Anastrozole Oral Tablet

Anastrozole is a prescription drug. It’s available as an oral tablet.

Anastrozole oral tablet is available as the brand-name drug Arimidex and as a generic drug. Generic drugs usually cost less. In some cases, they may not be available in the same strengths or dosage forms as the brand-name version.

This drug may be used with other medications to treat breast cancer.

Anastrozole shouldn’t be used in women who haven’t gone through menopause. If you become pregnant while taking anastrozole, stop taking anastrozole right away.

Why it's used

Anastrozole is used to treat breast cancer. It’s used only in women who have gone through menopause. Specifically, it’s used for:

• treatment of early breast cancer. It’s given to women with hormone receptor-positive or unknown breast cancer after surgery or in addition to other therapies.
• initial or first treatment of breast cancer that has metastasized (spread to other parts of the body). It’s used in women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, or women in whom the hormone receptors aren’t known.
• treatment of advanced breast cancer. It’s given when your disease has progressed, even after early response with the cancer drug tamoxifen.

Anastrozole doesn’t work well in women with estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer. It also doesn’t work well in women whose bodies didn’t respond to treatment with tamoxifen.

How it works

Anastrozole belongs to a class of drugs called aromatase inhibitors. They block the production of estrogen, which is a key stimulator of breast cancer. A class of drugs refers to medications that work similarly. They have a similar chemical structure and are often used to treat similar conditions.

In postmenopausal women, an enzyme called aromatase changes hormones called androgens into the hormone estrogen. Many breast cancer tumors grow when estrogen is present. Anastrozole stops aromatase from working. This lowers the amount of estrogen in your body and in the cancer tissue.

All possible dosages and forms may not be included here. Your dose, form, and how often you take it will depend on:

• your age
• the condition being treated
• how severe your condition is
• other medical conditions you have
• how you react to the first dose

Dosage for breast cancer

Generic: Anastrozole

• Form: oral tablet
• Strengths: 1 mg

Brand: Arimidex

• Form: oral tablet
• Strengths: 1 mg

Adult dosage (ages 18 years and older)

The typical recommended dosage is one 1-mg tablet taken by mouth once per day.

Child dosage (ages 0–17 years)

This medication hasn’t been studied in children. It shouldn’t be used in people younger than 18 years.

Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information. However, because drugs affect each person differently, we can not guarantee that this list includes all possible dosages. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Always talk with your doctor or pharmacist about dosages that are right for you.

Anastrozole is used for long-term treatment. It comes with serious risks if you don’t take it as prescribed.

If you don't take it at all, stop taking it, or don’t take it schedule: Your breast cancer may come back.

If you take too much: Call your doctor or go to the emergency room right away. Taking too much of this drug may cause serious side effects such as severe bleeding, death of tissues, or gastritis.

What to do if you miss a dose: If you forget to take your dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it’s just a few hours before the time for your next dose, then only take one dose at that time.

Never try to catch up by taking two doses at once. This could result in dangerous side effects.

How to tell if the drug is working: Your doctor will do tests to check if your breast cancer growth has slowed down or stopped.

There are other drugs available to treat your condition. Some may be more suitable for you than others. Talk to your doctor about possible alternatives.

Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up-to-date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or other healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained here in is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.