JNCCN: Mismatch in Breast Cancer Trial Results and Real-World Outcomes Based on Treatment Discontinuation
PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa., June 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- New research in the June 2022 issue of JNCCN—Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network raises issues with clinical trial findings that show adjuvant hormone therapy (AHT)-related hot flashes predict better outcomes for estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer. The population-based study looked at 7,152 chemotherapy-free patients with breast cancer in Sweden between 2006 and 2019 and found patients who were treated for hot flashes after beginning AHT were actually more likely to have worse outcomes. Patients who were subsequently treated for hot flashes had a 14.2% higher early discontinuation rate, which may account for the significantly shorter length of disease-free survival (DSF).
- "Cancer care providers need to be aware that prescribing symptom-relieving drugs to patients with treatment-related side effects may not be enough to prevent treatment discontinuation."
- Hot flashes were one of the most common side effects, but only led to an 8%-28% rate of treatment discontinuation.
- "Precision medicine based on the patient's genetic background may help to reduce treatment discontinuation," said senior author Kamila Czene, PhD, Karolinska Institutet.
- Complimentary access to " Adjuvant Hormone Therapy-Related Hot Flashes Predict Treatment Discontinuation and Worse Breast Cancer Prognosis " is available until September 10, 2022.