Scientists believe Arimidex is associated with lower recurrence risk in postmenopausal women with hormone-sensitive breast cancer.

According to a report published in Lancet Oncology, women on Arimidex had a 15-percent greater disease-free survival time and a 25-percent longer disease recurrence time compared to women on tamoxifen.

Findings show that using Arimidex, the risk of distant spread was delayed in approximately 16-percent and the development of new cancer was reduced by more than 50 percent.

It was also reported that after a three-year treatment, the gap between tamoxifen and Arimidex widened for the risk of recurrence and distant spread, although there was no statistically significant difference between the two drugs on overall survival time.

Arimidex (anastrazole) is reported to have similar but rather milder adverse effects as tamoxifen. These effects include nausea and vomiting, hair loss, fever and infection. There is no higher fracture risk reported with Arimidex.

Scientists concluded that five years of anastrozole should be considered as the preferred initial adjuvant endocrine treatment for postmenopausal women with hormone-receptor-positive localized breast cancer.

PKH/HGH