What is EXEMESTANE? EXEMESTANE is used in women who are past menopause for the treatment of: |
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- Early breast cancer (cancer that has not spread outside the breast) in women who:
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- have cancer that needs the female hormone estrogen to grow, and
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- have had other treatments for breast cancer, and
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- have taken tamoxifen for 2 to 3 years, and
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- are switching to EXEMESTANE to complete 5 years in a row of hormonal therapy.
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- Advanced breast cancer (cancer that has spread) after treatment with tamoxifen, and it did not work or is no longer working.
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It is not known if EXEMESTANE is safe and effective in children. |
Do not take EXEMESTANE if you are allergic to EXEMESTANE or any of the ingredients in EXEMESTANE. See the end of this leaflet for a complete list of ingredients in EXEMESTANE. |
Before you take EXEMESTANE, tell your doctor about all your medical conditions, including if you: |
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- are still having menstrual periods (are not past menopause). EXEMESTANE is only for women who are past menopause.
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- have weak or brittle bones (osteoporosis)
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- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Taking EXEMESTANE during pregnancy or within 1 month of becoming pregnant can harm your unborn baby.
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- Females who are able to become pregnant should have a pregnancy test within 7 days before starting treatment with EXEMESTANE.
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- Females who are able to become pregnant should use effective birth control (contraceptive) during treatment with EXEMESTANE and for 1 month after your last dose of EXEMESTANE. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant.
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- are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if EXEMESTANE passes into your breast milk. Do not breast-feed during treatment with EXEMESTANE and for 1 month after your last dose of EXEMESTANE.
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- Have liver or kidney problems.
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Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take medicines that contain estrogen, including other hormone replacement therapy or birth control pills or patches. EXEMESTANE should not be taken with medicines that contain estrogen as they could affect how well EXEMESTANE works. |
How should I take EXEMESTANE? - •
- Take EXEMESTANE exactly as your doctor tells you.
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- Take EXEMESTANE 1 time each day after a meal.
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- If you take too much EXEMESTANE, call your doctor right away or go to nearest hospital emergency room.
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What are the possible side effects of EXEMESTANE? EXEMESTANE may cause serious side effects, including: |
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- Bone loss. EXEMESTANE decreases the amount of estrogen in your body which may reduce your bone mineral density (BMD) over time. This may increase your risk for bone fractures or weak and brittle bones (osteoporosis). Your doctor may check your bones during treatment with EXEMESTANE if you have osteoporosis or at risk for osteoporosis.
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The most common side effects of EXEMESTANE in women with early breast cancer include: |
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- hot flashes
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- headache
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- feeling tired
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- trouble sleeping
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- joint pain
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- increased sweating
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The most common side effects of EXEMESTANE in women with advanced breast cancer include: |
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- hot flashes
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- increased sweating
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- nausea
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- increased appetite
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- feeling tired
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Your doctor will do blood tests to check your vitamin D level before starting treatment with EXEMESTANE. EXEMESTANE may cause decreased fertility in males and females. Talk to your doctor if you have concerns about fertility. These are not all the possible side effects of EXEMESTANE. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. |
How should I store EXEMESTANE? - •
- Store EXEMESTANE at room temperature 68°F to 77°F (20°C to 25°C).
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- Keep EXEMESTANE and all medicines out of the reach of children.
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General information about the safe and effective use of EXEMESTANE. Medicines are sometimes prescribed for purposes other than those listed in a Patient Information leaflet. Do not use EXEMESTANE for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give EXEMESTANE to other people, even if they have the same symptoms you have. It may harm them. You can ask your pharmacist or doctor for information about EXEMESTANE that is written for health professionals. |
What is in EXEMESTANE? Active ingredient: exemestane Inactive ingredients: mannitol, crospovidone, polysorbate 80, hypromellose, colloidal silicon dioxide, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium starch glycolate, magnesium stearate, simethicone, polyethylene glycol 6000, sucrose, magnesium carbonate, titanium dioxide, methylparaben, and polyvinyl alcohol. 
LAB-0510-8.0
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