Fareston

Fareston (chemical name: toremifene) is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat post-menopausal women diagnosed with advanced (metastatic) hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer.

Fareston is a pill that is taken once per day. Most doctors recommend taking Fareston at the same time every day.

Fareston won't work on hormone-receptor-negative breast cancer.

Fareston is not commonly used in the United States.

Benefits of Fareston

Because Fareston is used to treat only metastatic breast cancer (breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body), all of the studies on its benefits have been very small with relative short follow-up time. Still, the studies showed that Fareston was similar to tamoxifen in the time it stopped cancer from progressing.

Side effects of Fareston

The most common side effects of Fareston are:

• tumor flare (sudden increase in tumor-related symptoms, such as bone pain, lymph node swelling, or skin rash)
• hypercalcemia (increased calcium levels in the blood)
• bone pain 
• skin redness or rash
• dry skin
• hot flashes
• sweating
• nausea
• mood swings
• vaginal discharge or bleeding
• vision problems
• dry eyes
• dizziness
• swelling of the hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
• endometrial cancer

Does insurance cover Fareston?

Costs for Fareston can vary. If you have health insurance, check with your insurance company to see if and how much of the cost of Fareston is covered. If you don't have health insurance or your insurance doesn't cover the cost of Fareston, ask your doctor or nurse about programs in your area that may be able to help.

You can also read the Breastcancer.org Paying for Your Care section for information on additional types of financial assistance and cost-lowering tips.