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    however they have not been able to demonstrate an impact on

    overall survival.1620 A meta-analysis by Jonat and Gnant included

    three trials that compared sequenced therapy with anastrozole

    following two to three years of tamoxifen, versus tamoxifen on its

    own.21 Disease free survival was significantly prolonged in favour of

    sequenced therapy (HR 0.59 [95% CI 0.480.78] p < 0.0001). There

    was evidence of prolonged overall survival (HR 0.71, [0.520.98]

    p 0.0377). Their methodology had some limitations; no more

    than two databases were searched (PubMedandClinicalTrials.gov)

    and no discussion of potential conflict of interest despite funding

    from the pharmaceutical industry. The addition of newstudies such

    as BIG 1-98 trial and ABCSG 8, and updates of previous trials, such

    as the IE study, adds to the call for a new review that includes the

    three types of AIs.16,18,22 This review will not only look at the role of

    AIs as sequenced therapy, but also as monotherapy and extended

    therapy. Patient groups have highlighted the importance of quality

    of life (QoL) in the choice of hormonal therapy.1 RCTs on QoL were

    therefore actively sought.

    The results from the RCTs have led to changes in the British and

    American guidelines, which now recommend clinicians to consider

    AIs in specific patients.1,23 However, many questions still remain on

    the optimal therapy regime. A review that studies all three treat-

    ments regimes andincludes quality of life as an outcome measure isneeded to provide clinicians and patients with more information

    when choosing adjuvant therapy. The aim was therefore to

    systematically review all currently available evidence from rando-

    mised controlled trials on the optimal hormonal adjuvant therapy

    regime for post-menopausal women with oestrogen sensitive early

    breast cancer.

    Materials and methods

    Study selection

    All RCTs that compare the following treatment regimes; direct

    comparison between tamoxifen versus an AI, sequenced therapy,

    and extended therapy (AI versus placebo or no treatment followingadjuvant treatment), was searched for. Any types of AIs in standard

    dosages wereaccepted. Participants had to be post-menopausal and

    have undergone surgery for oestrogen sensitive early breast cancer.

    Outcomes

    The primary outcome measures were overall survival (OS)

    (including death from any cause), disease free survival (DFS)

    (defined as time to recurrence at any site, contra-lateral breast

    cancer or death from any cause) and QoL. Trials containing data on

    at least one of the primary outcomes were included. Secondary

    outcomes were event-free survival (defined as time to recurrence

    at any site), distant-recurrence-free survival, number of drop-outs,

    adverse events and other outcomes, which were not pre-specifiedbut were considered important in the trial.

    Search methods

    The databases Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials

    (CENTER), MEDLINE(R) and EMBASE (via OVID), in addition to

    reference and abstract lists, were searched in February 2009. No

    language restrictions were used. The Clinical Trial Register (http://

    www.clinicaltrial.gov) was searched to identify additional unpub-

    lished trials. The following free text search terms were used; breast

    cancer, breast neoplasm, breast carcinoma, breast tumour, breast

    tumor, tamoxifen, nolvadex, aromatase inhibitor, anastrozole, ari-

    midex, letrozole, exemestane, aromasin and femara. MeSH terms

    included aromatase inhibitors, tamoxifen and breast neoplasm. The

    investigator reviewed each title to identify clearly irrelevant

    studies. A pre-specified Inclusion/Exclusion form was used to

    identify eligible studies. The inclusion requirements were the

    following: RCT, female subjects, oestrogen sensitive tumours,

    confirmed post-menopausal status and early stage cancer. The full

    text was obtained if a paper could not be rejected by evaluation of

    the title or abstract alone. The computer software EndNote was

    used to manage references. Any duplicates were excluded by

    comparing authors, location, participants and dates. The latest

    report was used in case trials had been reported more than once.

