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A medication that keeps breast cancer from returning also seems to prevent it in the first place. Aromasin is a powerful anti-estrogen compound. It works by blocking an enzyme called aromatase used by the body in the production of estrogen. The study included more than 4,500 post-menopausal women who were at high risk of developing breast cancer. The women were randomly assigned to get Aromasin or a placebo.
In the course of the three-year study, 11 women taking Aromasin developed breast cancer. That compares to 32 of the volunteers on placebo. The relative risk reduction is large, about 65 percent. But because there were so many women involved and so few of them got breast cancer, the absolute risk went down from 1.4 percent of those on placebo to 0.5 percent of those on Aromasin. This works out to 94 women taking the drug for 3 years in order to protect one from breast cancer. Some doctors doubt that women will be willing to make that trade off, especially since Aromasin can cause hot flashes, joint pain, hair loss, fatigue and weakened bones.
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After my initial burst of hope resulting from the recent news of Aromasin helping to prevent breast cancer in high-risk, post-menopausal women, of which I am one, I am disappointed to read about the possible side effects as mentioned in your Newsletter today. I still plan to have a discussion about the drug with my physician. Being fully informed is so important. Thank you, as usual, for your excellent reporting.
So, after decades of telling women to take estrogen to protect them from all kinds of things, and "stay young forever", now they want women to take anti-estrogen to PROTECT them from estrogen. No thanks to either! Of course, just letting nature take its course at menopause, like I did, doesn't make the medical system any money.
I would like to hear more about this subject.
I have been on a nearly identical drug with the same side effect profile as Aromasin for the last three years because of metastatic breast cancer. Arimidex has worked very well. My doctor can find no evidence of disease. But the hot flashes have been pretty severe, and I struggle with memory problems and insomnia. My bones are thinning and osteoporosis is the next thing. Would I take this drug if I didn't have cancer on the very small chance it would prevent it? No way.
I have been taking Aromasin for nine months. I have had some hot flashes but not as intense as those following menopause. I have had some hair loss and what I have is very thin and I hope that in time it will regrow. As I am ninety six years old, I expect that I would have had thinning hair without taking the Aromasin. I'm glad to be taking the Aromasin.