Breast cancer: Drug 'halves' risk of tumours

[xchrom]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-25346638


A "landmark study" shows a drug can more than halve the development of breast cancer in high-risk women.

A trial on 4,000 women, published in the Lancet, showed anastrozole was more effective, cheaper and had fewer side effects than current medications.

It stops the production of the hormone oestrogen, which fuels the growth of the majority of breast cancers.

Doctors and campaigners are asking health services to consider offering the drug to healthy women.

[djean111]

1. Looks like this is more useful for post-menopausal women, but sounds like a wonderful

thing indeed!

[question everything]

2. It is. And it is given to women with estrogen-sensitive breas cancer

who are post menopausal. Why? because the ovaries produce too much estrogen for the aromatase inhibitors to inhibit. But for post menopausal women, the drug works on the adrenal gland that still manufactures estrogen.