Breast Cancer Medication
A summary of breast cancer medication available
Most women who are diagnosed with breast cancer will need to undergo some form of breast cancer surgery, as well as radiotherapy or chemotherapy for breast cancer. After these treatments are complete, your doctor may recommend hormone therapy or biological therapy depending what your particular type of cancer is receptive to. Here are some details about the breast cancer medication used in hormone therapy and biological therapy.
Breast cancer medication used in hormone therapy
Tamoxifen is one of the most common breast cancer medication, and is usually used to treat cancers that are receptive to the hormone oestrogen, although it can also be effective in treating progesterone receptor positive cancer.
Tamoxifen is taken daily in tablet or liquid form, and is usually prescribed for around five years after breast cancer surgery. Possible side effects of tamoxifen can include fatigue, sickness, irregular periods for pre menopausal women, joint pain, headaches, weight gain, and hot flushes.
Pituitary downregulators are breast cancer medication that are only prescribed to pre menopausal women, as they work by preventing the ovaries from producing hormones such as oestrogen.
Women taking pituitary downregulators will probably find that their menstrual cycle stops while they are using these breast cancer medication. In most cases, periods will resume once the treatment is over, but in women that are approaching the menopause this is not always the case.
Further side effects of pituitary downregulators include mood swings, hot flushes, sweating, and difficulty sleeping.
Aromatase inhibitors are breast cancer medication that can only be prescribed to women who have passed the menopause as they work by preventing the production of oestrogen in the adrenal glands that takes place after menopause. They are recommended for post menopausal women who are diagnosed with oestrogen receptive cancer.
Aromatase inhibitors are taken daily in tablet form, and they can produce various side effects including decreased libido, hot flushes, sweating, sickness, fatigue, joint pain, headaches and rashes on the skin.
Breast cancer medication used in biological therapy
Herceptin is one of the most common breast cancer medication used in biological therapy. Herceptin is a monoclonal antibody that works like the antibodies made naturally in your body. It identifies and destroys cancer cells that are receptive to the protein HER2.
Biological breast cancer medication like herceptin are given intravenously, and therefore need to be given in hospital. Treatments take around an hour, and are given between one and three weeks apart. The number of treatments you need will depend on how advanced the cancer is.
Herceptin is not prescribed to women with a history of heart disease, angina, high blood pressure, or problems with the valves of the heart. This is because heart problems can be a side effect of the medication. If you are having herceptin you will be regularly monitored to be sure it is not having an effect on your heart.
It is also possible to have an allergic reaction to herceptin when you are given it for the first time. This can cause sickness, fever, chills, wheezing, diarrhoea, fatigue and aching joints.
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