1. What is exemestane?
exemestane bodybuilding dosage is a drug used to treat breast cancer in women who have gone through the menopause. You may also hear it called Aromasin, which is its best-known brand name. There are a number of other brands of exemestane, all of which contain the same dose of the drug. Men with breast cancer may be given exemestane, although another drug called tamoxifen is more commonly used.
2. How does exemestane work?
Exemestane works by reducing the amount of oestrogen made in the body. Some breast cancers are stimulated to grow by the hormone oestrogen. These are known as oestrogen receptor positive or ER+ breast cancers.Exemestane belongs to a group of drugs called aromatase inhibitors.
3. Who it is suitable for
Exemestane is suitable for women who have been through the menopause and whose breast cancer is oestrogen receptor positive.Sometimes exemestane is given alongside a drug called goserelin (Zoladex) to women who haven’t yet been through the menopause. If your cancer is hormone receptor negative, then exemestane will not be of any benefit.
4. Side effects of exemestane
Find out more about the side effects of exemestane.
5. When exemestane is given
Exemestane is usually given after surgery to reduce the risk of breast cancer coming back or spreading.If you’re having chemotherapy or radiotherapy, your specialist will tell you when it’s best to start exemestane.
Occasionally, exemestane may be used as the first treatment for breast cancer, for example when surgery isn’t appropriate or needs to be delayed. It’s sometimes given before surgery to shrink a large breast cancer.
Exemestane can also be used to treat breast cancer that has come back (recurrence). It can also be given to treat breast cancer that has spread to another part of the body (secondary breast cancer), when it’s often given alongside another drug.
6. How long will I have to take it?
This will depend on your individual circumstances, but exemestane is usually taken for five to ten years.Some people start taking exemestane after a few years of taking the hormone therapy drug tamoxifen. If you’re taking exemestane to treat breast cancer that has come back or spread to another part of the body, you’ll usually take it for as long as it’s keeping the cancer under control.
