Loading
Anastrozole is a daily tablet that stops the body making oestrogen after the menopause. It treats and prevents hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer and is an alternative to tamoxifen after surgery for ductal carcinoma in situ.
Anastrozole is a non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor developed by Zeneca (now AstraZeneca). It is taken as a 1 mg tablet once a day and is only effective after the menopause, or in premenopausal women whose ovaries have been suppressed, because it does not stop ovarian oestrogen production.
The FDA approved it in 1995 for advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women after tamoxifen and in 2002 for adjuvant treatment of early hormone-receptor-positive disease, after the ATAC trial showed fewer recurrences than tamoxifen. In prevention, IBIS-II halved the incidence of breast cancer in high-risk postmenopausal women. After breast-conserving surgery for ductal carcinoma in situ, NSABP B-35 and IBIS-II DCIS found it at least as effective as tamoxifen, with a different side-effect profile: joint pain, bone loss and fractures rather than hot flushes, clots and endometrial cancer. Letrozole and exemestane are the other aromatase inhibitors in the class; OnCo's letrozole page covers the class as a whole.
Reversibly blocks aromatase (CYP19A1), the enzyme that makes oestrogen from androgens in fat, muscle and the tumour itself, cutting circulating oestrogen in postmenopausal women to near zero. Connects to Aromatase (CYP19A1).
1.Anastrozole acts on Aromatase (CYP19A1), the hormone receptor or the enzyme that makes the hormone.
Adjuvant treatment of postmenopausal women with hormone receptor positive early breast cancer
Accelerated approval on a surrogate endpoint, with a confirmatory trial required.
Adjuvant treatment of postmenopausal women with hormone receptor positive early breast cancer
Confirmed: the accelerated approval of 2002 converted to traditional approval 3.0 years after it was granted.
| Region | Year | Indication |
|---|---|---|
| US | 1995 | Advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women after tamoxifen |
| US | 2002 | Adjuvant treatment of postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer |
Read for the class this product belongs to (aromatase inhibitors) unless the answer names the product. Population figures from the cohorts named, not a prediction for one person. Blank where no source gives a recovery figure.
Country and place are remembered in this browser only. A postcode is sent to OpenStreetMap's Nominatim service to find coordinates when you press the button; nothing else leaves your device.
Query for this drug: (TITLE:"Anastrozole" OR ABSTRACT:"Anastrozole" OR TITLE:"Arimidex" OR ABSTRACT:"Arimidex" OR TITLE:"ZD1033" OR ABSTRACT:"ZD1033") AND (cancer OR tumor OR tumour OR oncology OR carcinoma OR lymphoma OR leukemia OR leukaemia OR myeloma OR sarcoma OR melanoma OR glioma). Results are unfiltered search hits about Anastrozole, not a curated reading list.
Shares AstraZeneca and the tag subtype-drugs-wave.
Shares Endocrine-therapy-induced alopecia, Exemestane, Letrozole (and other aromatase inhibitors), Tamoxifen.
Shares Aromatase (CYP19A1), Exemestane, Endocrine therapy (SERMs, AIs, SERDs), HR-positive / HER2-negative breast cancer.
Shares Aromatase (CYP19A1), Exemestane, Letrozole (and other aromatase inhibitors), Endocrine therapy (SERMs, AIs, SERDs).
Shares Vaginal oestrogen after breast cancer: what the evidence says, and where it disagrees, Menopause brought on by cancer treatment, and the options for it, Bone loss caused by cancer treatment, and what rebuilds it, Letrozole (and other aromatase inhibitors).
Shares Menopause brought on by cancer treatment, and the options for it, Bone loss caused by cancer treatment, and what rebuilds it, Exemestane, Tamoxifen.
Shares Exemestane, Tamoxifen, Endocrine therapy (SERMs, AIs, SERDs), AstraZeneca.
Shares Chemoprevention (tamoxifen, anastrozole, raloxifene) and ER-negative breast cancer, Tamoxifen, Endocrine therapy (SERMs, AIs, SERDs), HR-positive / HER2-negative breast cancer.