Femara (letrozole tablets) prolonged disease free survival by reducing the risk of recurrence an additional 19% over that offered by tamoxifen when used as initial treatment after surgery, according to data from the Breast International Group (BIG) 1-98 study.
Even more importantly, use of Femara resulted in greater disease free survival in two subgroups of women who are at particularly increased risk of recurrence – those whose cancer had already spread to the lymph nodes at the time of diagnosis (node positive) and those who had received chemotherapy. The risk reductions in these subgroups were 29% and 30%, respectively.
The results also showed that for all women in the study, Femara reduced, by 27%, the risk that cancer would spread to other parts of the body, compared with the reduction offered by tamoxifen. This is important, because women who develop distant metastases are at greater risk of dying from breast cancer.
Patients will continue to be monitored to track disease status, survival and long-term tolerability of their treatment.