Researchers publish Iressa breast cancer data

Researchers published in the Lancet Oncology that breast cancer patients given Iressa gefitinib plus Arimidex before surgery had a 98% mean reduction from baseline in tumor cell proliferation, the primary endpoint, compared with a 92.4% reduction for patients given Iressa plus placebo. Both groups in the Phase II trial had significant reductions from baseline, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant in favor of the Iressa and Arimidex combination (p=0.0054).

The double-blind, placebo-controlled, U.K. trial enrolled 56 postmenopausal women with hormone-sensitive, EGFR-positive breast cancer. Partial responses were seen in 12 of 22 patients given Iressa plus Arimidex and in 14 of 28 patients given Iressa plus placebo. Both drugs are from AstraZeneca (LSE:AZN; AZN). ...