ALL ABOUT ANASTROZOLE
What is anastrozole?
Anastrozole is a medication indicated to treat women breast cancer who have gone through the menopause. Specifically this drug is used for the hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. Arimidex is the brand name of Anastrozole. It is believed that men with breast cancer may be given this drug, although tamoxifen is the most commonly recommended drug.
How does anastrozole 1 mg work?
This drug works by reducing the oestrogen made in the body. Some breast cancers are stimulated in order to grow by the hormone oestrogen, which are called oestrogen receptor positive or ER+ breast cancers. Prior to menopause, oestrogen is produced in the ovaries. Following menopause, the ovaries does not produce oestrogen, but some oestrogen is made in body fat. This process involves an enzyme known as aromatase. The anastrozole 1 mg is the aromatase inhibitor group of drugs. These inhibitors block the aromatase enzyme from working. It leads to less oestrogen in the body in order to help breast cancer cells to grow. Side effects of anastrozole: Like any medicine, anastrozole may leave side effects. Everyone reacts in different ways to medications and some people have more adverse reactions than others. Having few or no adverse reactions doesn’t mean that the medication isn’t effective. The common anastrozole side effects include: • • • • • • • • • • •
pain in the joints and muscles hot flushes sweating sore throat sleep disturbance vaginal irritation such as dryness and itching reduced libido (sex drive) low mood and depression difficulty sleeping extreme tiredness thinning of the bone
Some other side effects may also occur such as: • • • • • •
headaches nausea vomiting high cholesterol loss of appetite constipation or diarrhoea