Femara letrozole: Phase III; marketed to treat locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer

Updated results from a previously reported Phase III trial comparing Femara to tamoxifen in 907 post-menopausal women with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer showed that Femara patients had improved 1- and 2-year survival compared to tamoxifen patients (p<0.02) (see BioCentury, Dec. 11, 2000). In addition, NVS said that after 5 years, 48 women treated with Femara were alive and free of tumor progression compared to 27 tamoxifen patients (p=0.011), and Femara patients had a 78% greater chance of responding to treatment than patients treated with tamoxifen (p=0.0002). ...