Objective       To evaluate the efficacy and safety of aromatase inhibitors (AIs) in neoadjuvant endocrine therapy for postmenopausal patients with hormone-dependent breast cancer.       Methods       Computer retrieval was carried out in Cochrane library

PubMed

CNKI and CBMdisc database with established standards for randomized controlled trials of neoadjuvant endocrine therapy using the aromatase inhibitors

with the quality evaluation by Cochrane system. The extracted data was systematically analyzed with RevMan 5.0.       Results       There were 9 randomized controlled trials incorporated in this study

including 1 512 patients. Meta-analysis showed that ①the total effective rate and complete response rates of AIs were superior than those of estrogen receptor blockers in the neoadjuvant endocrine therapy for breast cancer; ②The neoadjuvant endocrine treatment with AIs exerted similar curative effect as neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the patients of hormone dependent breast cancer; ③New adjuvant chemotherapy combined with new adjuvant endocrine therapy might have better short-term curative effect for the disease

though the argumentation intensity was not strong enough because of too few trials; ④ AIs and tamoxifen resulted in lower incidence of adverse reaction and milder symptoms compared with the cytotoxic drugs.       Conclusion       Neoadjuvant therapy with AIs is safe and effective for postmenopausal hormone dependent breast cancer.