What is AROMASIN?
AROMASIN is used in women who are past menopause. It is used in:
- Early breast cancer (cancer that has not spread outside the breast). AROMASIN lowers the risk the cancer will come back. It is for women who:
- Have cancer that needs the female hormone estrogen to grow and
- Had surgery for breast cancer, and possibly other treatments for breast cancer including radiation or chemotherapy and
- Have taken tamoxifen for 2 to 3 years and
- Are switching to AROMASIN to finish 5 years in a row of hormonal therapy.
- Advanced breast cancer (cancer that has spread), to treat cancer that came back after treatment with tamoxifen. Certain breast cancers need the female hormone estrogen to grow (estrogen receptor-positive cancer). While you are taking AROMASIN, your body stops making estrogen. AROMASIN may slow or stop the growth of the cancer.
AROMASIN is hormone therapy. It is not chemotherapy. It is not hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Who should not take AROMASIN?
Do not take AROMASIN if:
- You are allergic to AROMASIN or anything in it. The active ingredient is exemestane. There is a list of what is in AROMASIN at the end of this leaflet.
3 What should I tell my doctor before taking AROMASIN?
Tell your doctor about all your medical conditions. Be sure to tell your doctor if you:
- Are still having menstrual periods (are not past menopause). AROMASIN is only for women who are past menopause.
- Are pregnant or could be pregnant. Taking AROMASIN during pregnancy may cause birth defects or miscarriage.
- Have liver or kidney problems.
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take. Include prescription and nonprescription medicines, herbal remedies, and vitamins. AROMASIN and other medicines may affect how each other work.
Be sure to tell your doctor if you take:
- Medicines with estrogen, such as Premarin®, other hormone replacement therapy, or birth control pills or patches. AROMASIN should not be taken with these medicines as they could affect how well AROMASIN works.
- Rifadin® (rifampin)
- Dilantin® (phenytoin), Tegretol® (carbamazepine), or Luminal® (phenobarbital)
- St. John’s wort
Know what medicines you take. Keep a list of them with you. Show it to your doctor or pharmacist each time you get a new prescription.
What are the possible side effects of AROMASIN?
Serious Side Effects
- Bone loss. AROMASIN may reduce your bone mineral density (BMD) over time. This may raise your risk for bone fractures.
- Chest pain, heart failure, or stroke. A small number of women had chest pain, heart failure, or a stroke while taking AROMASIN.
Common Side Effects
- hot flashes
- headache
- depression
- difficulty in breathing
- feeling tired
- trouble sleeping
- feeling anxious
- joint pain
- increased sweating
- upset stomach
Your doctor may do blood tests to check your liver and kidney function during treatment.
These are not all the side effects with AROMASIN. Ask your cancer nurse or doctor for a more complete list.
How Should I take AROMASIN?
- Take your dose of AROMASIN once a day, every day, after a meal. AROMASIN comes in 25mg tablets you take by mouth. Your doctor will tell you how many AROMASIN tablets to take for your dose.
- Try to take your treatment at the same time each day.
- Take your medicine for as long as your doctor tells you.
- Tell your doctor if you do not feel well after starting AROMASIN.
- If you miss a dose of AROMASIN, take it as soon as you remember. If it is close to your next dose, just take your next dose at your regular time.
- Don’t take more than one dose of AROMASIN at a time.
- Make a note of when your prescription will run out. That way, you can get it refilled on time.
How Should I Store AROMASIN?
- Keep AROMASIN and all medicines out of the reach of children.
- Store AROMASIN at room temperature, 77°F (25°C), in its original container.
General information about AROMASIN
Doctors can prescribe medicines for conditions that are not in the patient information leaflet. Use AROMASIN only for what your doctor prescribed. Do not give it to other people, even if they have the same conditions you have. It may harm them.
This leaflet gives the most important information about AROMASIN. For more information about AROMASIN, talk with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist. You can visit our Web site at www.AROMASIN.com, or call 1-888-AROMASIN (1-888-276-6274).
What are the ingredients in AROMASIN??
- Active ingredient: exemestane
- Inactive ingredients: mannitol, crospovidone, polysorbate 80, hypromellose, colloidal silicon dioxide, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium starch glycolate, magnesium stearate, simethicone, polyethylene glycol 6000, sucrose, magnesium carbonate, titanium dioxide, methylparaben, and polyvinyl alcohol.
Tell your healthcare provider if you have vomiting, diarrhea, or signs of dehydration that does not go away. ABRAXANE may cause fertility problems in males and females, which may affect your ability to have a child.
Talk to your healthcare provider if this is a concern for you. These are not all of the possible side effects of ABRAXANE. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Ask your healthcare provider if you do not know.