Advanced breast cancerAdvanced breast cancer factors

Many factors need to be considered following a diagnosis of advanced breast cancer.

The stage of the disease, tumor characteristics, new diagnosis versus recurrence, hormone receptor status, menopausal status, age, prior treatment(s), and overall health and lifestyle — all play a role when determining a treatment plan that is best for you. Your preference for treatment may play an important role in the decision-making process, especially in certain situations in which the survival rates are similar for different treatment options. You and your doctor will determine what is best for you.

There are several options for treating advanced stages of breast cancer. The most common are listed below.

Initial disease stage at diagnosis

Most common initial treatment options

Stage IIIB/C

Chemotherapy to shrink the tumor before surgery
+
Surgery
+
Radiation
AND/OR
Postsurgical chemotherapy
AND/OR
Hormonal treatment
AND/OR
Novel targeted therapy OR Chemotherapy
AND
Radiation
AND/OR
Hormonal treatment
AND/OR
Novel targeted therapy

Stage IV

Hormonal treatment
AND/OR
Chemotherapy
AND/OR
Novel targeted therapy OR Palliative care to reduce breast cancer symptoms

Recurrent

Hormonal treatment
AND/OR
Surgery
AND/OR
Radiation
AND/OR
Chemotherapy
AND/OR
Novel targeted therapy

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Important Information About ARIMIDEX

ARIMIDEX is approved for adjuvant treatment (treatment following surgery with or without radiation) of postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer.

ARIMIDEX is approved for the initial treatment of postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive or hormone receptor-unknown locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer and for the treatment of postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer that has progressed following treatment with tamoxifen. Patients with hormone receptor-negative disease and patients who did not previously respond to tamoxifen therapy rarely responded to ARIMIDEX.

Important Safety Information About ARIMIDEX

  • Prescription ARIMIDEX is only for postmenopausal women. ARIMIDEX should not be taken if you are pregnant because it may harm your unborn child
  • Based on information from a study in patients with early breast cancer, women with a history of blockages in heart arteries (ischemic heart disease) who take ARIMIDEX may have a slight increase in this type of heart disease compared to similar patients who take tamoxifen
  • ARIMIDEX can cause bone softening/weakening (osteoporosis) increasing the chance of fractures. In a clinical study in early breast cancer, there were more fractures (including fractures of the spine, hip, and wrist) with ARIMIDEX (10%) than with tamoxifen (7%)
  • In a clinical study in early breast cancer, some patients taking ARIMIDEX had an increase in cholesterol. Skin reactions, allergic reactions, and changes in blood tests of liver function have also been reported
  • In the early breast cancer clinical trial, the most common side effects seen with ARIMIDEX include hot flashes, joint symptoms (including arthritis and arthralgia), weakness, mood changes, pain, back pain, sore throat, nausea and vomiting, rash, depression, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, fractures, swelling of arms/legs, insomnia, and headache
  • In advanced breast cancer trials, the most common side effects seen with ARIMIDEX versus tamoxifen include hot flashes, nausea, decreased energy and weakness, pain, back pain, headache, bone pain, increased cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, and swelling of arms and legs. Joint pain/stiffness has been reported in association with the use of ARIMIDEX
  • ARIMIDEX should not be taken with tamoxifen or estrogen-containing therapies

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