    Quality assessment

    Internal validity was assessed by using a risk of biases table in

    the data extraction form. The questions were adopted from The

    Cochrane Collaborations tool for assessing risk of the following

    biases; selection, performance, detection, reporting and attrition.24

    Data extraction

    Data extractionwas carried out by MLJ using a standardised data

    extraction form, and validated by the second reviewer SJL. The data

    extraction form was piloted on a few studies and revised accord-

    ingly. Data from multiple papers of the same trial was recorded on

    a single data extraction sheet. Details of study design, risk of bias

    assessment, participants, and data on outcomes was collected. The

    author was contacted in case of missing information. No outcome

    was obtained by reading curves. Definitions of post-menopausal

    status were included as arbitrary use between trials has been

    reported.25

    Data analysis

    Meta-analyses were undertaken in the Review Manager Soft-

    ware (version 5.0) and based on the intention-to-treat principle.

    Hazard ratios for survival outcomes, and relative risks for adverse

    events, were calculated with 95% confidence interval for eachsubgroup. The random effect model was used in the meta-analyses

    to take into account the variability that exists between patients.

    Heterogeneity was assessed with the MantelHaentszel Chi-square

    test andI2 test. Allp-values are two-sided.

    Results

    Description of included studies

    Our search identified 836 references (see Fig. 1), of which 677

    could be excluded from screening the title alone or because they

    were duplicates. The abstracts, or the paper if required, of 159

    potential RCTs were evaluated further. 132 were excluded because

    they did not fulfil the requirements in the inclusion/exclusion form.

    Fig. 1. Flow chart of the process of inclusion of trials for review.

    M.L. Josefsson, S.J. Leinster / The Breast 19 (2010) 7683 77

    http://pubmedandclinicaltrials.gov/http://www.clinicaltrial.gov/http://www.clinicaltrial.gov/http://www.clinicaltrial.gov/http://www.clinicaltrial.gov/http://pubmedandclinicaltrials.gov/
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    Two ongoing studies (TEAM and NSABP B-42) were excluded prior

    to the analysis as no data was yet available.26,27 The ABCSG trial 6

    was excluded as it studied aminoglutethimide in combination with

    tamoxifen.28 The Italian co-operative trial, which explored amino-

    glutethimide as sequenced therapy, failed to recruit the planned

    number of participants and was excluded due to lack of outcome

    data.29 Nine trials of 28 632 patients in total were included in this

    review. SeeTable 1for trial characteristics. The included trials are

    divided into three subgroups depending on their treatment regime;

    monotherapy (AI vs. tamoxifen), sequenced therapy (tamoxifen

    switched to an AI vs. tamoxifen on its own) and extended therapy

    (extended AI treatment following adjuvant therapy for 5 years vs.

    placebo or no treatment). Two studies, ATAC (ISRCTN18233230)

    and BIG 1-98 (NCT00004205), report data on AI as mono-

    therapy.18,3038 BIG 1-98 consisted of four arms (letrozole mono-

    therapy, tamoxifen monotherapy, sequential tamoxifen followed by

    letrozole, and sequential letrozole followed by tamoxifen). Results

    from the monotherapy subgroup only areincludedin this review, as

    the sequential arms are compared with letrozole, rather than

    tamoxifen.38 Four trials were identified for sequenced therapy;

    ABCSG trial 8 (NCT00291759), ARNO-95 (NCT00287534), IE study

    (ISRCTN11883920) and ITA (NCT00286117).16,22,39-42Three RCTs on

    extended therapy were identified; MA.17 (NCT00003140), NSABPB-33 and ABCSG trial 6a (NCT00300508).20,43-45 Four studies

    included QoL as outcome measures (NSABP B-33, and substudies of

    the ATAC trial, the IE study and MA.17).45,46-48 The latest reports on

    adverse events in the included trials were used for the safety

    analyses.

    Methodological quality

    The following studies were assessed as of high quality; the ATAC

    trial,BIG 1-98, IE studyand MA.17. ABCSG6a, ARNO-95 andITAwere

    open-labelled and of weaker methodological quality. NSABP B-33

    was transformed from a blinded trial into an open-labelled study

    when it wasstoppedprematurely. The methodological quality of the

    ABCSG 8 could not be assessed, as it is yet unpublished.

