Doctors typically prescribe a five-year course of the drugs, called aromatase inhibitors, for post-menopausal women after breast cancer surgery, chemotherapy or radiation treatment. The drugs are widely perceived as powerful tools to prevent breast cancer from returning.
But according to a survey of nearly 700 women on the drugs, 36 percent of them stopped taking the pills after four years, citing a number of intolerable side effects; 10 percent quit after just two years on the drugs. The study, presented today at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, is the first to ask women who are actually taking the drugs about how the drugs affect their quality of life.
Patients reported that a number of intolerable side effects -- severe joint pain, hot flashes, decreased libido, weight gain -- made them stop taking the drug before their treatments were complete. The patients who were most likely to stop taking their pills were women who had previously undergone chemotherapy or radiation treatments, toxic therapies that cause an array of unpleasant side effects.
"If they had a rough time with chemo, if they're feeling beaten up by treatment and medications, or if they're the type of person who has difficulty tolerating side effects, then they're much more likely to quit the drugs early," said study author Lynne Wagner, an associate professor of medical social sciences at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
he longer women were being treated, the more reported side-effects.
Those at highest risk of stopping before the recommended five years were those still experiencing side-effects from chemo or radiotherapy.
As a result of the side effects, 10% of the women had stopped taking the drug within two years. A further 26% had stopped by four years.
The researchers say there is a big gap between what women tell their doctors about side-effects and what they actually experience.
Dr Lynne Wagner led the study, which is being presented to the Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.
She said: "Clinicians consistently underestimate the side-effects associated with treatment.
"They give patients a drug they hope will help them, so they have a motivation to underrate the negative effects.
"Patients don't want to be complainers and don't want their doctor to discontinue treatment. So no-one knew how bad it really was for patients."
Dr Wagner added: "This is a wake-up call to physicians that says if your patient is feeling really beaten up by treatment, the risk of her quitting early is high.
"We need to be better at managing the symptoms of our patients to improve their quality of life."
Dr Susie Jennings, senior policy officer at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said: "It is worrying if breast cancer patients are stopping lifesaving treatment early without consulting their doctor.
"We are aware some patients in the UK do stop treatments early and the reasons behind this need further investigation.
"The patient information leaflets do warn women of all the side effects, but it is important there is a continued discussion throughout treatment between patient and doctor.
"If any women are considering stopping treatment we would urge them to speak with their doctor."
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