FEMARA (letrozole tablets) - Facts and Information on Life After Breast Cancer

· New Beginnings

· Managing Fatigue

· After Treatment

New Beginnings

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Moving on after breast cancer comes with its own unique set of challenges. Every woman has her own story. A woman in her first months after initial treatment may experience feelings that are completely different from those of a woman 5 years down the road. Anxiety. Fear. Elation. Confusion. They�re all part of the transition that takes place after breast cancer. And while surgery, radiation and chemotherapy may be over, many women may feel like breast cancer is never really over.

Here are a few tips to help you stay healthy, strong and hopeful so that you can get back to or go on doing the things you love.

Trying to resume your old "normal" life may be too much to ask of yourself. Accepting a new sense of what normal is may be more realistic. Remember: you're in a new phase of life. Be patient with yourself and with others as you try to adjust.
Seek support -- Some women make the mistake of thinking that a support network is only needed during the trauma of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. But there are millions of women who rely on each other day after day, even year after year. If you find that a support network isn't for you, talk to your friends, family, co-workers and loved ones.
Live a healthy lifestyle -- menopause after breast cancer, visit our breast cancer organizations page.

1. Weiss, M. and Weiss, E. Living Beyond Breast Cancer: A survivor's Guide for When Treatment Ends and the Rest of Your Life Begins. New York: Three Rivers Press; 1997. Page 256-257, table 18.1.

Indication

Femara ^® (letrozole tablets) is approved for the adjuvant (following surgery) treatment of postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive early stage breast cancer. The benefits of Femara in clinical trials are based on 24 months of treatment. Further follow-up will be needed to determine long-term results, safety and efficacy.

Femara is also approved for the extended adjuvant treatment of early stage breast cancer in postmenopausal women who are within three months of completion of five years of tamoxifen therapy. The benefits of Femara in clinical trial are based on 24 months of treatment. Further follow-up will be needed to determine long-term results, including side effects.

In addition, Femara is approved for the treatment of postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive or hormone receptor-unknown breast cancer that has spread to another part of the body (metastatic cancer).
Ask your oncologist if Femara is right for you.

Important Safety Information

You should not take Femara if you are premenopausal. Your doctor should discuss the need for adequate birth control if you have the potential to become pregnant, if you are not sure of your postmenopausal status, or if you recently became postmenopausal. Femara is only indicated in postmenopausal women. Talk to your doctor if you're allergic to Femara or any of its ingredients. You should not take Femara if you are pregnant as it may cause fetal harm. Some women reported fatigue and dizziness with Femara. Until you know how it affects you, use caution before driving or operating machinery. Some patients taking Femara had an increase in cholesterol. Additional follow-up is needed to determine the risk of bone fracture associated with long-term use of Femara.

In the adjuvant setting, commonly reported side effects are generally mild to moderate. The most common side effects seen with Femara include hot flashes, joint pain, night sweats, weight gain, nausea, tiredness, other heart-related events and bone fractures. Other less commonly reported side effects include vaginal bleeding, blood clots, other cancers, osteoporosis, stroke, heart attack and endometrial cancer.

In the extended adjuvant setting, commonly reported side effects are generally mild to moderate. Commonly reported side effects for Femara include hot flashes, fatigue, joint pain, headache, increase in sweating, swelling due to fluid retention, increase in cholesterol, dizziness, constipation, nausea, cardiovascular ischemic events, muscle pain, osteoporosis, arthritis and bone fracture.

In the metastatic cancer setting, commonly reported side effects are generally mild to moderate and may include bone pain, hot flashes, back pain, nausea, joint pain, shortness of breath, tiredness, coughing, constipation, limb pain, chest pain and headache.
Femara is a once-daily, convenient prescription tablet.

For additional safety information, please see the prescribing information.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

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