Menopause Symptoms Can Predict Tamoxifen Adherence for Breast Cancer Prevention

In this video, Samuel Smith, PhD, of the Queen Mary University of London, discusses findings from the International Breast Cancer Intervention Study (IBIS-1), which found that menopausal symptoms were predictors of long-term adherence to tamoxifen therapy.

The trial looked at 3,987 women in the United Kingdom who were randomized to placebo (n = 2,000) or tamoxifen (n = 1,987). The study found that 66.8% of women were adherent for at least 4.5 years-71.5% in the placebo arm compared with 62.1% in the tamoxifen arm (P < .001). The highest drop-out rates were found within the first year of follow-up.

The rate of menopausal symptoms were similar in the two groups. The researchers observed a significant effect of common menopausal symptoms on long-term adherence, suggesting that interventions are needed to support the management of these symptoms to ensure patients remain adherent.

Smith presented results of the study at the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, held December 6–10 in San Antonio, Texas.