Ovarian function protection during adjuvant chemotherapy.in premenopausal women with early breast carcinoma

 

Our study published in Cancer shows that long-term ovarian function protection can be offered to young women with high-risk breast cancer with the addition of a Gn-RH analogue during the administration of adjuvant chemotherapy. In fact, in this study, all patients aged less than forty years resumed normal menses, even those undergoing high-dose chemotherapy with peripheral-blood progenitor cells transplantation.

In addition, we have shown that we can get the best benefit from chemotherapy, tailoring the treatment  to the biological characteristics of the disease.

The role of aromatase inhibitors is gaining a key-role in the treatment of postmenopausal breast cancer patients with estrogen receptors positive tumors both in the adjuvant and in metastatic disease setting. Our data explore the new and intriguing possibility of extending the use of aromatase inhibitors in pre-menopausal breast cancer patients.

 

Bibliographical reference:

Recchia F et al.: "Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues added to adjuvant chemotherapy protect ovarian function and improve clinical outcomes in young women with early breast carcinoma", Cancer. 2006 Feb 1;106(3):514-23.

 

Francesco Recchia

Unità Operativa di Oncologia, Ospedale Civile di Avezzano, Avezzano, Italy