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LONDON, Jan 31, 2007 (UPI via COMTEX) -- A British study suggests aromatase inhibitors, a hormone therapy used to treat advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women, may increase survival.
Researchers at the Institute of Cancer Research in London reviewed 30 studies involving more than 10,000 postmenopausal women. They found the use of aromatase inhibitors results in a small, but significant, increase in overall survival when compared with other hormone treatments.
In addition, aromatase inhibitors -- drugs known as Arimidex, Aromasin and Femara -- are less likely to cause blood clots and vaginal bleeding than other hormone treatments, said review co-author Judith Bliss.
Bliss and colleagues said they were surprised at how few of the reviewed studies presented data on overall survival for women taking aromatase inhibitors.
"Survival data was only available for about half of the women," Bliss said, noting the available data showed an 11-percent reduction in the risk of death compared with women not receiving aromatase inhibitors.
The review appears in the current issue of The Cochrane Library.
URL: www.upi.com Copyright 2007 by United Press International
