BOLERO-2 study update for Afinitor (Novartis) in HR+ Breast Cancer presented at ASCO

An 18-month analysis from the Phase III BOLERO-2 study from Novartis confirms that Afinitor (everolimus) plus exemestane, an aromatase inhibitor, more than doubled the time postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive (HR+) advanced breast cancer lived without tumor growth (progression-free survival; PFS).The updated results show median PFS for everolimus plus exemestane was 7.8 months compared to 3.2 months with hormonal therapy alone (hazard ratio=0.45 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.36 to 0.54]; p<0.0001) by local investigator assessment and significantly reduced the risk of cancer progression by 55% versus exemestane alone. see piccart m et al. "everolimus for postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer: updated results of the bolero-2 phase iii trial." abstract #559. american society of clinical oncology 2012 annual meeting, chicago, il>