The Effect of Aromatase Inhibitors on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Women With Breast Cancer

Inclusion criteria

• Ambulatory women (aged 60-75), with a new diagnosis of nonmetastatic, hormone-receptor positive breast cancer, having undergone lumpectomy. They will not need chemotherapy and will have been prescribed but not yet started anastrazole. All will need a course of radiation therapy as part of usual care. Participants are instructed not to change their physical activity or eating habits over the period of the study.

Comparisons are:

• Identical to the cases except they are hormone-receptor negative and don't need hormonal therapy.
• Healthy controls.

Exclusion criteria

• Nicotine usage
• Metastatic breast cancer
• Need for chemotherapy
• AI other than anastrazole
• Usage of steroids (equivalent of equal then or more than 7.5 mg prednisone x 3 months)
• Clinically significant abnormality of thyroid function
• Treatment with gonadal hormone replacement therapy within last 3 years
• Status post unilateral/bilateral surgical oophorectomy
• Having experienced a medical event, which may confound study outcomes [e.g. heart attack, stroke, cancer (metastatic or newly diagnosed within last 5 years, except for non-melanoma skin cancer and breast), lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic inflammatory disease]
• Medication-dependent diabetes mellitus or hypercholesterolemia.
• Gastric surgery
• Weight loss medication (prescription or over the counter)