S6-1: Menopause-Specific and Health-Related Qualities of Life among Post-Menopausal Women Taking Exemestane for Prevention of Breast Cancer: Results from the NCIC CTG MAP.3 Placebo-Controlled Randomized Controlled Trial.
Authors: Maunsell E , Richardson H , Ingle JN , Ales-Martinez JE , Chlebowski RT , Fabian CJ , Sarto GE , Garber JE , Pujol P , Hiltz A , Tu D , Goss PE 
Published: June 2012

Background: Exemestane, a steroidal aromatase inhibitor, reduced the incidence of invasive breast cancers by 65% among 4560 post-menopausal randomized to exemestane or placebo for 5 years on MAP.3. Differences in quality of life (QOL) were judged to be minimal, but only summary information was reported.

Purpose: To provide more detailed information about effects of exemestane on menopause-specific and health-related qualities of life.

Method: Participation in quality of life assessment was an eligibility criterion. Menopause-specific and health-related qualities of life were assessed using the MENQOL (4 scales; physical, vasomotor, psychosocial, sexual) and SF-36 (8 scales; physical health, role function — physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social function, role function — emotional, mental health, and 2 summary scales) instruments, respectively at baseline, 6 months and then yearly after randomization. Compliance with QOL questionnaire completion at each follow-up visit ranged from 93–98%, and did not differ by group. Change scores for each MENQOL and SF-36 scale, calculated for each assessment time relative to baseline, were compared using the Wilcoxon Rank-Sum test. Summary scores were used to summarize the QOL scores observed at each time point for each SF-36 dimension and overall mental (MCS) and physical component summaries (PCS) and MENQOL domains. Clinically important worsening of MENQOL change scores was defined as an increase of ≥0.5/8 points. SF-36 change scores were considered worsened if scores decreased by ≥ 5 points from baseline.

Results: Both groups were balanced on scores for MENQOL and SF-36 at baseline. Median follow-up was 35 months and the proportion of women who stopped study medication early for toxicity reasons was 15% in the exemestane arm and 11% in the placebo arm. There was a statistically significant difference in change scores for vasomotor symptoms among women on exemestane during the first 4 years (p-values &lt;0.01), compared to placebo. However, no between-group differences in vasomotor change met the criterion for clinical importance. Women on exemestane had statistically poorer sexual functioning (mean change = −0.02, SD=1.37) compared to placebo (mean change = −0.12, SD=1.32) during the first 6 months on study (p-value = 0.03) but the differences were not statistically significant thereafter or clinically important at any time. Among the 8 SF-36 scales, only bodily pain was statistically different between exemestane and placebo for the first 24 months on study medication (p-value &lt;0.01), but no between-group difference in change scores exceeded 5 points. Overall SF-36 PCS and MCS assessing changes in overall physical and mental health-related QOL did not differ significantly by group at any assessment.

Conclusion: Our assessment that early differences in vasomotor symptoms and pain were probably not clinically important is supported by the observation of no between-group differences when overall physical and mental health-related QOL changes were compared. Exemestane does not appear to have a major negative impact on the quality of life among these women.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2011;71(24 Suppl):Abstract nr S6-1.