Information specific to: Letrozole 2.5mg tablets when used in Breast cancers.
Letrozole (Leh-troh-zol) is a medicine which is used in early invasive breast cancer and advanced breast cancer.
The information in this Medicine Guide for Letrozole varies according to the condition being treated and the particular preparation used.
Your medicine
Information specific to: Letrozole 2.5mg tablets when used in advanced breast cancer.
Letrozole prevents the production of certain types of hormones in the body. It is used to treat breast cancer in women who have already gone through the menopause. Letrozole is only used to treat breast cancers which are sensitive to hormones. It is not suitable for treating cancers which are not hormone sensitive.
Do not share your medicine with other people. It may not be suitable for them and may harm them.
The pharmacy label on your medicine tells you how much medicine you should take. It also tells you how often you should take your medicine. This is the dose that you and your prescriber have agreed you should take. You should not change the dose of your medicine unless you are told to do so by your prescriber.
If you feel that the medicine is making you unwell or you do not think it is working, then talk to your prescriber.
Information specific to: Letrozole 2.5mg tablets when used in early invasive breast cancer.
Letrozole prevents the production of certain types of hormones in the body. It is used to treat breast cancer in women who have already gone through the menopause. Letrozole is only used to treat breast cancers which are sensitive to hormones. It is not suitable for treating cancers which are not hormone sensitive.
Other information about Letrozole:
- treatment with Letrozole usually lasts for five years
Do not share your medicine with other people. It may not be suitable for them and may harm them.
The pharmacy label on your medicine tells you how much medicine you should take. It also tells you how often you should take your medicine. This is the dose that you and your prescriber have agreed you should take. You should not change the dose of your medicine unless you are told to do so by your prescriber.
If you feel that the medicine is making you unwell or you do not think it is working, then talk to your prescriber.
Whether this medicine is suitable for you
Letrozole is not suitable for everyone and some people should never use it. Other people should only use it with special care. It is important that the person prescribing this medicine knows your full medical history.
Your prescriber may only prescribe this medicine with special care or may not prescribe it at all if you:
- are allergic or sensitive to or have had a reaction to any of the ingredients in the medicine
- are at risk of developing osteoporosis
- are breast-feeding
- are pregnant
- are pre-menopausal
- have angina
- have had osteoporosis or bone fractures
- have kidney problems
- have liver problems
Furthermore the prescriber may only prescribe this medicine with special care or may not prescribe it at all for someone who is under the age of 18 years.
As part of the process of assessing suitability to take this medicine a prescriber may also arrange tests:
- to determine whether or not the medicine is suitable and whether it must be prescribed with extra care
- to check that this medicine is not having any undesired effects
Over time it is possible that Letrozole can become unsuitable for some people, or they may become unsuitable for it. If at any time it appears that Letrozole has become unsuitable, it is important that the prescriber is contacted immediately.
Alcohol
Alcohol can interact with certain medicines.
In the case of Letrozole:
- there are no known interactions between alcohol and Letrozole
Diet
Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your prescriber may advise you to avoid certain foods.
In the case of Letrozole:
- there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when taking Letrozole
Driving and operating machinery
When taking any medicine you should be aware that it might interfere with your ability to drive or operate machinery safely.
In the case of Letrozole:
- this medicine could affect your ability to drive or operate machinery
You should see how this medicine affects you before you judge whether you are safe to drive or operate machinery. If you are in any doubt about whether you should drive or operate machinery, talk to your prescriber.
Family planning and pregnancy
Most medicines, in some way, can affect the development of a baby in the womb. The effect on the baby differs between medicines and also depends on the stage of pregnancy that you have reached when you take the medicine.
In the case of Letrozole:
- women who are pregnant must not take this medicine
- you must not take Letrozole during pregnancy. If you could become pregnant, you must use effective contraception or abstain from penetrative sex. You must contact your prescriber if you become pregnant, or think you have become pregnant, while taking Letrozole
- this medicine is harmful to your baby if taken during pregnancy
This medicine is not suitable during pregnancy. It is very important that you seek urgent medical advice if you become pregnant or think you have become pregnant while taking this medicine.
If you are planning to become pregnant, you should discuss your personal circumstances with your doctor so that together you can make a decision about what treatment you may need during your pregnancy.
Breast-feeding
Certain medicines can pass into breast milk and may reach your baby through breast-feeding.
In the case of Letrozole:
- women who are breast-feeding must not take this medicine
Before you have your baby you should discuss breast-feeding with your doctor or midwife. If you wish to breast-feed you should discuss with your prescriber whether there are any other medicines you could take which would also allow you to breast-feed. You should not stop this medicine without taking advice from your doctor.
Taking other medicines
If you are taking more than one medicine they may interact with each other. At times your prescriber may decide to use medicines that interact, in other cases this may not be appropriate.
The decision to use medicines that interact depends on your specific circumstances. Your prescriber may decide to use medicines that interact, if it is believed that the benefits of taking the medicines together outweigh the risks. In such cases, it may be necessary to alter your dose or monitor you more closely.
Tell your prescriber the names of all the medicines that you are taking so that they can consider all possible interactions. This includes all the medicines which have been prescribed by your GP, hospital doctor, dentist, nurse, health visitor, midwife or pharmacist. You must also tell your prescriber about medicines which you have bought over the counter without prescriptions.
The following medicines may interact with Letrozole:
- cimetidine
- clopidogrel
- phenytoin
- tamoxifen
The following types of medicine may interact with Letrozole:
- cytochrome P450 enzyme inhibitors
- medicines that are metabolised by the cytochrome P450 system
- medicines that are used to treat cancer
- oestrogens
- other anti-oestrogens
If you are taking Letrozole and one of the above medicines or types of medicines, make sure your prescriber knows about it.
Complementary preparations and vitamins
Medicines can interact with complementary preparations and vitamins. In general, there is not much information available about interactions between medicines and complementary preparations or vitamins.
If you are planning to take or are already taking any complementary preparations and vitamins you should ask your prescriber whether there are any known interactions with Letrozole.
Your prescriber can advise whether it is appropriate for you to take combinations that are known to interact. They can also discuss with you the possible effect that the complementary preparations and vitamins may have on your condition.
If you experience any unusual effects while taking this medicine in combination with complementary preparations and vitamins, you should tell your prescriber.
