exemestane

According to breast cancer treatment guidelines, aromatase inhibitors like exemestane (Aromasin) can be used to treat breast cancer in people who haven’t gone through menopause. Exemestane (Aromasin) isn’t FDA approved to treat breast cancer in premenopausal women, so this is considered an off-label use of the medication. When exemestane (Aromasin) is used in premenopausal women with breast cancer, it’s typically given together with other treatments that stop the ovaries from making estrogen (ovarian suppression). Ways to suppress the ovaries include surgery to remove both ovaries, radiation, or other medications. Your oncologist will discuss with you about what the best treatment option is for your breast cancer.

No, exemestane (Aromasin) isn’t a steroid medication like how prednisone and dexamethasone are. Instead, exemestane (Aromasin) is a type of hormonal therapy called an aromatase inhibitor. Steroid medications and hormonal therapy share similar chemical structures, but they aren’t used for the same reasons for cancer treatment. Steroid medications act similarly to your body’s natural stress hormone called cortisol. Notably, dexamethasone is commonly used as part of treatment to manage nausea from certain cancer medications. On the other hand, exemestane (Aromasin) is used to help treat certain types of breast cancer.

No. Exemestane (Aromasin) isn’t a chemotherapy medication. Chemotherapy is a class of cancer medications that damages and kills cancer cells in your body. Exemestane (Aromasin) doesn’t kill cancer cells. Instead, it’s a form of hormonal therapy called an aromatase inhibitor. It works by lowering the amount of estrogen your body makes. Most breast cancer cells need estrogen to grow and spread. By lowering the amount of estrogen in the body, exemestane (Aromasin) blocks the “fuel” cancer cells need to grow, which stops the cancer from spreading.

It takes about 5 days for your body to get rid of most of the exemestane (Aromasin) from your system. This time frame is calculated from the medication’s half-life of 24 hours, which is the time it takes for the body to get rid of half the amount of medication from its system.

Exemestane (Aromasin), anastrozole, and letrozole are once-daily oral medications that treat breast cancer in postmenopausal women. They block the body from making estrogen, a hormone that some breast cancers rely on for growth. The medications work just as well as each other to treat breast cancer, and they also have similar side effects. The main difference is what stage of treatment the medications are approved for. Anastrozole (Arimidex) and letrozole (Femara) are approved as first-choice treatment for hormone-receptor positive breast cancer. Exemestane (Aromasin) is approved by the FDA to be used after people have already tried another breast cancer medication called tamoxifen. Speak with your oncologist about which option is best for your treatment plan.

Take exemestane (Aromasin) as instructed by your oncologist. How long you need to take exemestane (Aromasin) depends on several factors, including how well the medication is working to treat your cancer and how well you tolerate it. It can also depend on what stage of menopause you’re in and whether you’ve taken tamoxifen before. Don’t stop taking exemestane (Aromasin) without first discussing it with your oncologist.

You can manage hot flashes both with and without medications. You can try non-medication options, such as relaxation techniques, breathing exercises, and meditation. Keep cool by wearing loose-fitting clothing or using fans. If needed, there are also some medications that can help ease hot flashes, such as progestins, antidepressants, and anticonvulsants. But they can cause additional unpleasant side effects, including nausea, tiredness, or dizziness. Let your cancer care team know if you have bothersome hot flashes while you’re taking exemestane (Aromasin). Your care team can help you decide which option is best fit your needs.