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Tamoxifen and AI therapy
Source: Breast Cancer Treatment (PDQ®)–Health Professional Version, National Cancer Institute.
Source updated: April 25, 2025 · Captured 2026-09-09.
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While tamoxifen has been used for many years in treating postmenopausal women with newly metastatic disease that is ER positive, PR positive, or ER/PR unknown, several randomized trials suggest equivalent or superior response rates and PFS for AIs compared with tamoxifen.[37-39][Level of evidence B1]
Source links and citations
Evidence (tamoxifen and AI therapy):
A meta-analysis evaluated patients with metastatic disease who were randomly assigned to receive either an AI as their first or second hormone therapy, or standard therapy (tamoxifen or a progestational agent).[40][Level of evidence A1]
Source links and citations
A meta-analysis evaluated patients with metastatic disease who were randomly assigned to receive either an AI as their first or second hormone therapy, or standard therapy (tamoxifen or a progestational agent).[40][Level of evidence A1]
Patients who received an AI as either their first or second hormone therapy for metastatic disease and were randomly assigned to receive a third-generation drug (anastrozole, letrozole, exemestane, or vorozole) lived longer (HRdeath, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.82–0.93) than those who received standard therapy (tamoxifen or a progestational agent).
Publication references
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Preserved source evidence · Not medical advice