Breast Cancer Risk: Taking Hormonal Drugs For Long Period Can Help

Taking hormonal drugs for a continuous period of 15 years may help reduce the risk of breast cancer relapse. These are the findings of a new study conducted by a team of researchers in the UK.

The researchers based their conclusion on the results of a clinical trial involving more than 1,900 breast cancer patients. The trial showed that risk of breast cancer coming back reduced by almost one-third when the hormonal therapy was continued for a period of 15 years.

According to the health experts, this could be a "big deal" in terms of saving the lives of millions of women who suffer from the disease. In addition, it is expected to change the course of breast cancer treatment.

A majority of breast cancer cases is triggered by the female sex hormone, estrogen. Such tumors linked to estrogen have low, yet the persistent risk of returning after a few years. Therefore, women suffering from this form of breast cancer are required to take either tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitor treatment for a few years after the lump is removed.

While tamoxifen works by preventing estrogen get into breast cells, aromatase inhibitors stops the female body from making any more estrogen. The research team conducted the trial in post-menopausal women, who were asked to undergo the aromatase inhibitor treatment for 10 years rather than 5.

The results showed that the breast cancer recurrence rate reduces by almost 34 percent when the duration of the hormonal therapy was increased. The researchers are confident that their study findings will help improve the delivery of breast cancer treatment to the patients.

According to researcher Paul Goss, aromatase inhibitors are currently available all around the world. Therefore, there are strong chances that the study results will improve the breast cancer outcome in not just one country, but globally.