NEWS HIGHLIGHTSMedia Articles Related to Femara (Letrozole)
FDA Approves Abemaciclib (Verzenio) for Advanced HR+ Breast Cancer
Source: Medscape Hematology-Oncology Headlines [2017.09.28]
The new drug is similar to two other cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6 inhibitors, but it also has some distinguishing qualities.
FDA Approvals
Breast Cancer Radiation 'Less Scary' Than Thought
Source: MedicineNet Cancer Specialty [2017.09.26]
Title: Breast Cancer Radiation 'Less Scary' Than Thought
Category: Health News
Created: 9/25/2017 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 9/26/2017 12:00:00 AM
Exercise After Breast Cancer Surgery Clears 'Brain Fog'
Source: Medscape General Surgery Headlines [2017.09.25]
Increased daily aerobic activity triples processing speed on both objective and self-rated cognition tests in previously sedentary breast cancer survivors.
Medscape Medical News
Yoga May Bring Better Sleep to Breast Cancer Patients
Source: MedicineNet Chemotherapy Specialty [2017.09.22]
Title: Yoga May Bring Better Sleep to Breast Cancer Patients
Category: Health News
Created: 9/22/2017 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 9/22/2017 12:00:00 AM
Breast Cancer Quiz: Symptoms & Signs
Source: MedicineNet Breast Lumps In Women Specialty [2017.09.19]
Title: Breast Cancer Quiz: Symptoms & Signs
Category: MedicineNet Quiz
Created: 10/11/2010 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 9/19/2017 5:02:57 PM
Published Studies Related to Femara (Letrozole)
Double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, randomized, phase IIb neoadjuvant
study of letrozole-lapatinib in postmenopausal hormone receptor-positive, human
epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative, operable breast cancer. [2014]
factor receptor 2 (HER2) -negative operable breast cancer... CONCLUSION: The combination of letrozole-lapatinib in early breast cancer was
Impact of premenopausal status at breast cancer diagnosis in women entered on the
placebo-controlled NCIC CTG MA17 trial of extended adjuvant letrozole. [2013]
letrozole (LET) after completing 5 years of adjuvant tamoxifen... CONCLUSIONS: Extended LET after 5 years of tamoxifen was effective in pre- and
Uptake of a randomized breast cancer prevention trial comparing letrozole to
placebo in BRCA1/2 mutations carriers: the LIBER trial. [2012]
Women with germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 (BRCA1/2) mutations are considered as an
extreme risk population for developing breast cancer. Prophylactic mastectomy
provides a valid option to reduce such risk, impacting however, the quality of
life.Women with previous unilateral breast
cancer or prior prophylactic oophorectomy are more likely to enter a medical
prevention trial.
Longer-term outcomes of letrozole versus placebo after 5 years of tamoxifen in
the NCIC CTG MA.17 trial: analyses adjusting for treatment crossover. [2012]
crossed over to letrozole after being unblinded... CONCLUSION: Exploratory analyses based on longer follow-up and adjusting for
Extended high dose letrozole regimen versus short low dose letrozole regimen as an adjuvant to gonadotropin releasing hormone antagonist protocol in poor responders undergoing IVF-ET*. [2011.12]
Objective.?To compare the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of extended high dose letrozole regimen/HPuFSH-gonadotropin releasing hormone antagonist (GnRHant) protocol with short low dose letrozole regimen/HPuFSH-GnRHant protocol in poor responders undergoing IVF-ET.Conclusion.?Extended letrozole regimen/HPuFSH-GnRHant protocol was more cost-effective than short letrozole regimen/HPuFSH-GnRHant protocol in poor responders undergoing IVF-ET.
Clinical Trials Related to Femara (Letrozole)
RCT of Fixed vs Titrated Letrozole in Breast Cancer Patient Undergoing IVF [Recruiting]
The purpose of this study is to compare two different ways to administer Letrozole to
determine their effectiveness in blocking estrogen production during ovarian stimulation in
patients with breast cancer prior to chemotherapy/radiotherapy so that oocytes or embryos
can be cryopreserved and patients can possibly achieve a pregnancy after the treatment of
breast cancer.
During standard ovulation stimulation, the estrogen levels will exceed normal levels and may
reach 10 times the normal level for a 2 week period. This may not be desirable in breast
cancer patients. The study hopes to determine if the investigators can stimulate oocyte
development in the conventional way and administer different doses of Letrozole as the
oocytes develop, to keep estradiol levels low, increase the number of oocytes the
investigators are able to recover, and improve the quality of those oocytes.
Letrozole (Femara) Plus Imatinib Mesylate (Gleevec) for Breast Cancer Patients [Active, not recruiting]
The goal of this clinical research study is to learn if the combination of Femara
(letrozole) and Gleevec (imatinib mesylate) can shrink or slow the growth of the tumor in
patients who have hormonal sensitive advanced breast cancer.
