Letrozole for breast cancer

About letrozole

Letrozole is a hormonal breast cancer 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.

Before taking letrozole

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:

• Wenn Sie noch nicht in den Wechseljahren sind oder wenn die Möglichkeit besteht, dass Sie schwanger sein könnten.

• Wenn Sie Probleme mit der Funktionsweise Ihrer Leber oder mit der Funktionsweise Ihrer Nieren haben.

• Wenn Sie unter einem Verlust der Knochendichte oder "brüchigen Knochen" leiden - ein Zustand, der als Osteoporose bekannt ist.

• Wenn Sie schon einmal eine allergische Reaktion auf ein Arzneimittel hatten.

• Wenn Sie andere Arzneimittel einnehmen. Dazu gehören alle Arzneimittel, die Sie einnehmen und die rezeptfrei erhältlich sind, sowie pflanzliche und ergänzende Arzneimittel.

How to take letrozole

• 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.

Das Beste aus Ihrer Behandlung herausholen

• 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.

• Wenn Sie rezeptfreie Arzneimittel kaufen, sollten Sie sich beim Apotheker vergewissern, dass sie zusammen mit den Ihnen verschriebenen Medikamenten eingenommen werden können.

Can letrozole cause problems?

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.

Wenn Sie andere Symptome haben, von denen Sie glauben, dass sie auf die Tabletten zurückzuführen sind, sprechen Sie mit Ihrem Arzt oder Apotheker, um weiteren Rat zu erhalten.

How to store letrozole

• Bewahren Sie alle Arzneimittel außerhalb der Reichweite und Sichtweite von Kindern auf.

• An einem kühlen, trockenen Ort aufbewahren, vor direkter Hitze und Licht schützen.

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