Comparison of quality of life between 2-year and 3-or-more-year administration of leuprorelin acetate every-3-months depot in combination with tamoxifen as adjuvant endocrine treatment in premenopausal patients with endocrine-responsive breast cancer: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: We conducted an open-label, randomized controlled trial evaluating the appropriate treatment duration of leuprorelin acetate 3-month depot, TAP-144-SR (3M), administered postsurgically every 3 months for 2 years versus 3 or more (up to 5) years, in combination with tamoxifen, for 5 years in premenopausal endocrine-responsive breast cancer patients and reported similar survival benefit in the two treatment groups. We hereby present patient-reported quality of life (QOL) data obtained from this trial. METHODS: Three self-administered QOL questionnaires (QOL-ACD, QOL-ACD-B, FACT-ES subscale) were used, and the difference in QOL score changes between the two groups was analyzed using a mixed-effects model for repeated measures. RESULTS: Eligible patients (N = 222) were randomly assigned to a 2-year (2YG, N = 112) or 3-or-more-year treatment group (3YG, N = 110). The time courses of the three QOL scores during the trial period were similar in the two groups. The mean changes in the QOL scores from week 96 were largely stable through week 240 in the 3YG, but showed significantly greater improvement in the score changes from week 96 in the 2YG than the 3YG. Symptoms associated with menopause such as hot flashes and sweating contributed to these results. Menstruation recovery was associated with significantly greater improvement of these symptoms in the 2YG than the 3YG. CONCLUSIONS: Patient-reported menopause-associated symptoms and QOL improved after discontinuation of the LH-RH agonist administration and menstruation recovery. QOL information should be a consideration in long-term treatment.