    Monotherapy

    The ATAC trial compared anastrozole and tamoxifen for five

    years and the results after 100 months are included in this review.

    They initially included a trial arm of combined anastrozole and

    tamoxifen, which was stopped prematurely as no efficacy benefit

    could be demonstrated. The BIG 1-98 trial compared letrozole and

    tamoxifen for five years. Pooled data from the two trials demon-

    strated a statistical significant benefit in DFS in favour of AI treat-

    ment for five years compared with tamoxifen (HR 0.89, [0.830.96]

    p 0.002) (seeFig. 2). No difference was seen in overall survival

    (HR 0.94, [0.821.08]p 0.39) (seeFig. 3).

    Sequenced therapy

    The IE Study compared sequenced therapy with tamoxifen

    followed by exemestane for five years in total, versus tamoxifen

    on its own. There was a high number of drop-outs in both

    intervention and control groups (1012/2372 and 1026/2352

    respectively). The ITA study and ARNO-95 both examined

    sequenced therapy with tamoxifen followed by anastrozole

    compared with tamoxifen alone for five years. When their data

    on DFS was pooled together there was a statistical significant

    benefit seen in patients on sequenced therapy (HR 0.72,

    [0.630.83] p < 0.00001) (see Fig. 2). Sequenced therapy with

    tamoxifen and anastrozole was also studied in ABCSG trial 8.

    Their data is not yet published; however it was presented at theSan Antonio conference in December 2008. Relapse free survival

    (RFS) is their main outcome, which is different to DFS in that it

    does not include death. Their unpublished data suggest a benefit

    in RFS for sequenced therapy (HR 0.79, [0.650.95] p 0.038).

    Meta-analysis of OS for the three published trials showed a weak

    statistically significant benefit in favour of the switching regime

    (HR 0.72 [0.521.00] p 0.05) (figure provided in online mate-

    rial). A statistically more robust result (HR for OS 0.78,

    [0.680.91] p 0.001), in favour of sequenced therapy, could be

    seen when data from ABCSG 8 was included in the meta-analysis

    (seeFig. 3).

    Extended therapy

    The trial ABCSG 6a, continuing on from ABCSG 6, compared

    anastrozole versus no further treatment, following five years of

    adjuvant therapy. There was a large number of drop-outs in both

    intervention and control groups (128/386 and 109/466 respec-

    tively). Their main outcome was RFS, similarly to ABCSG 8. Patients

    Table 1

    Characteristics of included studies. Yrs years, ATAC Arimidex, Tamoxifen, Alone or in Combination, BIG 1-98 The Breast International Group 1-98, ABCSG 8 Austrian

    Breast and Colorectal Cancer Study Group trial 8. ARNO-95 Arimidex-Nolvadex trial 95, ITA Italian tamoxifen anastrozole trial, IE study Intergroup Exemestane Study,

    ABCSG 6a Austrian Breast and Colorectal Cancer Study Group trial 6a, NSABP B-33 National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project B-33 Trial.

    Intervention regime Control Follow-up

    (months)

    Study

    sample

    Age Node-positive Node-negative

    Monotherapy

    ATAC Anastrozole 5 yrs Tamoxifen 5 yrs 100 6241 64.1 34.0% 50.0%

    BIG 1-98 Letrozole 5 yrs Tamoxifen 5 yrs 76 4922 61 57.3% 41.3%Total 11163

    Sequenced therapy

    ABCSG 8 Tamoxifen 2 yrs/anastrozole 3 yrs Tamoxifen 5 yrs 72 3714 33.5% < 60 25.4% 74.6%

    66.5% 60

    ARNO-95 Tamoxifen 2 yrs/anastrozole 3 yrs TamoxIfen 5 yrs 30.1 979 60.7 26.5% 73.5%

    IE Study Tamoxifen 23 yrs /exemestane 23 yrs Tamoxifen 5 yrs 55.7 4724 60.3 44.2% 51.8%

    ITA Tamoxifen 23 yrs/anastrozole 23 yrs Tamoxifen 5 yrs 64 448 63 >99%

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    on extended therapy were seen to survive longer without any loco-

    regional recurrences, contra-lateral breast cancer or distant

    metastasis (HR 0.62 [0.400.96] p 0.31). No data on DFS was

    reported. The MA.17 trial compared letrozole versus placebo as

    extended therapy. Their findings suggested a benefit in DFS for

    extended letrozole therapy (HR 0.68, [0.550.83] p 0.0001).

