Commenting on a paper examining the use of Luteinising-hormone-releasing-hormone (LHRH) agonists as treatment for hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer in pre-menopausal women Maria Leadbeater, Clinical Nurse Specialist at Breast Cancer Care, said:

“These drugs have been licensed and approved for many years in the UK, and there should be no barrier to women receiving them if there is a clinical need.

“This study gives us a better understanding of their effectiveness. They [LHRH drugs] are another treatment option for younger women with breast cancer and could help to even further reduce the risk of the disease returning when added to chemotherapy or drugs like Tamoxifen.

“They can be offered on their own or as an alternative to techniques that permanently stop ovaries producing oestrogen, but this must be assessed on an individual basis. However this would be particularly of interest to many of the younger women we support who are looking to conserve their fertility.”