Breast cancer drug may reduce early menopause & infertility risk
Breast cancer drug may reduce early menopause & infertility risk
1 Jun 2014
Research finds that adding goserelin to breast cancer chemotherapy treatment may reduce the risk of early menopause and infertility, and even improve survival.
This new research was conducted at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago. The research team, including senior study author Dr. Kathy Albain, presented their findings at the 2014 American Society of Clinical Oncology 50th Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL.
The main treatment for breast cancer is chemotherapy. For young women who undergo this treatment, changes in menstrual periods are common and sometimes they can stop altogether, leading to premature menopause and possible infertility.
Findings 'may change clinical practice'
The Loyola University research team conducted a phase 3 clinical trial to see whether goserelin (brand name Zoladex) - a hormone therapy drug already approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for treatment of prostate cancer and certain breast cancers - could reduce the risk of premature menopause and infertility when added to chemotherapy regimens.
The researchers assessed 257 women under the age of 50 with early-stage breast cancer. Of these, 131 were randomly assigned to receive standard chemotherapy and 126 were assigned to receive standard chemotherapy plus goserelin. All patients were monitored for around 4 years.
Women assigned to the goserelin group received an injection of the drug once every 4 weeks alongside their normal chemotherapy regimen.
Menopause risk substantially reduced
At 2 years after treatment initiation, the team found that 45% of the women who received standard chemotherapy had stopped menstruating or had high levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (a sign of decreased estrogen production and egg supply) compared with only 20% of women who received standard chemotherapy plus goserelin.
Furthermore, the researchers found that around 21% of women in the goserelin group experienced pregnancy, compared with 11% in the standard chemotherapy group.
Improved overall survival
At 4 years after treatment initiation, the team found that 89% of women in the goserelin group had no signs or symptoms of cancer, compared with 78% of women in the standard chemotherapy group. In addition, women in the goserelin group had an overall survival rate of 92%, compared with 82% for those in the standard chemotherapy group.
The researchers explain that goserelin works by temporarily putting the ovaries "at rest" throughout chemotherapy. Side effects of the drug were uncommon, the team says, and side effects that were reported were more related to reduced ovary activity.
Commenting on the findings, Dr. Albain said: "We found that, in addition to reducing the risk of early menopause, and all of the symptoms that go along with menopause, goserelin was very safe and may even improve survival. I think these findings are going to change our clinical practice."
Source: Medical News Today