Letrozole

Letrozole is an anti-estrogen drug used for postmenopausal women with breast cancer. The medicine prevents the action of an enzyme in the body called aromatase. Letrozole was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1997.

What condition does Letrozole treat?

Letrozole is used to treat breast cancer and help prevent the condition from coming back. This drug is for those women who’ve been through a type of cancer known as hormone-dependent breast cancer and menopause. Most of the people who take Letrozole will have radiotherapy, surgery, and sometimes chemotherapy to treat their breast cancer.

Letrozole can also use:

• To treat breast cancer in younger women and men
• To prevent breast cancer if you are at higher risk and have been through the menopause
• As a fertility treatment if you have polycystic ovary syndrome
  

How does Letrozole work?

• Letrozole prevents the action of an enzyme in the body called the aromatase enzyme. The aromatase enzyme is involved in creating a female sex hormone called estrogen. The enzyme transforms the sex hormones androstenedione and testosterone into estrogen. Letrozole prevents it by blocking the aromatase enzyme’s action, which causes the estrogen levels to decrease.
• Also, by lowering estrogen levels, this medicine starves breast cancer cells and stops them from spreading.
  

What is the dosage of Letrozole?

• The recommended dose of this drug is usually 2.5 mg taken once a day, at the same time each day.
• Letrozole is to be taken by mouth with a full glass of water.
• You may need to take Letrozole for several years or longer. Continue taking it even if you feel well, and don’t stop taking Letrozole without consulting.
  

What are the precautions in using Letrozole?

• Pregnant women should not handle this medication or breathe in the dust from medicine because it absorbs via lungs and skin.
• The drug night makes you dizzy or rarely blurs your vision. You should not do anything that requires your alertness until you can do it safely.
• You must not use birth control products that have estrogen.
• Breastfeed while taking Letrozole and for at least three weeks after stopping treatment is not recommended.
• Let your doctor know if you have osteoporosis, high cholesterol, or liver disease. This medicine can increase the chance of fractures and broken bones and lessen the concreteness of your bones. Discuss with your healthcare provider the risks of taking this medication.
• Take right away your missed dose soon as you remember it. Keep in mind to never double your dosage if you’ve missed one. For more information, you can call your healthcare provider. In case of overdose, call for emergency assistance right away.
• Letrozole may cause side effects such as headache, constipation, weakness, dizziness, or nausea. Tell your healthcare provider if any of these symptoms get worse or do not go away.
• Keep this drug in the container it came in, tightly closed, and far from the reach of children or your pets. Keep Letrozole at room temperature away from excess moisture and heat.

Cost of Generic Letrozole vs. Femara

Letrozole is a low-cost but effective drug against hormone receptor positive breast cancer among women who have gone through menopause. The generic Letrozole only cost $25 per 10 tabs of 2.5 mg each at Rx 2 Go Pharmacy while Femara, the brand name, costs $235.30 per 10 tablets, or $23.53 per tablet.