Early stage hormone receptor positive breast cancer is typically treated with adjuvant endocrine therapy in order to decrease risk of breast cancer recurrence and to improve overall survival from the disease. Typical agents used for treatment include tamoxifen and the aromatase inhibitors. In postmenopausal women, aromatase inhibitor therapy is increasingly common because it is associated with fewer long-term serious toxicities compared to tamoxifen. However, aromatase inhibitors cause arthralgias in 40-50% of patients, which can influence adherence to therapy and can lead to treatment discontinuation in a minority of cases. The mechanism underlying development of this toxicity remains unclear, and predictors of who will develop these symptoms remain undefined. This observational study is designed to collect patient-reported outcomes and serial serum samples in order to investigate potential etiologies of this bothersome toxicity.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
75
University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center
Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
Change in estradiol and development of musculoskeletal symptoms between baseline and 3 months
To identify associations between estradiol serum concentrations at baseline and after 3 months of aromatase inhibitor therapy and the development of aromatase inhibitor-associated musculoskeletal symptoms by 12 months
Time frame: 12 months
Change in sex hormones and development of musculoskeletal symptoms between baseline and 3 months
To identify associations between change in estrogens and androgens at baseline and 3 months of aromatase inhibitor therapy and development of aromatase inhibitor-associated musculoskeletal symptoms by 12 months
Time frame: 12 months
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