Expert: Endocrine therapy for breast cancer is hard but effective

An expert offers insights and advice regarding the benefits and side effects of endocrine therapy for breast cancer.

Cancer treatment is riddled with pros and cons, trade-offs. During October, breast cancer awareness month, the spotlight shines on endocrine therapy or “hormonal therapy.” The drug, Tamoxifen, and others like it that shut down estrogen, are well-known in this category among breast cancer survivors.

Why don’t people want to take it?

The majority of individuals diagnosed with breast cancer will need to stay on this medication for five to 10 years after surgery—and yet for some people, side effects (hot flashes, vaginal dryness, bone loss, and joint pain) make it difficult to follow that recommendation. More than 30% of patients stop taking endocrine therapy early and many don’t take it as prescribed, despite its life-saving benefits.

Wilmot Cancer Institute’s Comprehensive Breast Care program leader, Anna Weiss, recently discussed in national articles and podcasts why it’s so hard to adhere to this treatment. She is senior author of a publication in Annals of Surgical Oncology this year on the topic.

Weiss outlines the issue below:

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