Breast cancer drug Femara superior to Tamoxifen

A study funded by Novartis has reported that its breast cancer drug Femara is more effective at preventing the return of breast cancer following surgery than tamoxifen. An estimated 40,000 of the 211,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer in the US will die. Roughly 500,000 American women take tamoxifen. Both Femara and Tamoxifen reduce estrogen levels in the body and hence inhibit the growth of estrogen-dependent tumors. Tamoxifen blocks estrogen receptors and can be used as a preventative measure for women at high risk of developing breast cancer. Femara works by attacking aromatase which is a key factor in the process of conversion of androgen into estrogen. Study results revealed that Femara reduced the risk of breast cancer return by 19% compared to tamoxifen and was very effective in preventing the spread of breast cancer to other parts of the body. Side effects of Femara included increased risk of bone fractures, slightly higher cholesterol and a very small risk of heart attack and stroke. Femara can't be used during pregnancy. Side effects of tamoxifen include clotting, vaginal bleeding and endometrial changes.

Source: summary of medical news story as reported by Fox News - Web MD

Related Disease Topics:

• Breast cancer
• Cancer
• Bone fractures
• High cholesterol
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Pregnancy
• Blood clots
• Vaginal bleeding
• Endometrial changes

Article Source Details

About: Breast cancer drug Femara superior to Tamoxifen

Date: 27 January 2005

Source: Fox News - Web MD

URL: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,145623,00.html

Related Medical Topics

This summary article refers to the following medical categories:

• Surgery
• Statistics
• Surgery and breast cancer
• Surgery and cancer
• Research
• Research and breast cancer
• Research and cancer
• Research and bone fractures
• Research and high cholesterol
• Research and heart attack
• Research and stroke
• Research and pregnancy
• Research and blood clots
• Research and vaginal bleeding
• Research and endometrial changes
• Medication
• Medication and breast cancer
• Medication and cancer
• Medication and bone fractures
• Medication and high cholesterol
• Medication and heart attack
• Medication and stroke
• Medication and pregnancy
• Medication and blood clots
• Medication and vaginal bleeding
• Medication and endometrial changes
• Cause of breast cancer
• Cause of cancer
• Cause of bone fractures
• Cause of high cholesterol
• Cause of heart attack
• Cause of stroke
• Cause of blood clots
• Cause of vaginal bleeding
• Cause of endometrial changes
• Risk and breast cancer
• Risk and cancer
• Risk and bone fractures
• Risk and high cholesterol
• Risk and heart attack
• Risk and stroke
• Risk and pregnancy
• Risk and blood clots
• Risk and vaginal bleeding
• Risk and endometrial changes
• Side effect
• Side effect and breast cancer
• Side effect and cancer
• Side effect and bone fractures
• Side effect and high cholesterol
• Side effect and heart attack
• Side effect and stroke
• Side effect and blood clots
• Side effect and vaginal bleeding
• Side effect and endometrial changes

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