Current status of adjuvant endocrine therapy for breast cancer

Adjuvant endocrine therapy is a vitally important modality for treatment of women with resected hormone-sensitive breast cancer as indicated by the presence of estrogen and/or progesterone receptors in the tumor. It is not recommended in those patients whose tumors lack these hormone receptors. Tamoxifen for 5 years has been shown to reduce the risk of recurrence and death irrespective of menopausal status or use of adjuvant chemotherapy. In postmenopausal women, the major research emphasis relates to the use of third-generation aromatase inhibitors in sequence with, instead of, and in combination with tamoxifen. In premenopausal women, ovarian ablation/suppression has demonstrated efficacy comparable with some chemotherapy regimens, but its role in women receiving chemotherapy remains to be determined.