Hormone therapy (also called endocrine therapy) for breast cancer is one line of defense in the vast tool kit for treatment.
“For women who have hormone-positive breast cancer, it means that they have a cancer that needs estrogen to grow,” Dr. Elizabeth Comen, a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, explains.
Read MoreTamoxifen is a type of hormone therapy drug used to treat breast cancer. It is also used to prevent breast cancer among women who are at high risk for breast cancer because of family history.
Other hormone therapies may include aromatase inhibitors. These drug treatments block the activity of the aromatase enzyme and, therefore, stop estrogen production. This helps slow down the growth of tumor cells sensitive to estrogen.
Examples of aromatase inhibitors include anastrozole (Arimidex), letrozole (Femara), and exemestane (Aromasin). All of these are in the form of pills that are taken once a day.
Hormone Therapy Side Effects Can Mimic Menopause
The side effects of hormone or endocrine therapy can mimic menopause.
Depending on the endocrine or hormone medication, each one may have its own side effects. Typical side effects for certain types of hormone therapy drugs may include:
- Bone pain
- Joint pain
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Fatigue
- Constipation
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