Originally published as JCO Early Release 10.1200/JCO.2006.08.8617 on January 2 2007
Journal of Clinical Oncology, Vol 25, No 5 (February 10), 2007: pp. 486-492
© 2007 American Society of Clinical Oncology.
Five Years of Letrozole Compared With Tamoxifen As Initial Adjuvant Therapy for Postmenopausal Women With Endocrine-Responsive Early Breast Cancer: Update of Study BIG 1-98
Alan S. Coates,
Aparna Keshaviah,
Beat Thürlimann,
Henning Mouridsen,
Louis Mauriac,
John F. Forbes,
Robert Paridaens,
Monica Castiglione-Gertsch,
Richard D. Gelber,
Marco Colleoni,
István Láng,
Lucia Del Mastro,
Ian Smith,
Jacquie Chirgwin,
Jean-Marie Nogaret,
Tadeusz Pienkowski,
Andrew Wardley,
Erik H. Jakobsen,
Karen N. Price,
Aron Goldhirsch
From the International Breast Cancer Study Group (IBCSG); IBCSG Coordinating Center, Bern; Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research (SAKK), Senology Center of Eastern Switzerland, Kantonsspital, St Gallen; Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Bellinzona, Switzerland; University of Sydney, Sydney; Australian New Zealand Breast Cancer Trials Group, University of Newcastle, Newcastle Mater Hospital, Newcastle, New South Wales; Box Hill and Maroondah Hospitals, Melbourne, Australia; IBCSG Statistical Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Harvard School of Public Health; Frontier Science and Technology Research Foundation, Boston, MA; Danish Breast Cancer Group, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen; Vejle Hospital, Vejle, Denmark; French Breast Cancer Group, Institut Bergonié, Bordeaux, France; Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Catholic University of Leuven; Jules Bordet Institute; Brussels, Belgium; European Institute of Oncology, Milan; National Cancer Research Institute, Genoa, Italy; National Institute of Oncology, Budapest, Hungary; The Royal Marsden Hospital, London; Christie Hospital National Health Service Trust, South Manchester University Hospital Trust, Manchester, United Kingdom; and the Cancer Center Maria Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Institute of Oncology, Warsaw, Poland
Address reprint requests to International Breast Cancer Study Group Coordinating Center, Effingerstrasse 40, CH-3008 Bern, Switzerland; e-mail: alan.coates{at}ibcsg.org
Purpose Previous analyses of the Breast International Group (BIG) 1-98 four-arm study compared initial therapy with letrozole or tamoxifen including patients randomly assigned to sequential treatment whose information was censored at the time of therapy change. Because this presentation may unduly reflect early events, the present analysis is limited to patients randomly assigned to the continuous therapy arms and includes protocol-defined updated results.
Patients and Methods Four thousand nine hundred twenty-two of the 8,028 postmenopausal women with receptor-positive early breast cancer randomly assigned (double-blind) to the BIG 1-98 trial were assigned to 5 years of continuous adjuvant therapy with either letrozole or tamoxifen; the remainder of women were assigned to receive the agents in sequence. Disease-free survival (DFS) was the primary end point.
Results At a median follow-up time of 51 months, we observed 352 DFS events among 2,463 women receiving letrozole and 418 events among 2,459 women receiving tamoxifen. This reflected an 18% reduction in the risk of an event (hazard ratio, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.71 to 0.95; P = .007). No predefined subsets showed differential benefit. Adverse events were similar to previous reports. Patients on tamoxifen experienced more thromboembolic events, endometrial pathology, hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal bleeding. Patients on letrozole experienced more bone fractures, arthralgia, low-grade hypercholesterolemia, and cardiovascular events other than ischemia and cardiac failure.
Conclusion The present updated analysis, which was limited to patients on monotherapy arms in BIG 1-98, yields results similar to those from the previous primary analysis but more directly comparable with results from other trials of continuous therapy using a single endocrine agent.
published online ahead of print at www.jco.org on January 2, 2007.
Supported by the Swedish Cancer Society, The Cancer Council Australia, Australian New Zealand Breast Cancer Trials Group, Frontier Science and Technology Research Foundation, Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute Grant No. CA-75362, and the Foundation for Clinical Cancer Research of Eastern Switzerland (OSKK).
