I'm not sure but your Oncologist would have the results of any studies that have been done on these particular circumstances. I do know that many women choose not to take these drugs even though their cancer is ER/PR positive. Regards ....
It is the hormone that is recommended for women with ER/PR positive breast cancer who are premenopausal or postmenopausal. Arimidex (or other aromatase inhibitors) is another class of hormone therapy that also blocks estrogen to breast tissue but these drugs are only offered to women who are postmenopausal. Both tamoxifen and armidex only address the ER/PR status and do not have any impact on CerbB2.
With respect to hormonal therapies that suppress or block the action of estrogen, there is a study called ATAC (Arimidex, Tamoxifen, Alone or in Combination). Updated results were presented at the latest San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (December 2007). I read about it in the Women & Cancer Magazine (Spring 2008, pg. 88). I suggest those undergoing hormonal therapy to look into the convenience of combining the medicine, to benefit from both of them.
Hi - after I finished chemo and starting rads in 2003 I was prescribed tamoxifen, took it for 2 months and my Oncologist changed me to Arimidex (one of the aromatose inhibitors) which I think has a 50% better prognosis for non recurrence than the old "gold standard" tamoxifen. I was thrilled, as it had just come on to the market here in England.
However, 4 yrs down the line, I stopped it 4 weeks ago, due to severe bone pain (hips, hands and feet) and the pain has gone!
tamoxifen; or with aromatase inhibitors like arimidex. For patients with functioning ovaries which produces estrogen, the best strategy is to block the estrogen receptor in the tumor. Aromatase inhibitors only block estrogen production in the adrenal glands and these drugs will not be of benefit for patients with still functioning ovaries (since these drugs will not suppress ovarian estrogen production).
I have been on arimidex for about 2 months (since Feb. 2009), switched from tamoxifen after 1 year on tamoxifen. My white blood cell count the month before I started arimidex (Jan.) was 4.2. When I had a blood test more than 2 weeks ago (April 8), my WBC count was 3.3. Could this be a side effect of arimidex?
FYI -- I was diagnosed in May 2007: IDC, stage 1, 1cm., e.r. +, grade 3, negative lymph nodes. I had chemo (1 infusion TC, 6 infusions CMF) Aug. 2007 to Jan.
Anyone taking Arimidex or has taken it in the past. I am looking for feedback if it helped lower the ca 125???
My CA 125 is rising from 93 to 156 and now in the 230's... however nothing has changed on my pet scan and no
measurable disease... I am seeing my onc on Monday...and he had recommended to try if i want Arimidex.
I have other options like trying different chemo's... but then we are just treating the number... I wanted to give this
a try.... what do you think...
arimidex or femara, has this common side effect of diminishing bone mineral density that may cause your pain. I believe that femara may cause the same symptoms. A plausible brilliant solution is to take these drugs together with bone protective agents such as fosamax, though the effect of pain lowering may not be immediate.
My med/onc gave me a prescription for Tamoxifen or he said I could just do nothing for now. Even with a twin and a mother with breast cancer, I have decided to go just the watchful waiting route for a while. It's a personal decision. Just wanted you to know that like Dr. Goodman said, this is something they are now prescribing for OVCA as well as BC, and I still may end up giving it a try. Best wishes...
Hi Everyone, After 3 months of Femara I suddenly developed carpel tunnel syndrome. My entire right arm became numb in the middle of the night; I thought I was having a stroke or heart attack. I called Novartis & they sent me the requested 9 pages of info about musculoskeletal side effects, the most common being carpel tunnel & trigger finger. I saw a hand specialist who provided hand braces and said I would eventually need the surgery.
Hi again,
First a caution/disclaimer: I am not a doctor, so please don't use any information or opinions I offer to try to convice your wife's oncologist to alter his plan! (They really hate it when someone over the Internet thinks s/he knows better than the treating physicians what is best for their patients, and I don't blame them a bit!
He is the only onco who will give me anti estrogens instead of chemo. I have low grade cancer and Tamoxifen, Arimidex, etc work great for me. My CA125 gets higher with chemo. Lately my doctor has been forgetting my medicines and things that have happened in the past. I take Tamoxifen 2 years, and when it wears off, I change to Arimidex. Even when my abdomen enlarged greatly, he kept me on Tamoxifen. His assistant has changed from a trained helper to the lowliest person in the office.
From my doc today:
Tamoxifen is good for protection of the breasts for at least 5 years. There was a study in the US that said after that it didn't do much, however, a newer study in the UK said it was good protection up to 10 years. His opinion, if I'm not menopausal after the 5 years of tamoxifen, I get 5 more years tamoxifen.... If I'm menopausal after the 5 years of tamoxifen, I get arimidex (or some similar drug) for post-menopausal women.
I would expect the symptoms would occur sooner than the 3 weeks you mention. This type of allergic reaction is listed as a side effect but you might explore other options if that is the only area of concern. Regards .....
Lately my Onco/gyno has left me on Tamoxifen when in the past I would take Arimidex when the Tamoxifen ran out. Whenever it runs out I fill up with ascites. It is usually honey colored when it is drained. This time it was a deep red. I have been loosing blood to the point that I have had to take blood transfusions. Where does the blood come from?
I started taking Arimidex about five months ago. Since then I have had many of the typical side effects such as hand/joint pain, neuropathy in my hands, hot flashes, wakefulness at night etc. However, my sight in one eye has also begun to noticeably deteriorate. I know, because I had my eyes checked and a new eye prescription just before I started taking Arimidex. I saw my eye doctor again last week and my vision has deteriorated from 20/40 to 20/70 (with correction) in just a few months.
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