Effects of Adjuvant Tamoxifen and of Cytotoxic Therapy on Mortality in Early Breast Cancer

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Abstract
We sought information worldwide on mortality according to assigned treatment in all randomized trials that began before 1985 of adjuvant tamoxifen or cytotoxic therapy for early breast cancer (with or without regional lymph-node involvement). Coverage was reasonably complete for most countries. In 28 trials of tamoxifen nearly 4000 of 16,513 women had died, and in 40 chemotherapy trials slightly more than 4000 of 13,442 women had died. The 8106 deaths were approximately evenly distributed over years 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5+ of follow-up, with little useful information beyond year 5.