One million women in the world are affected by breast cancer and it is the 2nd leading cause of deaths among women globally. In Malaysia, the most common forms of cancer affecting breast cancer. 1 in 19 women are estimated to be at risk for breast cancer. Unfortunately, it is estimated that 9 individuals die of breast cancer everyday. Treating breast cancer is no easy matter but one thing for sure, early detection can give better chances of successful treatment. One of the drugs commonly used to treat breast cancer is Femara 2.5 mg.
Femara 2.5 mg contains letrozole. Letrozole is a type of drug used as hormone therapy. Breast cancer is typically treated with letrozole. Letrozole affects the level of hormone oestrogen in the body. It works by blocking the enzyme aromatase that converts hormone androgen to oestrogen. This process happens in fatty tissue, muscle and the skin. By reducing the level of oestrogen, the breast cancer cells are unable to grow at its usual rapid phase. Letrozole can halt or slow down the growth of these cancers.
Femara is usually used to treat postmenopausal women diagnosed with early or advanced stage, hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. It is uncommon to treat premenopausal women diagnosed with breast cancer using Femara. However, you may see Femara is used to treat infertility issues, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or problems with ovulation. In these infertility cases, it works by lowering oestrogen levels in a premenopausal person to trigger the brain to release other hormones needed for fertility such as follicle stimulating hormones (FSH) and induce ovulation.
Femara is recommended to be taken once daily. The duration of the course to take this medicine depends on the stage of breast cancer. For example, if Femara is used as the 1st hormonal therapy after breast cancer surgery, a person may need to take Femara for 5 years and if Femara is used as the 2nd hormonal therapy after five years of tamoxifen, a person may need to take Femara for 5 years, which means the person will undergo hormonal therapy for a total of 10 years. In advanced stages of breast cancer, hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, duration of Femara can be uncertain and a person may need to take it as long as they benefit from it.
Similar to any other drug that does bring benefits or healing properties, also comes with possible side effects. Common side effects include hot flashes, flushing, joint and bone pain (arthralgia), headache, excess sweating, nausea and fatigue. Since this medication may cause dizziness and fatigue on an extreme level, a person should be careful when handling machines or when driving vehicles. This means it is better to avoid driving and working with machines until you know how Femara affects you. Should there be any side effects, do let your healthcare provider knows especially if the side effects are severe or do not go away.
In essence, Femara containing letrozole is commonly used to treat hormone receptor-positive breast cancer in postmenopausal women. At times, it is also used to treat fertility problems in premenopausal women. It is important to take medication as instructed by doctors. Since the course of the treatment is long, being disciplined and persevered is the key to successful treatment. Common side effects from Femara can be reduced by doing exercise and meditation or mindfulness. Certainly, it is not easy to live with breast cancer but treatment options available can help to ease the symptoms and eventually increase survival rate. If you are taking other medicine or a certain supplement and have other medical conditions, do let your healthcare provider know so that they can make sure there is no possible adverse drug interaction that might happen.
Early stage breast cancer is highly treatable. The many treatment options available now helps patients with breast cancer to survive for at least 1 year more after initial diagnosis. In fact, 85% of women will survive for 5 years or more after diagnosis. Treatments does not only include medicine and surgery but also emotional support given by healthcare professionals or people around them
In determining the health of the breast, it is important to know how the normal breast looks and feels. No breast is typical. What is normal to a person may not be the same to other women. Most women may feel like they have uneven or lumpy breasts. Menstrual period and bearing a child or taking medication cause changes to hormones. This may actually lead to changes in how the breast looks and feels. Doing a regular breast self-exam can help a person evaluate their own breast. For that reason, you must know what is normal to you in order to be able to make rapid observations of possible problems. It is important to get regular screening tests for breast cancer as it can help detect possible signs of early breast cancer.
Also read – Dengue Prevention.