    Meta-analysis of data from MA.17 and ABCSG 6a showed no

    difference in OS between extended therapy and placebo or no

    treatment (HR 0.85 [0.651.11]p 0.24) (seeFig. 3). The placebo-

    controlled trial NSABP B-33 studied exemestane as extended

    therapy. It was stopped early due to efficiency benefits seen in

    MA.17. Patients were unblinded and the control group was

    permitted to switch to exemestane. The results, based on the ITT

    population prior to unblinding, did not demonstrate any statisti-

    cally significant improvement in four-year DFS (HR 0.68,p 0.07,

    95%CI not stated). Conclusions on OS could not be drawn because of

    too few deaths, and their results are therefore not included in the

    meta-analysis.

    Study or Subgroup

    2.1.1 Monotherapy

    BIG 1-98

    ATAC

    Subtotal (95% CI)

    Heterogeneity: Tau = 0.00; Chi = 2.04, df = 1 (P = 0.15); I = 51%

    Test for overall effect: Z = 0.85 (P = 0.39)

    2.1.2 Sequenced therapy

    ARNO-95

    ITA

    ABSCG trial 8

    IE study

    Subtotal (95% CI)

    Heterogeneity: Tau = 0.00; Chi = 3.24, df = 3 (P = 0.36); I = 7%Test for overall effect: Z = 3.25 (P = 0.001)

    2.1.3 Extended therapy

    MA.17

    ABCSG trial 6a

    Subtotal (95% CI)

    Heterogeneity: Tau = 0.00; Chi = 0.09, df = 1 (P = 0.77); I = 0%

    Test for overall effect: Z = 1.17 (P = 0.24)

    log[Hazard Ratio]

    -0.1393

    0

    -0.6349

    -0.5798

    -0.2614

    -0.1625

    -0.1985

    -0.1165

    SE

    0.0795

    0.0567

    0.3124

    0.3598

    0.1155

    0.0912

    0.1862

    0.2046

    Weight

    43.3%

    56.7%100.0%

    7.2%

    5.5%

    37.4%

    49.8%100.0%

    54.0%

    46.0%100.0%

    IV, Random, 95% CI

    0.87 [0.74, 1.02]

    1.00 [0.89, 1.12]0.94 [0.82, 1.08]

    0.53 [0.29, 0.98]

    0.56 [0.28, 1.13]

    0.77 [0.61, 0.97]

    0.85 [0.71, 1.02]0.78 [0.68, 0.91]

    0.82 [0.57, 1.18]

    0.89 [0.60, 1.33]0.85 [0.65, 1.11]

    Hazard Ratio Hazard Ratio

    IV, Random, 95% CI

    0.2 0.5 1 2 5Favours experimental Favours control

    Fig. 3. Forest plot of Overall Survival (OS). SE

    standard error, CI

    confidence interval.

    Study or Subgroup

    1.1.1 Monotherapy

    BIG 1-98

    ATAC

    Subtotal (95% CI)

    Heterogeneity: Tau = 0.00; Chi = 0.09, df = 1 (P = 0.77); I = 0%

    Test for overall effect: Z = 3.08 (P = 0.002)

    1.1.2 Sequenced therapy

    ITA

    ARNO-95

    IE study

    Subtotal (95% CI)

    Heterogeneity: Tau = 0.00; Chi = 2.07, df = 2 (P = 0.36); I = 3%

    Test for overall effect: Z = 4.68 (P < 0.00001)

    log[Hazard Ratio]

