A new drug has just been approved in England to prevent breast cancer in high-risk populations.
The drug, called anastrozole and branded as Arimidex by ANI Pharmaceuticals and AstraZeneca, had been earlier approved for use as a breast cancer treatment for postmenopausal women.
While it has sometimes been used as a preventative measure in women with family histories of breast cancer, the new approval from England’s National Health Service (NHS) is seen as a gamechanger since it is cheap, easy to take and effective than alternatives.
Anastrozole works by suppressing the amount of estrogen in the body, which can help treat specific kinds of breast cancers that rely on the presence of the hormone.
Trials have shown that the drug can reduce the risk of breast cancer in this group by 50percent.
The agency said that even if a quarter of these women used the drug, it could prevent an additional 2,000 cases of breast cancer, saving them £15 million in treatment costs.
Long-term use of the pill may result in weaker bones, however, as estrogen is needed to keep bones strong.
People using the medicine are recommended to get a bone density screening between their first and second years of treatment. Some patients use Arimidex alongside other medicine that strengthens bones.
