[Correspondence] Extended aromatase inhibitor therapy for early breast cancer – Authors' reply

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Source: The Lancet

Original: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)02627-3/fullt...

Published: 2026-01-31

The article is a correspondence in which the authors respond to comments on the Early Breast Cancer Trialists' Collaborative Group meta-analysis of extended aromatase inhibitor therapy (AIT) for women with early breast cancer[1][2][4]. The meta-analysis included 12 randomized clinical trials with a total of 22,031 women who had completed at least 5 years of endocrine therapy[4]. The results showed that continued treatment with aromatase inhibitors reduced the incidence of cancer recurrence by 27% compared to no further treatment[4]. This benefit was greater in women previously treated with tamoxifen than in those already receiving aromatase inhibitors[2][4]. However, extended treatment with aromatase inhibitors did not improve overall survival and was not associated with a statistically significant increase in death without cancer recurrence[1][6]. Experts recommend extended therapy with aromatase inhibitors to select women with high-risk breast cancer and simultaneously administer bisphosphonates and calcium supplements to minimize bone loss[5].