    -0.1278

    -0.1054

    -0.5621

    -0.4155

    -0.2744

    SE

    0.0589

    0.0477

    0.1998

    0.2078

    0.0733

    Weight

    47.4%

    52.6%

    100.0%

    18.6%

    17.4%

    64.0%

    100.0%

    IV, Random, 95% CI

    0.88 [0.78, 0.99]

    0.90 [0.82, 0.99]

    0.89 [0.83, 0.96]

    0.57 [0.39, 0.84]

    0.66 [0.44, 0.99]

    0.76 [0.66, 0.88]

    0.72 [0.63, 0.83]

    Hazard Ratio Hazard Ratio

    IV, Random, 95% CI

    0.2 0.5 1 2 5

    Favours experimental Favours control

    Fig. 2. Forest plot of Disease Free Survival (DFS). SE standard error, CI confidence interval.

    M.L. Josefsson, S.J. Leinster / The Breast 19 (2010) 7683 79

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    Subset analyses of nodal status

    Attempts were made to undertake subset meta-analyses of

    node-negative and node-positive patients; however few trials

    reporteddata on OS (BIG 1-98 andMA.17) or DFS(BIG 1-98, IE study,

    MA.17 and NSABP B-33). OS benefit for node-positive patients was

    initially seen in MA.17, although no difference was demonstrated in

    the follow-up (node ve HR 0.84 [95% CI 0.631.12]).43 No differ-

    ence in OS was seen in BIG 1-98 (node ve HR 0.82 [0.681.00] vs.

    node-ve HR 0.91 [0.701.18]). DFS benefit for node-positivepatients,

    but not for node-negative were reported in BIG 1-98 (node ve HR

    0.83 [0.710.98] vs. node-ve HR 0.89 [0.741.08]), and NSABP B-33

    (HR0.50 [0.290.85] vs. HR 1.13 [0.622.07]). Theresult from NSABP

    B-33 should be viewed with some caution because of its study

    design. DFS benefits were seen for both subgroups in the IE study

    (HR 0.74, [0.590.94], vs.HR 0.72[0.610.86]),and in MA.17 (HR 0.45

    [0.280.72] vs. HR 0.60 [0.440.82]). ATAC and ABCSG 6a used time

    to recurrence (excluding death) instead of DFS (ATAC HR 0.84

    [0.711.00] vs. HR 0.68 [0.510.81], and ABCSG 6a HR 0.61

    [0.341.09] vs. HR 0.61 [0.321.16]).

    Safety analyses

    Meta-analyses were performed for skeletal, endometrial and

    cardiovascular adverse events where data was available (seeFig. 4).

    Significant differences in fracture risks in favour of tamoxifen were

    seen in the monotherapy (RR 1.43 [1.261.62] p < 0.0001), and

    sequenced therapy subgroup (RR 1.36 [1.051.76] p 0.02),

    whereas no difference was observed between AIs and placebo in

    the extended setting (RR 1.17 [0.941.46] p 0.15). The risk of

    endometrial cancer was lower for AIs, compared with tamoxifen

    (RR 0.34 [0.160.71] p 0.005). The risk was similar between

    sequenced therapy and tamoxifen (RR 0.45 [0.151.37] p 0.16.),

    although there was a significant difference in risk of endometrial

    hyperplasia (RR 0.14 [0.040.51] p 0.003). No differences

    were seen for cardiovascular disease (RR for monotherapy 1.13

    [0.961.33] p 0.14; RR for sequenced therapy 1.16 [0.921.46]p 0.21, and RR for extended therapy 1.50 [0.415.49] p 0.54).

    However, a lower risk of thromboembolic events was observed for

    AIs compared with tamoxifen (RR 0.53 [0.370.74] p 0.0003).

    Meta-analyses on additional adverse events (i.e. lipids alterations

    and osteoporosis) could not be performed because of lack of data

    and varying definitions being used between trials.

