Breast cancer is common in women, with many incidences reported across the world. People at high risk of breast cancer include women with a history of the disease and those of menopausal age. But the main factors influencing a patient's risk are age and the fact that one is a woman. Some patients can also be diagnosed without these risk factors.
A new drug has been discovered to prevent the growth of breast tumors for over 10 years after treatment. Known as anastrozole (Arimidex), the drug also reduces a patient’s breast cancer risk by half.
According to research findings;
• The effect of the drug can stay in a patient’s body for over five years after treatment. Patients who use the medication are almost guaranteed a breast cancer risk-free life for over a decade.
• It works by minimizing estrogen production in the body. Oestrogen is a hormone that helps to fuel breast cancer.
• In a five-year clinical trial, anastrozole was able to reduce the chances of getting breast cancer by 61%. This reduction continued for 12 more years of subsequent follow-up. The level of prevention of the disease decreased by 36% in the next five years of follow up when patients had stopped taking the drug.
• However, the reduction was notably not as small during the follow-up after treatment than it was during treatment.
• The reduction was significantly seen in cancers that are estrogen receptor-positive. This possibly means that that the effect for incidence will be higher than the one on mortality. There was also a 27% reduction in receptor-negative cancers, although this still needs validation through further follow-ups.
Another drug with the same properties, Tamoxifen, shows much efficacy on the prevention of breast cancer with 29% reduced prevention and a 20-year risk-free life.
Many forms of breast cancer are Oestrogen Receptive, meaning that these tumors will react to hormonal therapies that target estrogen hormone production.
A new drug has been discovered to prevent the growth of breast tumors for over 10 years after treatment. Known as anastrozole (Arimidex), the drug also reduces a patient’s breast cancer risk by half.
According to research findings;
• The effect of the drug can stay in a patient’s body for over five years after treatment. Patients who use the medication are almost guaranteed a breast cancer risk-free life for over a decade.
• It works by minimizing estrogen production in the body. Oestrogen is a hormone that helps to fuel breast cancer.
• In a five-year clinical trial, anastrozole was able to reduce the chances of getting breast cancer by 61%. This reduction continued for 12 more years of subsequent follow-up. The level of prevention of the disease decreased by 36% in the next five years of follow up when patients had stopped taking the drug.
• However, the reduction was notably not as small during the follow-up after treatment than it was during treatment.
• The reduction was significantly seen in cancers that are estrogen receptor-positive. This possibly means that that the effect for incidence will be higher than the one on mortality. There was also a 27% reduction in receptor-negative cancers, although this still needs validation through further follow-ups.
Another drug with the same properties, Tamoxifen, shows much efficacy on the prevention of breast cancer with 29% reduced prevention and a 20-year risk-free life.
Many forms of breast cancer are Oestrogen Receptive, meaning that these tumors will react to hormonal therapies that target estrogen hormone production.
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