ATLAS
About the study
The world-wide randomised evidence now shows that 5 years of adjuvant tamoxifen, following the initial management of early breast cancer, greatly reduces the risk of relapse and improves long-term survival.
In CTSU's ATLAS trial, over 15,000 women have been randomised either to stopping their tamoxifen after about 5 years or to continuing it for 5 more years, making ATLAS the largest ever trial of the treatment of breast cancer. Recruitment closed in March 2005, but will continue follow-up until at least 2010 to allow the long-term balance of benefits and hazards to emerge. If the ATLAS trial shows that longer treatment improves survival, then the implementation of this result could avoid several thousands of deaths each year worldwide. Moreover, the results of ATLAS will be of relevance to the duration of newer hormonal treatments.
Latest news
ATLAS - 10 years beats just 5 years tamoxifen: Lancet online 5 Dec 2012, and SABCS plenary.
- Lancet online article - see error message
- ATLAS lay summary by Professor SR Davis (pdf)
- ATLAS press release from the SABCS plenary (pdf)
5 years of tamoxifen improves 15-year survival by about a third in women with most common type of breast cancer - 29 July 2011