MA-17 is the first study to prove the benefit of extended adjuvant therapy after adjuvant tamoxifen in postmenopausal women with HR+ early breast cancer^1,2

Design of MA-17 trial in postmenopausal women with HR+ early breast cancer²

MA-17 was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial conducted in more than 5100 postmenopausal women with hormone receptor positive or receptor-unknown primary breast cancer who were disease free after adjuvant tamoxifen.¹

End points included^1,2:

• Primary end point: Disease-free survival (with preplanned subgroup analyses by receptor status, lymph-node status, and prior chemotherapy)
• Secondary end points: Overall survival, rate of contralateral breast cancer, long-term safety and tolerability, overall and menopause-specific quality of life, and distant disease-free survival in the final analysis

A significant disease-free survival benefit led to unblinding approximately 1 year early (median time to follow-up: 2.4 years).²

An extension of MA-17

MA-17 investigators announced a planned rerandomization and follow-up of the FEMARA^® (letrozole) arm for an additional 5 years to assess the long-term efficacy and safety of FEMARA^® as well as to determine the optimal duration of FEMARA^® (letrozole) treatment.³

Prescribe the only therapy that has been studied and approved for use in the extended adjuvant setting following 5 years of tamoxifen: FEMARA^® (letrozole).^1,4,5

See results from the MA-17 trial

To read about significant benefits with FEMARA^® in the initial adjuvant setting, click here.

Extended adjuvant treatment of hormone-dependent early breast cancer in postmenopausal women who have received prior standard adjuvant tamoxifen therapy for 5 years.

Click here for Important Safety Information for FEMARA^®.

References: 1. FEMARA^® (letrozole) [summary of product characteristics]. Basel, Switzerland: Novartis Pharma AG; 2009. 2. Goss PE, Ingle JN, Martino S, et al. Randomized trial of letrozole following tamoxifen as extended adjuvant therapy in receptor-positive breast cancer: updated findings from NCIC CTG MA.17. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2005;97:1262-1271.
3. Letrozole in breast cancer [correspondence]. N Engl J Med. 2004;350:727-730. 4. Arimidex^® (anastrazole) [summary of product characteristics]. Luton, UK: AstraZeneca UK Limited; 2007. 5. Aromasin^® (exemestane) [summary of product characteristics]. Sandwich, UK: Pharmacia Ltd; 2008.