Letrozole for breast cancer

About letrozole

Letrozole is a hormonal câncer de mama treatment.

Some breast cancers need the hormone oestrogen to grow. In women who have been through the menopause, the main source of oestrogen is through the change of sex hormones, called androgens, into oestrogen. An enzyme called 'aromatase' is needed for this change to occur. Letrozole works by blocking (inhibiting) this enzyme. This reduces the amount of oestrogen in your body, which slows the growth of the cancer cells.

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine can only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking letrozole it is important that your doctor knows:

• Se você ainda não entrou na menopausa ou se há possibilidade de estar grávida.

• Se você tiver algum problema com o funcionamento do seu fígado, ou qualquer problema com o funcionamento dos seus rins.

• If you have a loss of bone density, or 'brittle bones' - a condition known as osteoporosis.

• Se você já teve uma reação alérgica a um medicamento.

• Se você estiver tomando outros medicamentos. Isso inclui quaisquer medicamentos que você esteja tomando e que estejam disponíveis para compra sem receita médica, bem como medicamentos fitoterápicos e complementares.

• Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about letrozole and it will also provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you could experience from taking it.

• Take one 2.5 mg tablet of letrozole each day, exactly as your doctor tells you to.

• You can take letrozole at whatever time of day you find easiest to remember, but try to take your doses at the same time of day each day. This will help you to remember to take letrozole regularly.

• Swallow the tablet with a drink of water. You can take letrozole either with or without food.

• If you forget to take a dose at your usual time, take it as soon as you remember. If you do not remember until the following day, leave out the forgotten dose from the previous day and take the dose that is due as normal. Do not take two doses on the same day to make up for a missed dose.

• Continue to take the tablets regularly each day until your doctor tells you otherwise. You may need to take letrozole for a number of years.

• Try to keep your regular appointments with your doctor and clinic. This is so your doctor can check on your progress. Letrozole lowers the levels of female hormones in your body, which can reduce the strength of your bones. You will need to have bone density tests to check for this before and during your treatment.

• If you are due to have an operation or any dental treatment, tell the person carrying out the treatment that you are taking letrozole.

• Se você comprar qualquer medicamento 'sem receita', verifique com um farmacêutico se eles são seguros para tomar com seus medicamentos prescritos.

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains the most common ones associated with letrozole. The best place to find a full list of the side-effects which can be associated with your medicine, is from the manufacturer's printed information leaflet supplied with the medicine. Alternatively, you can find an example of a manufacturer's information leaflet in the reference section below. Speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following become troublesome.

Se você sentir outros sintomas que acha que podem ser causados pelos comprimidos, fale com seu médico ou farmacêutico para mais orientações.

• Mantenha todos os medicamentos fora do alcance e da vista das crianças.

• Armazene em local fresco e seco, longe de calor e luz diretos.