Tamoxifen boost for breast cancer sufferers

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/jun/03/tamoxifen-breast-cancer


Researchers estimated that, compared with taking no tamoxifen, 10 years of the drug reduces death rates by a third in the first 10 years. Photograph: Graeme Robertson for the Guardian

Breast cancer is less likely to recur if women previously treated for the disease take the drug tamoxifen for 10 years, instead of the recommended five, according to a British study. The study was a component of a larger international trial for which similar results were announced last year.

Researchers estimated that, compared with taking no tamoxifen, 10 years of the drug reduces breast cancer death rates by a third in the first 10 years and by half after that. "Until now, there have been doubts whether continuing tamoxifen beyond five years is worthwhile," said lead study author Richard Gray, professor of medical statistics at the University of Oxford.

Between 1991 and 2005, 6,953 women in the United Kingdom who had been taking tamoxifen for five years were randomly assigned to continue treatment or to stop immediately.

Breast cancer recurred in 16.7% of the 10-year group, compared with 19.3 % in the five-year group.