Arimidex now available for early breast cancer on PBS

Cancer specialists have welcomed the expanded availability of Arimidex (anastrozole) on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from December 1, which will allow post-menopausal women with hormone-dependent early breast cancer access to this proven treatment.

The fear of their breast cancer returning after apparently successful treatment can be an ever-present worry for survivors of early breast cancer.[1]”No-one welcomes cancer into their life and after successful treatment the greatest anxiety these women have is that it will return,” said Professor Richard Bell, Director of Cancer Services, Andrew Love Cancer Centre, Melbourne.”The availability of Arimidex provides doctors and their patients with the opportunity to use a different treatment with improved effectiveness without some of the side effects associated with tamoxifen,” Professor Bell said.Dr Sally Baron-Hay, Medical Oncologist, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney said that Arimidex worked by stopping production of the hormone oestrogen in the body.”Hormone-dependent breast tumours are stimulated by oestrogen. Stopping the production of oestrogen by taking Arimidex means there is less chance that the breast cancer may return, as well as reducing the incidence of new cancers in the other breast,” Dr Baron-Hay said.”Every woman who has had breast cancer is frightened that it could come back – with Arimidex the chances of recurrence are significantly less than with tamoxifen.””In addition to increased disease free survival and reduced recurrence, Arimidex has a different, potentially more favourable toxicity profile, causing fewer problems with hot flushes, and a significantly reduced incidence of endometrial cancer and blood clots.”It is estimated that 5,700 Australian women each year will benefit from the increased availability of Arimidex.[2,3,4]References1. National Breast Cancer Centre, Clinical practice guidelines for the management of advanced breast cancer, Commonwealth of Australia 20012. AIHW, Interactive cancer data, www.AIHW.gov.au, accessed 25/11/20053. Dept of Human Services, South Australian Cancer Registry, Epidemiology of Cancer in South Australia, Sept 20004. Hill D et al, Surgical Management of Breast Cancer in 1995, NHMRC National Breast Cancer Centre, 1999