P=0.08). Invasive ER-positive breast cancer was reduced by 54% with ARIMIDEX® treatment (HR=0.46; P<0.0001), with a continued significant effect observed in the post-treatment follow up period. A 59% reduction in DCIS overall was observed (HR=0.41; P=0.0081), with a very large reduction noted in those cases known to be ER-positive (HR = 0.22; P<0.0001). A significant decrease in non-breast cancers was observed in the ARIMIDEX® group, primarily contributed by non-melanoma skin cancer (P=0.0042), and no excess rates of fractures or cardiovascular disease was observed.
The authors concluded that this updated analysis shows a continuing long-term effect of 5 years of ARIMIDEX® treatment, in preventing breast cancer, in high-risk postmenopausal women. These new results strongly suggest that ARIMIDEX® should be preferred therapy for breast cancer prevention in postmenopausal women at increased risk for the disease, with Tamoxifen used for women who experience severe side effects from ARIMIDEX®. Use of anastrozole for breast cancer prevention (IBIS-II): long-term results of a randomised controlled trial. Cuzick J, Sestak I, Forbes JF, et al. The Lancet. Published:December 12, 2019. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(19)32955-1
