Femara
Generic Name: Letrozole
Brand Name: Femara
Indications
Femara (letrozole tablets) is indicated for the adjuvant treatment of postmenopausal women with hormone receptor positive early breast cancer.
Dosage and Administration
Femara is available for oral administration as 2.5mg tablets.
Normal Dosage:
The recommended dose of Femara (letrozole tablets) is one 2.5 mg tablet administered once a day, without regard to meals.
Drug Description
Femara (letrozole tablets) for oral administration contains 2.5 mg of letrozole, a nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor (inhibitor of estrogen synthesis). It is chemically described as 4,4'-(1H-1,2,4-Triazol-1-ylmethylene)dibenzonitrile, and its structural formula is
Letrozole is a white to yellowish crystalline powder, practically odorless, freely soluble in dichloromethane, slightly soluble in ethanol, and practically insoluble in water. It has a molecular weight of 285.31, empirical formula C17H11N5, and a melting range of 184°C-185°C.
Side effects
The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.
- Hot flushes
- Disturbances of the gut such as diarrhoea, constipation, nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain
- Fatigue
- Hair loss
- Pain in muscles or joints
- Change in appetite
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Rash, dry skin or itching
- Increased sweating
- Swelling of the legs and ankles due to excess fluid retention (peripheral oedema)
- Weight gain
- Vaginal bleeding, discharge or dryness
- Urinary tract infection
- Tumour pain
- Depression or anxiety
- Memory impairment
- Difficulty in breathing (dyspnoea)
- Awareness of your heartbeat (palpitations)
- Raised cholesterol levels
- Difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
Precautions
- You should not use this medication if you are allergic to letrozole, or if you have not gone completely through menopause.
- Before taking Femara, tell your doctor if you have liver disease. You may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take this medicine.
- This drug belongs to the FDA pregnancy category D and this means that taking this drug during pregnancy may affect the foetus.Do not take this medicine without consulting your doctor.
- This medicine may cause fatigue and dizziness. You should take care when performing potentially hazardous activites, such as driving or operating machinery, until you know how this medicine affects you and are sure you can perform such activities safely.
Drug Interactions
Medicines that contain estrogens, for example hormone replacement therapy (HRT), should not be taken in combination with this medicine, as they will oppose its action and make it less effective at treating the cancer.
