Participation in International ABC and ATLAS Trials of Adjuvant Treatment for Breast Cancer: An InspiringClinical Research Experience

Iranian cancer specialists generally have a greatinterest in clinical research carried out in internationalsettings, but participation in large multicenterclinical trials that include other countries isoften difficult to arrange. In this regard, two of themost successful endeavors in Iran are the AdjuvantBreast Cancer (ABC) and Adjuvant Tamoxifen:LongerAgainst Shorter (ATLAS) trials.In late ۱۹۹۲, Prof. John Yarnold and his team inthe United Kingdom (UK) Institute of CancerResearch (ICR) initiated the (ABC) trial to assessoverall survival and other long-term outcomes ofcombined modality therapy for women with earlybreast cancer. The chemotherapy side of the ABCTrial tested the addition of chemotherapy toprolonged tamoxifen (with or without electiveovarian ablation or suppression), and the ovarianablation or suppression side of the trial assessed theaddition of ovarian ablation or suppression toprolonged tamoxifen (with or without electivechemotherapy).