Femara only after tamoxefin

[KRISS]

Hi Ladies
This week I saw my onc for herceptin and told him I was having a complete hysterectomy next month. So He said we would take me off of tamoxefin and start me on femara the week after surgery. He sent me home with samples and an info pack. While reading the info I kept noticing it stresseed several times that femara is to be used only after completeing 5 years or withing 3 month of ending tamoxefin. I have only been on it since July. Is this info old or what? Of course I will ask onc when I see him again ( which is before surgery ) but just wanted info in the meantime. Thanks, Kriss

[Becky]

Dear Kriss

The label directions for Femara are correct as of today. This is because the FDA approved Femara for use after Tamoxifen because of the only trial that has been completed for the drug year-to-date. I am certain we talked about this on the phone and this is the reason Arimidex seems to be prescribed more. HOWEVER, Femara works the same and is absolutely appropriate. Have no fears about it whatsoever. The trials will be done shortly that will show they all work the same. And as I stated many times before, there was a study of 20 women with bone mets where Arimidex, Femara and Aromosin were used alone and the women on Femara did slightly better. It was not statistically relevant because the study was so small and a larger study needed to be employed.
<O:p
Drug companies can only publish literature for the approved or proven uses of their products (this is why until November, 2006, Herceptin’s packaging was still only for metastatic disease as the FDA did not approve it for early use until then. However, many of us were not even in the trial but had completed their year of Herceptin by then)! Or those taking Tykerb but not with Xeloda (which is the only approved combo). I think you get what I mean.

[KRISS]

Thanks Becky
I knew we had talked about it, but seeing it print like that confused me. Right now I seem to second guess my mind alot. Thanks again, Kriss