What is the difference between anastrozole and Arimidex?

Asked by: Jaya Silver

Arimidex is the brand name for anastrozole. It was FDA approved in 1995, and it is used to treat hormone receptor-positive receptor early breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Arimidex is available as a 1 mg tablet taken once daily with or without food.

Is generic anastrozole as good as Arimidex?

Anastrozole has an average rating of 5.2 out of 10 from a total of 201 ratings on Drugs.com. 29% of reviewers reported a positive effect, while 36% reported a negative effect. Arimidex has an average rating of 5.9 out of 10 from a total of 68 ratings on Drugs.com.

Is Arimidex and anastrozole the same thing?

Arimidex (chemical name: anastrozole) is an aromatase inhibitor used to treat all stages of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer in post-menopausal women.

What is the best estrogen blocker for breast cancer?

Tamoxifen. Tamoxifen blocks estrogen from connecting to the cancer cells and telling them to grow and divide. While tamoxifen acts like an anti-estrogen in breast cells, it acts like an estrogen in other tissues, like the uterus and the bones.

Is there a better drug than anastrozole?

Two other aromatase inhibitors, exemestane and letrozole, can be used instead of anastrozole to help reduce your risk of breast cancer recurrence.

Which is the best brand of anastrozole?

You may also hear it called Arimidex, which is its best-known brand name. There are a number of other brands of anastrozole, all of which contain the same dose of the drug. Men with breast cancer may be given anastrozole, although another drug called tamoxifen is more commonly used.

Why do you have to take anastrozole for 5 years?

Long-Term Follow-Up Supports Anastrozole Treatment to Prevent Breast Cancer Recurrence. Five years of treatment with anastrozole safely and effectively prevented breast cancer recurrence in high-risk postmenopausal women at 10.9 years of follow-up.

Why was anastrozole recalled?

According to the June 26, 2019, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Enforcement Report, the recall was initiated due to the potential for cross-contamination from a cleaning procedure failure. The recall affects anastrozole tablets from lots 175289A, 175286B, and 175290B (Exp.

What foods should be avoided with anastrozole?

Avoid raw fruits, vegetables, whole-grain breads, cereals, and seeds. Soluble fiber is found in some foods and absorbs fluid, which can help relieve diarrhea.

What are the long term side effects of anastrozole?

Can Arimidex cause long-term side effects that result in permanent damage?

• osteoporosis (bone weakness) or bone fractures.
• depression.
• increased cholesterol levels.
• liver problems.
• hair loss or hair thinning.

Should you take calcium with anastrozole?

Coleman recommended that women taking anastrozole have their BMD monitored every 1 to 2 years. “They should also take calcium and vitamin D supplements during anastrozole therapy,” he said.

What is the success rate of anastrozole?

RESULTS: Anastrozole was as effective as tamoxifen in terms of OR (21% v 17% of patients, respectively), with clinical benefit (CR + PR + stabilization ≥ 24 weeks) observed in 59% of patients on anastrozole and 46% on tamoxifen (two-sided P = . 0098, retrospective analysis).

Is Arimidex hard on the liver?

The majority of people who reported liver problems with Arimidex didn’t experience any symptoms. In most cases, the only change noted is a slight increase in liver enzymes. However, in very rare instances, more severe problems such as hepatitis can occur.

Can anastrozole affect your eyesight?

Based on analysis of OCT retinal thickness data, it is likely that anastrozole increases the tractional force between the vitreous and retina. Consequently, AI users, myopic AI users particularly, might be at increased risk for traction-related vision loss.

Why does anastrozole cause joint pain?

Women taking a type of hormone therapy called aromatase inhibitors (such as anastrozole, letrozole and exemestane) for breast cancer, may have joint pain and sometimes muscle pain. This is probably caused by a decrease in oestrogen levels. Joint pain is also a common symptom of the menopause.

Does anastrozole affect your memory?

A pattern of decline in working memory and concentration with initial exposure to anastrozole was observed. Women receiving anastrozole alone had a second deterioration in working memory and concentration from 12 to 18 months post-therapy initiation.

Why do I have to take anastrozole for 10 years?

The extension of the treatment period of adjuvant treatment with anastrozole to 10 years showed significantly higher rates of disease-free survival (DFS) and distant disease-free survival (DDFS) among certain patients with breast cancer; however, no gain in overall survival (OS) was seen in the randomized, multicenter, …

Can you be in the sun while taking anastrozole?

If patients have been prescribed an anti-nausea medication, they should be sure to take the prescribed doses. Wear sunscreen and protective clothing and try to minimize sun exposure. Drink plenty of fluids.

What happens after 5 years of taking anastrozole?

After taking 5 years of hormonal therapy following surgery, postmenopausal women diagnosed with early-stage hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer got the same benefits from taking 2 more years of the aromatase inhibitor Arimidex (chemical name: anastrozole) as they did from taking 5 more years of Arimidex, according …

Is 5 years on anastrozole enough?

“After 5 years of standard endocrine therapy, 2 additional years of anastrozole are sufficient,” said Michael Gnant, director and chairperson of the department of surgery at the Comprehensive Cancer Center at the Medical University of Vienna, who presented the research.

What is the best time of day to take anastrozole?

You may take anastrozole at whatever time of day you find easiest to remember, but try to take your doses at the same time each day. This will help you to avoid missing any doses. You can take the tablet before or after a meal. If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember.

How long can you stay on anastrozole?

Treatment with anastrozole usually lasts for up to 5 years. It is important to complete your course of treatment. Common side effects can be like menopause symptoms and include hot flushes, difficulty sleeping, tiredness and low mood.

Is anastrozole a form of chemo?

Is anastrozole (Arimidex) a type of chemotherapy? Anastrozole (Arimidex) is considered a hormone therapy rather than a traditional chemotherapy medication. Chemotherapy is used to target and kill cancer cells, whereas anastrozole (Arimidex) is used to lower estrogen in the body.

Will bone density improve after stopping anastrozole?

Bone loss associated with anastrozole use is partially reversible after stopping treatment, particularly at the lumbar spine. For patients who have been given risedronate for osteoporosis prevention, bone mineral density improved only at the lumbar spine but not the total hip.