    Quality of life impact

    No clinically important differences in overall QoL between the

    intervention and the control were seen in any of the four QoL sub-

    studies to the ATAC trial, IE study, MA.17 and NSABP B-33. Not

    enough data was available to perform meta-analyses; however the

    differencesin median changes between intervention and control arepresented in Table 2, together with study characteristics. Three

    questionnaires were used; the Functional Assessment of Cancer

    Therapy Breast (FACT-B) (ATAC and IE study), 36-Item Short Form

    Health Survey (SF-36) (MA.17) and Menopause-specific QoL ques-

    tionnaire (MENQOL) (NSABP B-33 and MA.17). The number of drop-

    outs increased with time in all trials, the response rate was for

    example 54.6% at 24 months in MA.17. However, ATAC and IE study

    reported that 83% and 85.3% respectively, of their questionnaires

    had been completed. Both intervention and control groups in the

    ATAC substudy reported a median increase in QoL of 2.9 points over

    60 months. A small difference in favour of tamoxifen was seen in

    theIE studyduring thetrialperiodof 24months (0.89 [0.221.99]).

    A change in five points is considered clinically important and thus

    the difference was not significant. The SF-36 scores of patients

    receiving letrozole and placebo were similar over 36 months in

    MA.17. No significant differences were seen in any of the four

    MENQOL domains (vasomotor, psychosocial,physical and sexual) in

    NSABP B-33, while a worsening in QoL related to vasomotor

    symptoms were reported in MA.17 (p < 0.001) but not in any of the

    other domains. Results from the MENQOL questionnaire were not

    included in the table as not enough information was available.

    Fig. 4. Forest plot of adverse events. SE standard error, CI confidence interval.

    M.L. Josefsson, S.J. Leinster / The Breast 19 (2010) 768380

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    Discussion

    We report efficiency benefits seen in treatment regimes that

    contain aromatase inhibitors. Evidence from all three subgroups

    showed that treatment regimes that include an aromatase inhibitorprolong disease free survival. The biggest effect was seen for

    sequencedtherapy (HR 0.72 [95% CI 0.630.83]p < 0.00001). This is

    in accordance with the meta-analysis of sequenced therapy by Jonat

    and Gnant (HR for DFS 0.59 [0.480.78] p < 0.0001).21 Ingle et al.

    have presented data from their yet unpublished meta-analyses of

    monotherapy and sequenced therapy.49 Their results show reduced

    rates of breast cancer recurrences in patients on AI therapy, both in

    the monotherapy cohort (absolute reduction 2.7%, standard error

    [SE] 0.7) and in the sequenced therapy cohort (absolute reduction

    3.5%, SE1.1). So far no study, which weare aware of, has been able to

    demonstrate a long-term benefit in overall survival in the mono-

    therapy andextended therapy setting. An explanation might be that

    second line treatment can be added to the management of patients

    in the control group when the cancer recurs, which is not an alter-native to patients in the intervention group. Jonat and Gnant found

    some evidence forprolonged OS in favour of sequencedtherapy (HR

    0.71 [0.520.98]p 0.0377). Our meta-analysis provides stronger

    statistical evidence (HR for sequenced therapy: 0.78 [0.680.91]

    p 0.001). The result should be viewed with some caution as the

    analysis includes unpublished data from the ABCSG trial 8.

    This review does not provide information on the efficiency of

    sequenced therapy compared with AI monotherapy. The findings

    fromthe sequential arms ofBIG 1-98 showed nodifferences in DFSor

    OS compared with letrozole on its own (tamoxifen/ letrozole: DFS

    HR 1.05 [99%CI 0.841.32], OS HR 1.13 [0.831.53], and letrozole/

    tamoxifen: DFS HR 0.96 [0.761.21], OS HR 0.90 [0.841.32]).38

    Further research that directly compares sequenced therapy and AI

    monotherapy are needed.The reported adverse events were generally consistent with

    previous studies.57,14,15 The number of total events was low for

    some of the included trials in the meta-analyses, particularly for

    endometrial events. Larger studies with longer follow-up are

    necessary to better assess adverse events, particularly rare condi-

    tions such as endometrial cancer.

