Will My Breast Cancer Come Back? Reducing the Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence After Surgery (NAPSA)—More than 215,000 Femara reduced the risk of breast cancer coming back by 21% over women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. For many of them, surgery to remove the tumor the reduction offered by tamoxifen. Patients taking Femara also showed a 27 percent reduction in the risk of the cancer spreading to distant parts of the body. In this study, women at increased risk of recurrence experienced the greatest benefit from is just the first step in the battle against the disease, often followed by radiation and/or chemotherapy. After that, these women may need to decide with their doctor whether to have “adjuvant therapy’—medication to help prevent their cancer Femara. Femara lowered this risk by 29 percent in women whose from coming back. When a woman’s breast cancer does come back or spreads to other parts of the body, she may be at greater risk of dying from the dis- ease. Women whose breast cancer is detected in the nearby lymph nodes at diagnosis and those who receive chemotherapy after surgery are considered to be at increased risk for breast cancer recurrence. Postmenopausal women whose early-stage breast cancer is hormone-sensitive have a new option as their first hormone therapy following surgery. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved Femara (letrozole tablets) on December 28, 2005 for this type of use. This approval was based on a median of 24 months of treatment. The study is still ongoing to determine the long-term safety and efficacy of Femara. Already a leading breast cancer treatment, Femara is now the only medicine in a group called aromatase inhibitors that is approved for use both immedi- ately following surgery and after five years of tamoxifen. The FDA granted Femara a priority review, a distinction reserved for medica- tions that could potentially offer a significant improvement compared to products currently on the market. A panel from the American Soci- breast cancer had already spread to the lymph nodes at the time of diagnosis and by 30 percent in women who had prior chemotherapy. The results also showed that in these high-risk women, Femara reduced the risk of cancer ety of Clinical Oncology, the coun- spreading to distant parts of the body by 33 percent and 31 per- such as Femara, be part of the erally well tolerated with the most try’s leading group of oncologists, recommends aromatase inhibitors, optimal adjuvant treatment for this group of women. “One of the greatest fears con- fronted by women who have been treated for early breast canceris that their cancer will come back. With Femara, we now have an option that can help address that fear early on, even in patients who we know face the greatest risk of recurrence,” said Matthew Ellis, MD, PhD, FRCP, director of the Breast Cancer Program at Wash- ington University in St. Louis. In a large clinical study of postsurgery breast cancer treatment, researchers compared the effectiveness of Femara and tamoxifen, another drug prescribed after surgery. An analysis performed after 26 months showed that cent, respectively. In this study, Femara was gen- commonside effects including hot flashes, joint pain, night sweats, weight gain and nausea. Tips for Living Healthy Discuss postsurgery treatment options with an oncologist. Whether you're one, five or 10 years beyond your diagnosis, tak- ing care of your overall health and well-being can also reduce your risk of cancer coming back and give you the energy to do the thingsin life that you love. Practice good nutrition e Exercise regularly Tap into a support network Take time outfor yourself For More Information More information is at 1-866- 4FEMARA or www.femara.com or www.us.novartisoncology.com. Editors Note: Important safety information Femara (letrozole tablets) is approved for the adjuvant (following surgery) treatment of postmenopausal women with hor- mone receptor-positive early breast cancer. The benefits of Femara in clinical trials are based on 24 months of treatment. Further follow-up will be needed to determine long-term results, safety and effectiveness. Talk to your doctor ifyoure allergic to Femara or any ofits ingredients. You should not take Femara ifyou are pregnant as it may cause fetal harm. You must be postmenopausal to take Femara. Some women reported fatigue and dizziness with Femara. Until you know how it affects you, use caution before driving or operating machinery. There was an increase in cholesterol in patients on Femara versus tamoxifen (5.4% vs. 1.2%). In the adjuvant setting, commonly reported side effects were generally mild to moderate. Side effects seen in Femara versus tamoxifen included hot flashes (83.7% vs. 38%), joint pain (21.2% vs. 13.5%), night sweats (14.1% vs. 13.5%), weight gain (10.7% vs. 12.9%) and nausea (9.5% vs. 10.4%). Other side effects seen were bone fractures and osteoporosis.
