For women with stage II to III estrogen receptor–rich, HER2-negative breast cancer, neoadjuvant aromatase inhibitor (AI) therapy can increase the likelihood of successful breast-conservation surgery. According to phase 2 results of American College of Surgeons Oncology Group Z1031, exemestane, letrozole, and anastrozole are biologically equivalent and therefore likely to achieve similar adjuvant activities. The researchers concluded that because this is a low-toxicity approach, neoadjuvant AI therapy is a reasonable standard of care for selected members of this population.
The full results are published online in the May 9 edition of Journal of Clinical Oncology (http://jco.ascopubs.org/content/early/2011/05/06/JCO.2010.31.6950.full.pdf+html).