European journal of cancer : official journal for European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) [and] European Association for Cancer Research (EACR)
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
A randomised trial comparing two doses of the new selective aromatase inhibitor anastrozole (Arimidex) with megestrol acetate in postmenopausal patients with advanced breast cancer.
The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and tolerability of the new aromatase inhibitor 'ARIMIDEX' (anastrozole) with megestrol acetate in the treatment of advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Anastrozole is a new potent and highly selective non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor. We conducted a prospective randomised trial comparing two doses of anastrozole (1 and 10 mg orally once daily) with megestrol acetate (40 mg orally four times daily) in postmenopausal patients with advanced breast cancer who progressed after prior tamoxifen therapy. ⋯ Anastrozole is an effective and well tolerated treatment for postmenopausal patients with advanced breast cancer. The higher 10 mg dose did not result in additional clinical benefit, but was well tolerated reflecting the good therapeutic margin with anastrozole. Based on this data, anastrozole 1 mg should be the recommended therapeutic dose.