How Does Femara Work?
Femara® (letrozole) is a prescription medication used for the treatment of breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Specifically, it is approved for use in postmenopausal women who:
- Have early breast cancer that is hormone receptor-positive and who have had surgery
- Have taken tamoxifen (Nolvadex®, Soltamox™) for five years after surgery or radiation for breast cancer
- Have advanced or metastatic (spreading) breast cancer that is either hormone receptor-positive or hormone receptor-unknown.
How does Femara work? To answer that question, it helps to first understand that many breast cancer tumors grow with the help of estrogen. Femara works by decreasing the production of estrogen in the body. It does this by blocking an enzyme (aromatase) that is known to help with the production of estrogen.
(For a closer look at how this drug works, click Femara. This article tells you what you need to know before starting treatment with this breast cancer medicine, including helpful dosing tips, potential side effects, and more.)