ABCSG - MANY A MOMENT OF SUCCESS
The ABCSG is one of today's largest clinical study groups worldwide. We
have been able, over the years, to increase the number of ABCSG trial participants
by 20 per cent annually and today have accrued more than 16,900 patients.
In this country, 50 per cent of all premenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive
breast cancer and 35 per cent of postmenopausal breast cancer patients
participate in ABCSG trials.
Due to such extraordinary patient participation, we have achieved sustained
success over some 20 years of research and treatment activities, corroborating
our conviction that lasting progress in medicine is only possible by ways
of clinical research.
Eighty per cent rate of breast-conserving surgery at ABCSG sites
Hospitals collaborating within the ABCSG network currently achieve an 80%
rate of successful breast-conserving surgical interventions in patients
whose lymph nodes are not involved. This rate is twice that achieved in
the USA.
ABCSG Trial 5 – Globally valid treatment guidelines
The ABCSG produced evidence of significant survival benefits with combined
hormonal therapy as opposed to classic chemotherapy in premenopausal women.
International Consensus Panel
The results of ABCSG Trial 5 were incorporated in a recent update of the
international St. Gallen International Consensus Guidelines for the adjuvant
treatment of primary breast cancer, thus becoming the Group's most important
international scientific achievement of 2002.
Prevention of treatment-induced bone loss
Analyzing the data of a subprotocol project within ABCSG Trial 12 revealed
that a complete prevention of bone mineral loss under hormonal therapy
is possible by concomitant administration of the bisphosphonate agent zoledronic
acid – a truly significant insight for thousands of breast cancer
patients with anxieties as to increased risk for treatment-induced osteoporosis
subsequent to cancer therapy.
ABCSG Trial 8 – Optimized treatment
Over the past decades, postoperative administration of tamoxifen for 5
years was considered to be the best treatment for hormone receptor-positive,
postmenopausal women with early breast cancer. This concept was expanded
by now giving patients 2 years of tamoxifen followed by 3 years of the
aromatase inhibitor anastrozole. This sequential treatment approach has
proven highly efficient – in these patients, the chance of suffering
a relapse of disease is now decreased by another 40 per cent.
Much acknowledged results
The ABCSG has presented its trial results at international conferences,
has published in top journals, and continues to make sure that research
outcomes are made public to the medical community.