Breast cancer is often considered defeated – but for many affected individuals, the danger of a relapse remains for a long time. Especially with hormone receptor-positive tumors, the disease can reoccur many years after the first treatment.
Breast Cancer: Medication Significantly Reduces Risk of Recurrence
26-03-2026, 09:30
Breast cancer can return many years after the initial therapy. New long-term data bring hope for fewer relapses and better survival chances.
Now, new study data show that a well-known medication could significantly reduce the risk in certain forms of breast cancer and even improve survival chances.
Relapses possible even after decades
Medical studies confirm that hormone receptor-positive breast cancer can return up to 20 years after the initial diagnosis. This particularly affects patients with increased risk, such as those with lymph node involvement.
This is precisely why the so-called adjuvant therapy is crucial. It aims to combat remaining cancer cells before they can grow again.
Study shows significant effect
The international phase 3 study "monarchE" examined 5,637 patients with a high risk of relapse. The medication Abemaciclib was used in addition to hormone therapy.
The results show clear advantages:
- Invasive Rückfälle traten um rund 25 Prozent seltener auf.
- Fernmetastasen wurden um etwa 28 Prozent reduziert.
- Nach zwei Jahren waren 92,2 Prozent ohne Rückfall, ohne das Medikament 88,7 Prozent
These are relative risk reductions, which are common in clinical evaluation.
Long-term Data Offers Hope
- Das Sterberisiko sank relativ um 15,8 Prozent
- Nach sieben Jahren lebten 86,8 Prozent der Patient:innen, ohne Therapie 85,0 Prozent
- Rund 77 Prozent blieben langfristig ohne Rückfall.
Particularly relevant are new analyses with longer follow-up. Data from the ESMO Congress 2025 shows:
Study leader Stephen R. D. Johnston emphasized, according to the German Medical Journal, that for the first time in about 20 years, progress has been made in this specific therapeutic situation.
Who the Medication is Intended For
Abemaciclib is not a new medication, but has been in use since 2017. What is new is primarily its application in the early stage of the disease with high risk.
- hormonrezeptorpositiven, HER2-negativen Brustkrebs
- nachgewiesenen Lymphknotenbefall
- erhöhtes Rückfallrisiko
According to the Cancer Information Service, it is suitable for:
The intake occurs over two years in addition to hormone therapy.
Side Effects and Open Questions
Like many cancer drugs, Abemaciclib also has side effects. Diarrhea was frequently reported, mostly mild and temporary. Therapy discontinuations for this reason alone were under five percent.
- Blutbildveränderungen
- erhöhte Leberwerte
- selten Thrombosen oder Lungenentzündungen
Other known risks are:
Long-term data so far show no new safety signals. Experts emphasize, however, that further observations are necessary.
Assessment: Progress with Limitations
The results are considered an important advancement for a specific group of patients. At the same time, the benefit assessment remains different depending on the patient group.
The question of who benefits the most is also still a subject of research.
(Ed.)
This article has been automatically translated, read the original article .