Presented in part at the 31st Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology Conference, September 29-October 3, 2006, Istanbul, Turkey.
Authors' disclosures of potential conflicts of interest and author contributions are found at the end of this article.

CiteULike Complore Connotea Del.icio.us Digg Facebook Reddit Technorati Twitter What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:

|
 |

|
 |
 
E. Rossi, A. Morabito, F. Di Rella, G. Esposito, A. Gravina, V. Labonia, G. Landi, F. Nuzzo, C. Pacilio, E. De Maio, et al.
Endocrine Effects of Adjuvant Letrozole Compared With Tamoxifen in Hormone-Responsive Postmenopausal Patients With Early Breast Cancer: The HOBOE Trial
J. Clin. Oncol.,
July 1, 2009;
27(19):
3192 - 3197.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
K. Visvanathan, R. T. Chlebowski, P. Hurley, N. F. Col, M. Ropka, D. Collyar, M. Morrow, C. Runowicz, K. I. Pritchard, K. Hagerty, et al.
American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline Update on the Use of Pharmacologic Interventions Including Tamoxifen, Raloxifene, and Aromatase Inhibition for Breast Cancer Risk Reduction
J. Clin. Oncol.,
July 1, 2009;
27(19):
3235 - 3258.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
P. Hadji, M. Ziller, D. G. Kieback, W. Dornoff, H. W. Tessen, T. Menschik, J. Kuck, F. Melchert, and A. Hasenburg
Effects of exemestane and tamoxifen on bone health within the Tamoxifen Exemestane Adjuvant Multicentre (TEAM) trial: results of a German, 12-month, prospective, randomised substudy
Ann. Onc.,
July 1, 2009;
20(7):
1203 - 1209.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
R. J. Santen, H. Brodie, E. R. Simpson, P. K. Siiteri, and A. Brodie
History of Aromatase: Saga of an Important Biological Mediator and Therapeutic Target
Endocr. Rev.,
June 1, 2009;
30(4):
343 - 375.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. A. Onitilo, J. M. Engel, R. T. Greenlee, and B. N. Mukesh
Breast Cancer Subtypes Based on ER/PR and Her2 Expression: Comparison of Clinicopathologic Features and Survival
Clin. Med. Res.,
June 1, 2009;
7(1-2):
4 - 13.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. U. Buzdar
Role of biologic therapy and chemotherapy in hormone receptor- and HER2-positive breast cancer
Ann. Onc.,
June 1, 2009;
20(6):
993 - 999.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. Costantini, A. Picardi, M. Zilli, F. Cairoli, R. Torta, P. Marchetti, W. Baile, and S. Iacobelli
Discussion about switch strategy in the adjuvant hormonal therapy of breast cancer: psychological aspects of physician-patient communication
Ann. Onc.,
June 1, 2009;
(2009)
mdp057v1.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
M. Rabaglio, Z. Sun, K. N. Price, M. Castiglione-Gertsch, H. Hawle, B. Thurlimann, H. Mouridsen, M. Campone, J. F. Forbes, R. J. Paridaens, et al.
Bone fractures among postmenopausal patients with endocrine-responsive early breast cancer treated with 5 years of letrozole or tamoxifen in the BIG 1-98 trial
Ann. Onc.,
May 27, 2009;
(2009)
mdp033v1.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
F. Montemurro, M. Aglietta, and L. Del Mastro
Aromatase Inhibitors As Adjuvant Therapy for Breast Cancer
J. Clin. Oncol.,
May 20, 2009;
27(15):
2566 - 2567.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. A. Iverson, C. Gillett, P. Cane, C. D. Santini, T. M. Vess, L. Kam-Morgan, A. Wang, M. Eisenberg, C. M. Rowland, J. J. Hessling, et al.
