Femara (letrozole) : Early Breast Cancer Post Tamoxifen Treatment
Femara (letrozole) : Early Breast Cancer Post Tamoxifen Treatment


Femara (letrozole) : Email To A Friend Femara (letrozole) : Print This Page

















Femara ( letrozole) : Search Femara.com



Femara ( letrozole) : Resources





Request more information about FEMARA (letrozole tablets)
Join the FEMARA My Next Steps Program
Receive a 30 Day Free Trial of FEMARA(letrozole tablets)
Information for Physicians Outside the United States
Living Healthy

Request additional information about FEMARA (letrozole tablets)

Whether you're one, five or ten years beyond your diagnosis, taking care of your overall health and well-being can reduce your risk of cancer coming back and give you the energy to do the things in life that you love. Keep in mind that taking care of your health also includes nurturing your emotional well-being.
  • Practice good nutrition. This is particularly important for women who have been through diagnosis and initial treatment — or "living beyond breast cancer" — because obesity may raise a woman's risk of breast cancer's return1.


  • Exercise regularly. Studies show that exercise improve's women's overall sense of well-being, decreases fatigue and improves fitness in as little as 12 weeks of following an exercise program, three times a week2. See your doctor before beginning or altering any exercise regime.


  • Tap into a support network -- friends, family, spouse/partner, coworkers, spiritual communities, online discussion groups or formal organizations can provide a healthy outlet for you to express your emotions and help you deal with stress.


  • Take time out for yourself -- many women find satisfaction in taking care of others but neglecting yourself doesn't do anyone any good least of all you -- read a book, see your friends, meditate, something just for you.


For more information on living healthy, visit our breast cancer organizations page.


1. American Cancer Society. Obesity Linked to Breast Cancer Death. http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_1_1x_Obesity_Linked_to_Breast_Cancer_Death.asp Accessed July 2, 2004.

2. Breastcancer.org. Healing Strategies During and After Breast Cancer Treatment. http://www.breastcancer.org/cmty_trans_2003_05.html. Accessed July 19th, 2004. Page 2, para 5.

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.











Contact Us | Femara for Metastatic Breast Cancer
Prescribing Information | eSlide Library | Sitemap






Use of this website is governed by the Terms of Use and Privacy Statement.
Copyright © 2009 Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. All rights reserved. FEM-900701
Femara ( letrozole) : Novartis Oncology
Novartis proudly supports the Together Rx Access program.