    Types of AIs and the presence of lymph node metastasis vary

    between the trials included in the meta-analyses, and could have

    an effect on the results. However, it is unlikely as the trials are

    homogeneous, which was confirmed with the Mantel-Haentszel

    Chi-square test and I2 test. Variability between patients was further

    accounted for by using the random effect model. Conflicting

    evidence of the importance of nodal status was provided by the few

    trials included in this review, although the majority did not show

    any difference in efficiency benefit between node-positive and

    node-negative patients.

    Quality of life and cost-effectiveness need to be considered, in

    addition to the efficiency data presented here, when discussing

    optimal adjuvant regime. Patient groups have highlighted thesignificance of QoL on the choice of treatment.1 QoL is further

    important as it may affect drug adherence. The QoL studies

    included in this review showed that although side effects varies,

    the QoL is overall comparable between the studied AI/sequenced

    therapy and tamoxifen, or placebo in the extended setting. 44,4648

    Further research that examines QoL as their main outcome is

    needed to provide patients with information to aid the decision-

    making process. Studies have shown AI therapy to be cost-effective

    in all three settings.5054 Sequenced therapy with tamoxifen fol-

    lowed by AI treatment was suggested as the most economically

    preferred option in a Belgian cost-utility analysis by Skedgel et al.

    that included data from the ATAC trial, IE study and MA.17.50

    Conclusions

    Evidence that AIs should be included in adjuvant therapy for

    oestrogen sensitive early breast cancer is provided in this review,

    which is the first study to include meta-analyses of three treatment

    regimes: monotherapy, sequenced therapy and extended therapy.

    Disease free survival was prolonged in all settings, with the biggest

    effect seen for sequenced therapy. While extended AIs had no

    impact on overall survival, upfront AIs were as effective as

    tamoxifen. Importantly, women who switched to AI treatment after

    two to three years of tamoxifen had prolonged overall survival

    compared with those who stayed on tamoxifen for five years. We

    conclude that sequenced therapy appears to be the preferred

    treatment regime, even after its cost-effectiveness is considered.

    Studies that evaluate QoL are needed to provide patients and healthcare professionals with further information when choosing adju-

    vant hormonal therapy.

    Conflict of interest statement

    No conflict of interest declared.

    Acknowledgments

    We thank R. Jakesz and K. Thomanek for ABCSG trial 8 data, L.

    Hooper for methodological advice, L. Shepstone for statistical

    advice and J. de Boniface for translation. This work was supported

    by the Jean Shanks Foundation Intercalated Grant (to MLJ).

    Table 2

    Characteristics of included Quality of Life studies and differences in median scores between intervention and control at 12, 24 and 36 months. ATAC HRQoL Arimidex,

    Tamoxifen,Aloneor in Combination Health RelatedQualityof Life, IE studyQoL Intergroup ExemestaneStudy Quality of Life,NSABPB-33 NationalSurgical Adjuvant Breast

    and Bowel Project B-33 Trial, FACT-B Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Breast, SF-36 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, MENQOL Menopause-specific QoL

    questionnaire, yrs years.

    Intervention regime Control Study

    sample

    Health

    questionnaire

    Median score difference (intervention control)

    12 months 24 months 36 months

    ATAC HRQoL Subscale Anastrozole Tamoxifen 682 FACT-B 1.7 0.4 0.4

    IE Study QoL Substudy Tamoxifen /exemestane TamoxiFen 582 FACT-B 0.3 1.05 No dataMA.17 QoL Substudy Letrozole following 5 yrs of

    adjuvant therapy

    Placebo 3612 SF-36 0.0 0.0 0.05

    NSABP B-33 Exemestane following 5 yrs

    of tamoxifen

    Placebo 454 MENQOL

    Vasomotor 0.25 0.3

    Psychosocial 0.1 0.55 No data

    Physical 0.25 0.4

    Sexual 0.1 0.4

    Total 5330

    M.L. Josefsson, S.J. Leinster / The Breast 19 (2010) 7683 81

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    Appendix. Supplementary material

    Supplementary data associated with this article can be found in

    the online version, atdoi:10.1016/j.breast.2009.12.010

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