Health Diaries > The Breast Cancer Blog
February 6, 2007
Women Stopping Aromatase Inhibitors Due to Side Effects
Many women stop taking breast cancer drugs called aromatase inhibitors before the five-year drug course is over because of severe side effects.
Joint aches, bone pain, weight gain, hot flashes, insomnia and osteoporosis are among the most common symptoms cited by women taking aromatase inhibitors. The drugs also can affect bone density and increase the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.
Doctors are urging women to continue taking the drugs:
"These are lifesaving drugs for these women," says Dr. Cary Presant, a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Southern California and the author of a recent study on the side effects of these medications. "We want to see women continue taking them."