A Single-Tube Quantitative Assay for mRNA Levels of Hormonal and Growth Factor Receptors in Breast Cancer Specimens
J. Mol. Diagn.,
March 1, 2009;
11(2):
117 - 130.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
V. Ziller, M. Kalder, U.-S. Albert, W. Holzhauer, M. Ziller, U. Wagner, and P. Hadji
Adherence to adjuvant endocrine therapy in postmenopausal women with breast cancer
Ann. Onc.,
March 1, 2009;
20(3):
431 - 436.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
B. Seruga and I. F. Tannock
Up-Front Use of Aromatase Inhibitors As Adjuvant Therapy for Breast Cancer: The Emperor Has No Clothes
J. Clin. Oncol.,
February 20, 2009;
27(6):
840 - 842.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
N. S. Russell, I. H. Kunkler, G. van Tienhoven, P. A. Canney, J. Thomas, J. Bartlett, M. J. van de Vijver, Y. Belkacemi, J. R. Yarnold, and P. J. Barrett-Lee
Postmastectomy Radiotherapy: Will the Selective Use of Postmastectomy Radiotherapy Study End the Debate?
J. Clin. Oncol.,
February 20, 2009;
27(6):
996 - 997.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
G. Viale, A. Giobbie-Hurder, M. M. Regan, A. S. Coates, M. G. Mastropasqua, P. Dell'Orto, E. Maiorano, G. MacGrogan, S. G. Braye, C. Ohlschlegel, et al.
Prognostic and Predictive Value of Centrally Reviewed Ki-67 Labeling Index in Postmenopausal Women With Endocrine-Responsive Breast Cancer: Results From Breast International Group Trial 1-98 Comparing Adjuvant Tamoxifen With Letrozole
J. Clin. Oncol.,
December 1, 2008;
26(34):
5569 - 5575.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
D. J. Lenihan and F. J. Esteva
Multidisciplinary Strategy for Managing Cardiovascular Risks When Treating Patients with Early Breast Cancer
Oncologist,
December 1, 2008;
13(12):
1224 - 1234.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
F. Saad, J. D. Adachi, J. P. Brown, L. A. Canning, K. A. Gelmon, R. G. Josse, and K. I. Pritchard
Cancer Treatment-Induced Bone Loss in Breast and Prostate Cancer
J. Clin. Oncol.,
November 20, 2008;
26(33):
5465 - 5476.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. L. Cooke, C. Metge, L. Lix, H. J. Prior, and W. D. Leslie
Tamoxifen Use and Osteoporotic Fracture Risk: A Population-Based Analysis
J. Clin. Oncol.,
November 10, 2008;
26(32):
5227 - 5232.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
M. C. Mahoney, T. Bevers, E. Linos, and W. C. Willett
Opportunities and Strategies for Breast Cancer Prevention Through Risk Reduction
CA Cancer J Clin,
November 3, 2008;
(2008)
CA.2008.0016v1.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
M. Hickey, C. Saunders, A. Partridge, N. Santoro, H. Joffe, and V. Stearns
Practical clinical guidelines for assessing and managing menopausal symptoms after breast cancer
Ann. Onc.,
October 1, 2008;
19(10):
1669 - 1680.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
J. E. Lester, D. Dodwell, O. P. Purohit, S. A. Gutcher, S. P. Ellis, R. Thorpe, J. M. Horsman, J. E. Brown, R. A. Hannon, and R. E. Coleman
Prevention of Anastrozole-Induced Bone Loss with Monthly Oral Ibandronate during Adjuvant Aromatase Inhibitor Therapy for Breast Cancer
Clin. Cancer Res.,
October 1, 2008;
14(19):
6336 - 6342.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
R. T. Chlebowski and N. Col
Re: Pharmacogenomic Variation of CYP2D6 and the Choice of Optimal Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy for Postmenopausal Breast Cancer: A Modeling Analysis
J Natl Cancer Inst,
September 17, 2008;
100(18):
1331 - 1332.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
M. Zoubir, M. C. Mathieu, C. Mazouni, C. Liedtke, L. Corley, S. Geha, J. Bouaziz, M. Spielmann, F. Drusche, W. F. Symmans, et al.
