How Femara plays its part
13 April 2012
- Most women are diagnosed with breast cancer after finding a lump themselves or after a mammogram.
- After diagnosis they have the cancerous lump removed. Some have chemotherapy before and after surgery.
- Doctors can then prescribe Tamoxifen for five years. Tamoxifen blocks oestrogen and stops it from stimulating the cancer cells. However, after five years it can produce dangerous toxins.
- New drug Femara works by stopping the production of oestrogen.
- Femara is a prescription drug, taken once a day as a tablet. It costs the NHS ?83.16 per patient a month. Trials suggest it is effective for three years.
