Anastrozole does not impair cognition as breast cancer preventative

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Although there have been concerns that estrogen depletion might impair cognition in women with or at risk for breast cancer, the results of a new study suggest that prophylactic use of the aromatase inhibitor anastrazole does not have this effect.

"These findings should be reassuring in the short term for postmenopausal women being treated with anastrozole, their clinicians, and carers," lead author Dr. Valerie A. Jenkins concludes. Further studies are needed, however, to gauge the longer term effects of anastrazole use, alone or following chemotherapy, the British researchers add.

In a subanalysis of data from the International Breast Intervention Study (IBIS II), Dr. Jenkins, from the University of Sussex in Brighton, and co-researchers compared the cognitive effects of prophylactic anastrazole (1 mg/day) to placebo in 227 postmenopausal women at high risk for breast cancer.

Standard cognitive assessments were performed at baseline and after 6 and 24 months of therapy. A total of 207 women were available for assessment at 6 months and 151 were available at 24 months.

No significant differences in any cognitive parameters were noted between the groups, the authors note in the September 2nd online issue of The Lancet Oncology. Memory changes were noted in 13 women in each group at 6 months; by 24 months, this number had dropped to 5 in the placebo group and 3 in the anastrozole group.

Aside from hot flushes being twice as common in the anastrozole group (30% vs. 15%), no differences in reported endocrine symptoms were noted between the groups.

"Our findings lend support to the view that depletion of estradiol concentrations once a woman is postmenopausal does not notably interfere with the processes of memory and attention over a 24-month period," the investigators conclude.

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