those with severe joint and limb pain on femara,aromasin (?and arimidex?)

[Lani]

There may be visible changes on ultrasound, MRI which correlate with your symptoms ie, they may not just be in your head. This study only looked at those that complained a lot about these symptoms, so its unclear if they represent everyone taking these medications. But this study may be worth showing your oncologist. I will try to get the full article to see why arimidex was not listed, but I think it is because the study is out of Belgium--in the EU femara seems to be used much more than arimidex

Jean--this is just the start of many articles which will surely be coming out which I hope will answer your question.

Posted on the main board as I assumed its wider readership would get this information out to more who might find it helpful:

1: Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2006 Oct 24; [Epub ahead of print] Links
Debilitating musculoskeletal pain and stiffness with letrozole and exemestane: associated tenosynovial changes on magnetic resonance imaging.

Morales L,
Pans S,
Paridaens R,
Westhovens R,
Timmerman D,
Verhaeghe J,
Wildiers H,
Leunen K,
Amant F,
Berteloot P,
Smeets A,
Van Limbergen E,
Weltens C,
Van den Bogaert W,
De Smet L,
Vergote I,
Christiaens MR,
Neven P.
Department of General Medical Oncology, University Hospital Gasthuisberg, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
OBJECTIVE: Arthralgia, skeletal and muscle pain have been reported in postmenopausal women under treatment with third generation aromatase inhibitors (AIs). However, the pathogenesis and anatomic correlate of musculoskeletal pains have not been thoroughly evaluated. Moreover, the impact of AI-induced musculoskeletal symptoms on normal daily functioning needs to be further explored. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We examined 12 consecutive non-metastatic breast cancer patients who reported severe musculoskeletal pain under a third generation AI; 11 were on letrozole and 1 on exemestane. Clinical rheumatological examination and serum biochemistry were performed. Radiological evaluation of the hand/wrist joints were performed using ultrasound (US) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). RESULTS: The most common reported symptom was severe early morning stiffness and hand/wrist pain causing impaired ability to completely close/stretch the hand/fingers and to perform daily activities and work-related skills. Six patients had to discontinue treatment due to severe symptoms. Trigger finger and carpal tunnel syndrome were the most frequently reported clinical signs. US showed fluid in the tendon sheath surrounding the digital flexor tendons. On MRI, an enhancement and thickening of the tendon sheath was a constant finding in all 12 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Musculoskeletal pains in breast cancer patients under third generation AIs can be severe, debilitating, and can limit compliance. Characteristic tenosynovial, and in some patients joint changes on US and MRI were observed in this series and have not been reported before.
PMID: 17061044 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]