What is the EndoNET study trying to find out by using endocrine therapy?
The study is trying to find out if a ‘tumour shrinking’ period with an endocrine therapy aromatase inhibitor, to treat the breast cancer before surgery, leads to a smaller operation and better recovery.
The treatment can be broken down into two periods. The first is a period of endocrine therapy before surgery known as “neo-adjuvant endocrine therapy” if used, this is to shrink the cancer before surgery. The second is a period of endocrine therapy after surgery (known as “adjuvant endocrine therapy”), which usually lasts for 5 or 10 years and is used to reduce the risk of the cancer from coming back.
This diagram may help explain this:
