Should I Take Aromatase Inhibitors for Breast Cancer?
The most common side effects of AIs are symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness. Generic drugs cost less than name brand drugs but are just as effective. You may qualify for programs that help with drug costs or offer low-cost or free prescriptions. Hormone therapy drug costs can quickly become a financial burden for you and your family. Talk with your health care team about which treatment guidelines they follow.
Menopausal status
- The free Drugs.com Discount Card works like a coupon and can save you up to 80% or more off the cost of prescription medicines, over-the-counter drugs and pet prescriptions.
- Share your concerns about affording medications with your prescriber.
- Decisions about the type and duration of adjuvant hormone therapy are complicated and must be made on an individual basis in consultation with an oncologist.
- As a result, people often find themselves facing high out-of-pocket costs when filling prescriptions for oral cancer drugs.
“I always advise patients to talk with their oncologist before starting any new supplements or herbs — especially since grape seed extract can increase the risk of bleeding,” adds Proctor. Aromatase inhibitors are typically used to treat people who have already experienced menopause. If this was helpful, donate to help fund patient support services, research, and cancer content updates. Learn about ways to manage hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms. You’ll get a baseline measure of your bone density so changes in your bone density can be monitored.
Aromasin Prices, Coupons, Copay Cards & Patient Assistance
Your donation can make a difference in the future of healthcare. If you already have heart disease, discuss all the potential benefits and risks with a doctor. Armidex, Aromasin, and Femara can cause fetal harm and should not be used if there is any chance of pregnancy. As a safeguard, pregnancy testing is recommended seven days prior to the start of treatment if a woman’s menopausal status is unknown. Advise your oncologist about any medications you are taking, whether they are pharmaceutical, over-the-counter, recreational, or traditional to avoid drug interactions.
Similarly, bisphosphonate drugs like Zometa (zoledronic acid) may help counteract osteopenia, though they increase the risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw. The long-term effects of aromatase inhibitors are arguably more concerning. Unlike tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors tend to speed up osteopenia (bone loss) in older women who are already at risk of bone problems. As with any medication, aromatase inhibitors can cause side effects and adverse reactions.
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Your oncologist will ask about any side effects you’re experiencing. One approach to hormone therapy is to stop the hormones from attaching to the receptors on the cancer cells. When the hormones can’t access the cancer cells, the cancer’s growth may slow and the cells may die. For example, a doctor might prescribe this therapy for someone who hasn’t yet undergone menopause and is taking medication to reduce the functions of the ovaries, including estrogen production. The costs of these medications can vary considerably based on your insurance coverage.
That may be why weight gain is such a key risk factor for breast cancer after menopause. The female hormone estrogen is “fuel” for about http://smac-bd.com/2024/05/29/how-steroids-can-help-bodybuilders-improve-their-10/ 80% of breast cancers in women who’ve gone through menopause. A 2018 study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology also noted that the risk of diabetes was 240% greater in women on aromatase inhibitors than in the general population. Although the risk was far lower with tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors do not pose the risk of thromboembolism (blood clots) or endometrial cancer that tamoxifen does. They only lower estrogen levels in women whose ovaries aren’t making estrogen (such as women who have already gone through menopause).
In premenopausal women, aromatase inhibitors induce an increase in gonadotropin secretion secondary to the reduced negative feedback of estrogen to the pituitary, resulting in ovarian stimulation. Clinicians can use aromatase inhibitors to induce ovulation in the treatment of infertility 6, 13. Aromatase activity increases in endometriosis with extrauterine endometrial tissue acting as a source of estrogens. Estrogen stimulates the synthesis of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), which causes increased aromatase activity in the endometrium. This vicious cycle leads to the growth of ectopic endometrial tissue, which is blocked by aromatase inhibitors by inhibiting the synthesis of estrogen in extrauterine endometrial tissue 14, 15.