To a higher degree 215,000 women are
diagnosed with breast cancer annually. For a lot of of them, operation to
absent the tumor is barely the first maltreat in the combat against the
disease, often abided by by radiation and/or chemotherapy. Later on that, these
women may demand to adjudicate on their doctor whether to have "adjunct
therapy"-medicament to aid prevent their cancer from getting back.
When a woman's breast cancer does
counter or bedcovers to other characters of the body, she may comprise at
bigger risk of becoming flat from the disease. Women whose breast cancer is
discovered in the nearby lymph nodes at diagnosis and those who receive
chemotherapy after surgery are considered to beat out added to risk for breast
cancer return.
Postmenopausal women whose early-stage
breast cancer is hormone-sensitive have a new alternative as their first
hormone therapy following surgery. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration
recently approved Femara® (letrozole tablets) on December 28, 2005 for this
type of use. This approving was based on a median of 24 months of treatment.
The study is still ongoing to determine the long-term safety and efficacy of
Femara. Already a contributing breast cancer treatment, Femara is now the only
medicine in a aggroup called aromatase inhibitors that is sanctioned for use
both in real time chase surgery and after five years of tamoxifen. The FDA
granted Femara a priority review, a distinction reserved for medications that
could potentially offer a significant advance compared to merchandises
currently on the market.
A empanel from the American Society of
Clinical Oncology, the country's leading group of oncologists, recommends
aromatase inhibitors, such as Femara, be part of the optimal accessory
treatment for this group of women.
"One of the greatest fears
confronted by women who have been treated for early breast cancer is that their
cancer will come back. With Femara, we now have an option that can help address
that fear early on, even in patients who we know face the greatest risk of
recurrence," said Matthew Ellis, MD, PhD, FRCP, director of the Breast
Cancer Program at Washington University in St. Louis.
In a large clinical study of
post-surgery breast cancer treatment, researchers compared the effectiveness of
Femara and tamoxifen, another drug prescribed after surgery. An analysis
performed after 26 months showed that Femara reduced the risk of breast cancer
coming back by 21% over the reduction offered by tamoxifen. Patients taking
Femara also showed a 27 percent reduction in the risk of the cancer spreading
to distant parts of the body.
In this study, women at increased risk
of recurrence experienced the greatest benefit from Femara. Femara lowered this
risk by 29 percent in women whose breast cancer had already spread to the lymph
nodes at the time of diagnosis and by 30 percent in women who had prior
chemotherapy. The results also showed that in these high-risk women, Femara
reduced the risk of cancer spreading to distant parts of the body by 33 percent
and 31 percent, respectively.
In this study, Femara was generally
well tolerated with the most common side effects including hot flashes, joint
pain, night sweats, weight gain and nausea.
Tips for Living Healthy
Discuss postsurgery treatment options
with an oncologist. Whether you're one, five or 10 years beyond your diagnosis,
taking care of your overall health and well-being can also reduce your risk of
cancer coming back and give you the energy to do the things in life that you
love.
• Practice good nutrition
• Exercise regularly
• Tap into a support network
• Take time out for yourself
Editors Note: Important safety
information
Femara® (letrozole tablets) is
approved for the adjuvant (following surgery) treatment of postmenopausal women
with hormone receptor−positive early breast cancer. The benefits of
Femara in clinical trials are based on 24 months of treatment. Further
follow-up will be needed to determine long-term results, safety and
effectiveness.
Talk to your doctor if you're allergic
to Femara or any of its ingredients. You should not take Femara if you are
pregnant as it may cause fetal harm. You must be postmenopausal to take Femara.
Some women reported fatigue and dizziness with Femara. Until you know how it
affects you, use caution before driving or operating machinery. There was an
increase in cholesterol in patients on Femara versus tamoxifen (5.4% vs. 1.2%).
In the adjuvant setting, commonly
reported side effects were generally mild to moderate. Side effects seen in
Femara versus tamoxifen included hot flashes (33.7% vs. 38%), joint pain (21.2%
vs. 13.5%), night sweats (14.1% vs. 13.5%), weight gain (10.7% vs. 12.9%) and
nausea (9.5% vs. 10.4%). Other side effects seen were bone fractures and
osteoporosis.