Modulation of ER phosphorylation on serine 118 by endocrine therapy: a new surrogate marker for efficacy
Ann. Onc.,
August 1, 2008;
19(8):
1402 - 1406.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
P. Hadji, J. -J. Body, M. S. Aapro, A. Brufsky, R. E. Coleman, T. Guise, A. Lipton, and M. Tubiana-Hulin
Practical guidance for the management of aromatase inhibitor-associated bone loss
Ann. Onc.,
August 1, 2008;
19(8):
1407 - 1416.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
L. Morales, S. Pans, K. Verschueren, B. Van Calster, R. Paridaens, R. Westhovens, D. Timmerman, L. De Smet, I. Vergote, M.-R. Christiaens, et al.
Prospective Study to Assess Short-Term Intra-Articular and Tenosynovial Changes in the Aromatase Inhibitor-Associated Arthralgia Syndrome
J. Clin. Oncol.,
July 1, 2008;
26(19):
3147 - 3152.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
C.-S. Huang, S.-H. Kuo, H.-C. Lien, S.-Y. Yang, S.-L. You, C.-Y. Shen, C.-H. Lin, Y.-S. Lu, and K.-J. Chang
The CYP19 TTTA Repeat Polymorphism Is Related to the Prognosis of Premenopausal Stage I-II and Operable Stage III Breast Cancers
Oncologist,
July 1, 2008;
13(7):
751 - 760.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
D. Generali, S. B. Fox, M. P. Brizzi, G. Allevi, S. Bonardi, S. Aguggini, M. Milani, A. Bersiga, L. Campo, R. Dionisio, et al.
Down-Regulation of Phosphatidylinositol 3'-Kinase/AKT/Molecular Target of Rapamycin Metabolic Pathway by Primary Letrozole-Based Therapy in Human Breast Cancer
Clin. Cancer Res.,
May 1, 2008;
14(9):
2673 - 2680.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. Brufsky, N. Bundred, R. Coleman, R. Lambert-Falls, R. Mena, P. Hadji, L. Jin, N. Schenk, S. Ericson, E. A. Perez, et al.
Integrated Analysis of Zoledronic Acid for Prevention of Aromatase Inhibitor-Associated Bone Loss in Postmenopausal Women with Early Breast Cancer Receiving Adjuvant Letrozole
Oncologist,
May 1, 2008;
13(5):
503 - 514.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
H. B. Muss, D. Tu, J. N. Ingle, S. Martino, N. J. Robert, J. L. Pater, T. J. Whelan, M. J. Palmer, M. J. Piccart, L. E. Shepherd, et al.
Efficacy, Toxicity, and Quality of Life in Older Women With Early-Stage Breast Cancer Treated With Letrozole or Placebo After 5 Years of Tamoxifen: NCIC CTG Intergroup Trial MA.17
J. Clin. Oncol.,
April 20, 2008;
26(12):
1956 - 1964.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
D. Crivellari, Z. Sun, A. S. Coates, K. N. Price, B. Thurlimann, H. Mouridsen, L. Mauriac, J. F. Forbes, R. J. Paridaens, M. Castiglione-Gertsch, et al.
Letrozole Compared With Tamoxifen for Elderly Patients With Endocrine-Responsive Early Breast Cancer: The BIG 1-98 Trial
J. Clin. Oncol.,
April 20, 2008;
26(12):
1972 - 1979.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
N. Farag, R. Burns, and S. E. Come
Update: A 62-Year-Old Woman With a New Diagnosis of Breast Cancer
JAMA,
March 5, 2008;
299(9):
1055 - 1056.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
R. Ponzone, P. Mininanni, E. Cassina, F. Pastorino, and P. Sismondi
Aromatase inhibitors for breast cancer: different structures, same effects?
