Breast Cancer Breakthrough: Past Drugs

The hormonal drug Tamoxifen has been the gold standard in breast cancer treatment since the 70s. It has cut the death rate from breast cancer by reducing the recurrence of the disease in women who have had surgery and/or radiotherapy by 50 per cent. However, side effects include an increased risk of blood clots, stroke and endometrial cancer .

The development of a new class of drugs called aromatase inhibitors in the past five years has persuaded many doctors they found a breakthrough. Results from a trial of the first drug, called anastrozoleshowed it cut the recurrence of breast cancer in women who had already been treated for the disease by 76 per cent, with a lot less side-effects.