New breast cancer preventive drug drastically reduces disease development

A new drug has been found to drastically reduce the development of breast cancer in women that are classed as high risk. A trial of 4,000 women has revealed that the drug anastrozole was able to reduce development by more than half, with fewer side effects and lower costs than current drugs that are used to combat breast cancer.

The study, published in the journal 'Lancet', found that anastrozole successfully stops the hormone oestrogen from being produced. Oestrogen helps to fuel the growth of many of the prominent types of breast cancer. While some countries are currently using other drugs that stop oestrogen production - tamoxifen and raloxifene - in order to prevent the development of breast cancer, they can increase the likelihood of other womb cancers, hot flushes and deep vein thrombosis.

The study took place at Queen Mary University of London and followed women that were considered to be at high risk of developing breast cancer - with the risk being based upon family history - for a period of five years. Of the 2,000 women considered to be high risk and who received no treatment, 85 developed breast cancer.

In contrast, within the same number of high-risk women that were treated with anastrozole for the five years, there were only 40 cases of breast cancer. The women also experienced virtually no side effects from the medication.

Professor Jack Cuzick, one of the lead researchers on the study, said to the BBC: "I think this is an exciting moment, breast cancer is by far the most common cancer in women and we have a chance to reduce cases.

"This class of drugs is more effective than previous drugs such as tamoxifen and crucially, it has fewer side effects."    

Anastrozole offers a very cheap form of preventative treatment for those at high risk of developing breast cancer, with five years of treatment only costing £137. However, as the drug doesn't stop the ovaries from producing oestrogen it is only suitable for women that have already gone through menopause.

Alternatively, tamoxifen is also a cheap preventative drug, costing slightly more at £157 for a five-year course of treatment. It also manages to stop the production of oestrogen in the ovaries, meaning it is suitable for both pre and post-menopausal patients.