Anastrozole alone or in combination with tamoxifen versus tamoxifen alone for adjuvant treatment of postmenopausal women with early‐stage breast cancer

The first analysis of the ATAC (Arimidex, Tamoxifen Alone or in Combination) trial (median follow-up, 33 months) demonstrated that in adjuvant endocrine therapy for postmenopausal patients with early-stage breast cancer, anastrozole was superior to tamoxifen in terms of disease-free survival (DFS), time to recurrence (TTR), and incidence of contralateral breast cancer (CLBC). In the current article, the results of the first efficacy update, based on a median follow-up period of 47 months, are reported along with the results of an updated safety analysis, performed 7 months after the first analysis (median duration of treatment, 36.9 months).

DFS, TTR, CLBC incidence, and safety were assessed in the same patient group as in the first analysis of the ATAC trial.