What is the medicine used for?
The medicine is used to prevent the recurrence of breast cancer. It can be used either as the first treatment after breast surgery or after five years of treatment with the drug tamoxifen. The medicine is also used to prevent the spread of breast cancer to other parts of the body in patients with advanced disease.
The drug should only be used:
in estrogen and/or progesterone receptor positive breast cancer and
only in women after menopause (after menopause, i.e. after menstruation has stopped forever).
How does the medicine work?
The growth of breast cancer is often stimulated by estrogens (female sex hormones). The drug reduces estrogen by blocking an enzyme involved in the production of estrogen (“aromatase”) and thus may block the growth of breast cancer that requires estrogen to grow. As a result, tumor cells stop growing or grow. slower and/or prevent or slow down the spread of tumor cells to other parts of the body.
monitoring your treatment
You should use this medicine only under close medical supervision. Your doctor will check you on a regular basis to make sure the treatment is working for you.
The medicine can cause thinning or weakening of the bones (osteoporosis) by reducing the amount of estrogen in the body. Therefore, your doctor may measure your bone density (a way to test for osteoporosis) before, during, and after treatment.
If you have any questions about how a medicine works or why this medicine was prescribed to you, ask your doctor.
The drug should not be taken
if you are allergic (hypersensitive) to letrozole or any of the other ingredients,
if you still have menstrual bleeding, i.e. if you have not yet gone through the menopause (climacteric period),
if you are pregnant
if you are breastfeeding.
If any of these statements apply to you, please do not take the medicine and tell your doctor.
Always take your medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Please check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
dosage
The usual dose is one tablet once a day. It will be easier for you to remember to take your pill if you take your medicine at the same time each day.
How long should the medicine be taken?
Continue your daily intake for as long as your doctor tells you to. You may have to take the medicine for months or even years. If you have any questions about how long to take the medicine, talk to your doctor.
If you take more medicine than prescribed
If you have taken too much, or if someone has accidentally taken your pills, contact your doctor or hospital immediately and ask for advice. Give them your pack of pills. Treatment may be required.
If you forget to take a dose
If it is almost time for your next pill (i.e. 2 or 3 hours later), skip the missed dose and take your next pill at the scheduled time.
Otherwise, take the missed tablet as soon as you remember and take the next tablet at the usual time.
Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed dose.
If you stop taking it
Do not stop taking it unless your doctor tells you to.
Special care is required when taking the drug
if you suffer from severe kidney disease,
if you suffer from severe liver disease,
if you suffer from osteoporosis or have broken bones.
If any of these statements apply to you, tell your doctor. Your doctor will take this into account during your treatment.
Consequences of doping abuse
The use of the drug may lead to positive results of doping control.
Children and youth (under 18)
Children and teenagers should not use the medicine.
Old age (age 65 and over)
People aged 65 years and older can use the medicine at the same dose as other adults.
Driving and using cars
If you feel dizzy, dizzy, tired, drowsy, or generally unwell, do not drive or use any tools or machinery until you feel better.
