Summary
This article reviews the recent findings of the IBIS-1 and ATAC trials regarding the role of tamoxifen and anastrozole in the chemoprevention of breast cancer. It also emphasises the need to individualise chemoprevention strategies, and to identify high-risk women who are most likely to develop oestrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer.
The prevention of ER-negative disease requires further research, and is likely to be challenging.