Behind the headlines Anastrozole for breast cancer prevention

For postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive early invasive breast cancer, the recommended duration of adjuvant endocrine treatment is 5 years. • Adjuvant treatment of hormone receptor-positive early invasive breast cancer in postmenopausal women who have received 2 to 3 years of adjuvant tamoxifen. Recent trials show the drug can reduce the incidence of breast cancer by almost 50% in post-menopausal women at moderate or high risk of the disease. Another hypothesis why some patients might not benefit from tamoxifen is because of an enzyme called CYP2D6. In about 10% of people their CYP2D6 enzyme does not function well8. Having an abnormal CYP2D6 enzyme might prevent tamoxifen from blocking oestrogen receptors and cancer growth.

• In addition, a decrease in BMD which was not statistically significant was seen in the low risk group treated with Arimidex 1 mg/day alone.
• 289,000 women who face a risk of breast cancer have been offered risk-reducing medication through the NHS.
• It can usually be relieved with mild pain relief like paracetamol or an anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen.
• This means there’s less oestrogen in the body to help breast cancer cells to grow.

Anastrozole is generally safe to take long term, however your specialist team will monitor your health carefully. In this case, surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy is the first (primary) treatment and anastrozole is an additional (adjuvant) therapy. This varies for each person and includes factors like your age when the breast cancer was found, how it was found and whether you’ve had chemotherapy or not. Anastrozole helps stop your breast cancer coming back after having treatment for cancer. You should make sure that you carefully read all product packaging and labels prior to use. If you have, or suspect you may have, a health problem you should consult your doctor.

Why anastrozole?

The combination of Arimidex and tamoxifen did not demonstrate any efficacy benefits in comparison with tamoxifen in all patients as well as in the hormone receptor-positive population. As Arimidex lowers circulating estrogen levels it may cause a reduction in bone mineral density with a possible consequent increased risk of fracture (see section 4.8). Anastrozole today becomes the first medicine to be repurposed through a new multi-agency national programme that looks at using existing medicines in new ways to benefit patients and the NHS. While Anastrozole will reduce or eliminate a lot of the side effects produced by other steroid compounds, there are a few things you should watch out for. One of the main issues is a potential reduction in bone mineral content, which could lead to a risk of fractures.

• However, for everyone including men, a small amount of oestrogen is also produced in other tissues, such as in fat cells, the breast, bone, liver and brain5.
• “We’ve already seen the positive effect anastrozole can have in treating the disease when it has been detected in post-menopausal women and now we can use it to stop it developing at all in some women.
• For many people, side effects improve within the first few months of starting the treatment.
• Measured mean plasma concentrations were 44.4 (± 14.7) ng/ml and 165 (±90) ng/ml respectively.

Unlike tamoxifen, AIs are not often used to treat pre-menopausal breast cancer patients. This is because AIs cannot block the oestradiol production in the ovaries. However, a pre-menopausal woman can be treated with the aromatase inhibitor exemestane if their ovarian function is suppressed by drugs such as goserelin11. Letrozole, anastrozole and exemestane are third generation AIs and often decrease circulating oestrogen to undetectable levels12 thereby reducing tumour proliferation and growth13.

Description of Anastrozole, its chemical structure, and function.

Anastrozole is now authorised as a preventative treatment for post-menopausal women at moderate or high risk of breast cancer. The breast cancer treatment anastrozole has today been licensed as an option for preventing the disease in high-risk women in the UK. Arimidex should not be used in boys with growth hormone deficiency in addition to growth hormone treatment.

• All deliveries are subject to the availability of the product and product sale conditions been met.
• You may also experience side effects caused by other treatments or individual circumstance, such as the menopause.
• While not all will choose to take it, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has estimated that, if 25% do so, around 2,000 breast cancer cases could potentially be prevented.
• In the case of breast cancer, annual breast screening in the form of mammograms and MRI scans can also monitor your condition and catch cancer early, if it does develop.
• It is unknown whether treatment may or may not harm a baby developing in the womb.

If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. Always take Arimidex exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. If you’re looking for an effective way to treat your breast cancer, ask your doctor if Arimidex 1mg Tablets are right for you. Alternatively, Anastrozole can also be sourced online from reputable and reliable sources. Always prioritize your health and safety by purchasing Anastrozole legally and from trusted sources. However, some people find that they start to having periods again after taking anastrozole.

Is The Independent Pharmacy based in the UK?

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) initially recommended Anastrozole as a preventive option in 2017. However, its usage for breast cancer prevention was limited due to its unlicensed status. Thanks to the innovative Medicines Repurposing Programme, launched by NHS England, the MHRA has now authorised Anastrozole as a preventive choice for women at an elevated risk.

Tamoxifen was the first specific hormone-based therapy to be used in breast cancer treatment that demonstrated significant clinical success6. This drug is used in the treatment of pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women, as well as men, whose breast cancer biopsies showed elevated levels of the oestrogen receptor. Tamoxifen works by blocking the oestrogen receptors on the cancer cells. This way, oestradiol is still present in normal amounts in the body, but it cannot activate the cancer cells to grow further (see diagram). Find out about aromatase inhibitors, a type of hormone therapy normally used to treat breast cancer in women who have gone through the menopause, including side effects and how they work.

Your doctor will monitor these during your regular check-ups and recommend treatment as needed. You will have bone density scans before you start taking anastrozole, 1 or 2 years into treatment and again after you finish your treatment. Anastrozole is not recommended https://therapeuticmassagecalgary.ca/parabolan-magnus-pharmaceuticals-sets-new/ when pregnant or breastfeeding, because it interferes with hormone levels in you and your baby. And there is not enough information available to say if it’s safe. Menopause symptoms usually improve during the first few months of taking anastrozole.

Anastrozole use can be maintained until and during your PCT cycle. Once your PCT cycle has begun, you can add in around 500 IU of HCG every 2-3 days for the duration of your cycle. For heavier compounds like Dianabol and Trenbolone, it’s recommended to engage in a longer PCT cycle. Yes, taking Arimidex alone has been found to be a successful treatment for reducing estrogen levels in the body and getting rid of gynecomastia in males.