LONDON, December 14 /PRNewswire/ --

- The Benefits of Anastrozole (Arimidex(R)) Over Tamoxifen at Preventing Breast Cancer Recurrence Improve Over Time - Up to Four Years After Treatment Ends

New data from ATAC(x), one of the world's largest and longest-running studies in postmenopausal women with hormone receptor positive (HR+), early breast cancer, reinforce that anastrozole can help many more women live cancer-free, for longer. The new data show that post-menopausal HR+ women continue to benefit from anastrozole, even up to four years after treatment ends.(1), (2) If breast cancer returns, women are much more likely to die - therefore, preventing breast cancer recurrence is fundamental to saving lives.

"Currently in the UK many post-menopausal women with hormone-sensitive early breast cancer still receive adjuvant tamoxifen for their treatment. The ATAC 100-month data confirms the superiority of anastrozole over tamoxifen irrespective of their recurrence risk, and is set to improve the treatment outcomes of many women in the United Kingdom," commented Professor Anthony Howell, Christie Hospital, UK.

The landmark results - presented today at the prestigious annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) in the USA and also published online in The Lancet Oncology - also show that even up to four years after a woman's treatment ends, the protective effect of anastrozole in reducing the risk of her cancer from returning continues to improve compared to tamoxifen. Overall, women in the ATAC trial taking anastrozole were 24% less likely to have their cancer come back, compared with those taking tamoxifen.(1),(2)

This means that for every 100 women treated with tamoxifen whose cancer returned, 24 of these women would have not recurred if they had been on anastrozole.

This trial data demonstrates the long-term impact of treatment decisions made at diagnosis and confirms the importance of starting treatment with anastrozole to help more women beat this devastating disease.

"The greatest fear for women who have been treated for early breast cancer is to have their cancer return, which ultimately means their disease is incurable. However, these new data show that with anastrozole, women have the best possible chance yet to live cancer-free - even after their treatment has finished," said Professor Lesley Fallowfield, Director, Cancer Research UK Psychosocial Oncology Group, University of Sussex, UK.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, with more than 44,000 women diagnosed each year.(3) Four in five new cases are diagnosed in women aged 50 and over (postmenopausal).(4)

For more information, please visit http://www.ATAC100.com

Notes to Editors

The study will be published early online (00.01GMT Saturday 15 December) and in the January edition of The Lancet Oncology

Trust and Confidence in Arimidex

A recent global survey showed that 41% of UK physicians believe that telling a patient her breast cancer has come back is the worst aspect of their job.(5) Recurrence, in the same breast, in the opposite breast or at a distant tumour site means that the cancer is more likely to be incurable and the patient is at risk of a poor outcome. It is therefore essential for both patients and their physicians(xx) to know they are on the best therapy to prevent the disease returning.

The impact of treatment on quality of life is also an important consideration in early breast cancer, and data has shown that the clinical benefits of anastrozole are achieved without adversely affecting the quality of patients' lives.(6)

(x)ATAC: Arimidex, Tamoxifen, Alone or in Combination

(xx)Physicians: medical oncologists, gynaecologists and breast cancer surgeons

Patients: postmenopausal women diagnosed with early breast cancer in the past five years and who had undergone breast cancer surgery ATAC 100-month results summary:

- After a median follow-up of over 8 years (100 months), compared with tamoxifen, anastrozole significantly:(1)

- reduces the risk of all recurrences by 24% (HR 0.76 (0.67-0.87); p=0.0001)

- improves disease free survival by 15% (HR 0.85 (0.76-0.94); p=0.003)

- reduces the risk of distant metastases (recurrence elsewhere in the body) by 16% (HR 0.84 (0.72-0.97); p=0.022)

- reduces the incidence of contralateral breast cancer (cancer in the opposite breast) by 40% (OR 0.60 (0.42-0.85); p=0.004)

- Prescribing anastrozole from the start means fewer patients have to be told the devastating news that their breast cancer has recurred.(1)

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'More Positive Conversations' global survey

The 'More Positive Conversations' survey was conducted online and via telephone interviews by Harris Interactive on behalf of AstraZeneca. The survey involved 1,062 physicians and patients from France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the US.

AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of prescription pharmaceuticals and the supply of healthcare services. It is one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies with healthcare sales of $26.47 billion and leading positions in sales of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory, oncology and infection products. AstraZeneca is listed in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (Global) as well as the FTSE4 Good Index.

Arimidex (anastrozole) is a trademark, the property of the AstraZeneca group of companies.

References

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(1) The ATAC Trialist Group-Effect of anastrozole and tamoxifen as adjuvant treatment for early-stage breast cancer, 100 month analysis of the ATAC trial-published online, Lancet Oncology Saturday 15 December

(2) Forbes J, on behalf on the ATAC Trialist's Group. ATAC: 100 month median follow-up shows continued superior efficacy and no excess fracture risk for anastrozole compared with tamoxifen after treatment completion. Abstract no 41. San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2007.

(3) Cancer Research UK: Breast Cancer Key Statistics: http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/types/breast/

(4) Cancer Research UK Breast Cancer Incidence Statistics http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/types/breast/incidence/

(5) Data on file, `More Positive Conversations' global survey, conducted by Harris Interactive (US) March-May 2007.

(6) Cella et al, Quality of life of postmenopausal women in the ATAC ('Arimidex', Tamoxifen, Alone or in Combination) trial after completion of 5 years' Adjuvant Treatment for early breast cancer. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 2006. 100(3): p. 273-284.

For further information or to arrange an interview with a breast cancer specialist or patient, please contact: Chiara Charkham, Ogilvy PR, Tel: +44(0)207-309-1020, Email: chiara.charkham@uk.ogilvypr.com; Stephen Cull, AstraZeneca UK Ltd, Tel: +44(0)1582-836-344, Mobile: +44(0)7825-530-052, stephen.cull@astrazeneca.com