Endocr. Relat. Cancer,
March 1, 2008;
15(1):
27 - 36.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
P Hadji
Menopausal symptoms and adjuvant therapy-associated adverse events
Endocr. Relat. Cancer,
March 1, 2008;
15(1):
73 - 90.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
E. P. Mamounas
Facilitating Breast-Conserving Surgery and Preventing Recurrence: Aromatase Inhibitors in the Neoadjuvant and Adjuvant Settings
Ann. Surg. Oncol.,
March 1, 2008;
15(3):
691 - 703.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
N. U. Lin and E. P. Winer
Advances in Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy for Postmenopausal Women
J. Clin. Oncol.,
February 10, 2008;
26(5):
798 - 805.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. H. Partridge, A. LaFountain, E. Mayer, B. S. Taylor, E. Winer, and A. Asnis-Alibozek
Adherence to Initial Adjuvant Anastrozole Therapy Among Women With Early-Stage Breast Cancer
J. Clin. Oncol.,
February 1, 2008;
26(4):
556 - 562.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
B. R.J. H. Bird and S. M. Swain
Cardiac Toxicity in Breast Cancer Survivors: Review of Potential Cardiac Problems
Clin. Cancer Res.,
January 1, 2008;
14(1):
14 - 24.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
S. Aebi and M. Rabaglio
Overview of Current Approaches to Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy
ASCO Educational Book,
January 1, 2008;
2008(1):
9 - 13.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
T. Bao and N. E. Davidson
How We Maintain Bone Health in Early-Stage Breast Cancer Patients on Aromatase Inhibitors
J. Oncol. Pract,
November 1, 2007;
3(6):
323 - 325.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
E. A. Ariazi, A. Leitao, T. I. Oprea, B. Chen, T. Louis, A. M. Bertucci, C. G.N. Sharma, S. D. Gill, H. R. Kim, H. A. Shupp, et al.
Exemestane's 17-hydroxylated metabolite exerts biological effects as an androgen
Mol. Cancer Ther.,
November 1, 2007;
6(11):
2817 - 2827.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
S. E. Jones, J. Cantrell, S. Vukelja, J. Pippen, J. O'Shaughnessy, J. L. Blum, R. Brooks, N. L. Hartung, A. G. Negron, D. A. Richards, et al.
Comparison of Menopausal Symptoms During the First Year of Adjuvant Therapy With Either Exemestane or Tamoxifen in Early Breast Cancer: Report of a Tamoxifen Exemestane Adjuvant Multicenter Trial Substudy
J. Clin. Oncol.,
October 20, 2007;
25(30):
4765 - 4771.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
C. C. Portera and S. M. Swain
The Heart of the Matter
J. Clin. Oncol.,
September 1, 2007;
25(25):
3794 - 3796.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
G. Viale, M. M. Regan, E. Maiorano, M. G. Mastropasqua, P. Dell'Orto, B. B. Rasmussen, J. Raffoul, P. Neven, Z. Orosz, S. Braye, et al.
Prognostic and Predictive Value of Centrally Reviewed Expression of Estrogen and Progesterone Receptors in a Randomized Trial Comparing Letrozole and Tamoxifen Adjuvant Therapy for Postmenopausal Early Breast Cancer: BIG 1-98
J. Clin. Oncol.,
September 1, 2007;
25(25):
3846 - 3852.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
S. Pruthi, J. C. Boughey, K. R. Brandt, A. C. Degnim, G. K. Dy, M. P. Goetz, E. A. Perez, C. A. Reynolds, P. J. Schomberg, and J. N. Ingle
A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Management of Breast Cancer, Part 2: Therapeutic Considerations
Mayo Clin. Proc.,
September 1, 2007;
82(9):
1131 - 1140.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. Goldhirsch, W. C. Wood, R. D. Gelber, A. S. Coates, B. Thurlimann, H. -J. Senn, and Panel Members
Progress and promise: highlights of the international expert consensus on the primary therapy of early breast cancer 2007
Ann. Onc.,
July 1, 2007;
18(7):
1133 - 1144.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. S. Coates
In Reply
J. Clin. Oncol.,
May 20, 2007;
25(15):
2148 - 2148.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
A. U. Buzdar
Letrozole Compared With Tamoxifen As Initial Adjuvant Therapy for Breast Cancer
J. Clin. Oncol.,
May 20, 2007;
25(15):
2147 - 2148.
[Full Text]
[PDF]
|
 |
|

|
 |

|
 |
 
Letrozole or Tamoxifen for Initial Adjuvant Therapy in Breast Cancer?
Journal Watch Oncology and Hematology,
March 12, 2007;
2007(312):
1 - 1.
[Full Text]
|
 |
|
|