Primary Objectives:
- To determine the efficacy of Letrozole plus Imatinib Mesylate in patients with ER and
or PgR positive metastatic breast cancer. Efficacy will be measured by the rate of
clinical tumor response.
- To determine the safety and tolerability of Letrozole plus Imatinib Mesylate in
patients with metastatic breast cancer.
- To determine the time to disease progression and overall survival in patients with
metastatic breast cancer who are treated with Letrozole plus Imatinib Mesylate.
Randomized Phase II Study of Preoperative Letrozole (Femara) in Combination With Avastin in Hormone Receptor Positive Breast Cancer [Recruiting]
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the objective response rate of a combination of
letrozole (Femara) and bevacizumab (Avastin) given preoperatively to postmenopausal patients
with hormone sensitive breast cancer.
Everolimus, Letrozole and Trastuzumab in HR- and HER2/Neu-positive Patients [Recruiting]
The goal of this clinical research study is to find the highest tolerable dose of Femara
(letrozole) that can be given in combination with Afinitor (everolimus) and Herceptin
(trastuzumab) to patients with advanced cancer. The safety of this drug combination will
also be studied.
Safety and Rheumatologic Tolerability of Letrozole in Postmenopausal Patients With Hormone Receptor Positive Breast Cancer [Completed]
The purpose of this study is to assess rheumatologic tolerability of letrozole in
postmenopausal patients with hormone receptor positive breast cancer having discontinued
anastrozole adjuvant treatment due to musculoskeletal disorders.
Reports of Suspected Femara (Letrozole) Side Effects
Arthralgia (52),
Death (41),
Neoplasm Malignant (39),
Myalgia (26),
Fatigue (26),
Pain (25),
Bone Pain (23),
Headache (21),
Dizziness (21),
Neoplasm Progression (20), more >>
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PATIENT REVIEWS / RATINGS / COMMENTSBased on a total of 2 ratings/reviews, Femara has an overall score of 5. The effectiveness score is 8 and the side effect score is 6. The scores are on ten point scale: 10 - best, 1 - worst.
| | Femara review by 56 year old female patient | | | Rating |
| Overall rating: | |   |
| Effectiveness: | | Highly Effective |
| Side effects: | | Moderate Side Effects | | |
Treatment Info |
| Condition / reason: | | Breast Cancer |
| Dosage & duration: | | 2.5 mg. taken daily for the period of over 2.5 years (so far) |
| Other conditions: | | None |
| Other drugs taken: | | None | | |
Reported Results |
| Benefits: | | Since the tumor was estogen receptor positive, the treatment has resulted in any remaining canncer cells to be in remision.
The side effects were mild enough that regular activities were not interfered with for the most part.
It was a better alternative for me than Taxol chemotherapy which had severe side-effects for me. |
| Side effects: | | Hastened loss of estrogen which hastened loss of sex drive (after menopause).
Some temporary (fortuantely) arthritic conditions in a finger and thumb.
Hastened osteoporosis. That is my bone desity decreased severely after 2 1/2 years. |
| Comments: | | I take one tiny pill each morning with the vitamins that I take. There is no nausea or other immediate symptoms. It is simple to do. |
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| | Femara review by 54 year old female patient | | | Rating |
| Overall rating: | | |
| Effectiveness: | | Moderately Effective |
| Side effects: | | Moderate Side Effects | | |
Treatment Info |
| Condition / reason: | | breast cancer |
| Dosage & duration: | | 2.5 mg taken daily for the period of 2 years |
| Other conditions: | | osteopenia, depression |
| Other drugs taken: | | Effexor XR | | |
Reported Results |
| Benefits: | | Aromatase inhibitor to reduce recurence of hormone-positive breast cancer- unknown effectiveness- no breast cancer 3 years after diagnosis |
| Side effects: | | Joint pain, reduction of bone mass |
| Comments: | | The first drug I was prescribed after a mastectomy and chemotherapy was Tamoxifen, which I took for almost 1 year. My oncologist said it increased bone mass, so she wanted to use that first to counteract the bone mass-decreasing side effect of the aromatase inhibitors. Their protocol is to use Tamoxifen for 2 years, then switch to an aromatase inhibitor for 3 years. However, I had some uterine bleeding ( I am post-menopausal) so they switched to Femara early. Tamoxifen may cause an increase in uterine cancer, which my grandmother had. The most annoying side effect of Femara is the increase in joint pain. NSAIDs and glucosamine help somewhat but have their own side effects. That said, I am willing to continue Femara for the next 2 years to help prevent cancer reccurence. I read in the literature (Medscape) that 51% of women do not complete their 5 yrs of either drug, and my guess is because of side effects. I take supplemental calcium also to slow the bone loss. |
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