Combination endocrine therapy reduced estradiol to nearly undetectable levels in men with hormone receptor (HR)-positive breast cancer, though quality of life and sexual function appeared to suffer, a phase II study in Germany showed.
In the randomized MALE trial of over 50 patients, median estradiol levels decreased by 85% with tamoxifen plus a gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue (GnRHa) after 3 months of therapy, and by 72% with an aromatase inhibitor (AI) plus GnRHa, while increasing by 67% with tamoxifen alone (P<0.001), reported Sibylle Loibl, MD, PhD, of the German Breast Group, and colleagues.
