Faslodex
Faslodex (chemical name: fulvestrant) is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration:
- to be used alone as the first treatment for postmenopausal women diagnosed with hormone-receptor-positive, HER2-negative, advanced-stage breast cancer that hasn’t been treated with hormonal therapy
- to treat postmenopausal women diagnosed with metastatic hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer that has stopped responding to other hormonal therapy medicines, such as tamoxifen
Faslodex is the only ERD available to treat breast cancer.
Faslodex won't work on hormone-receptor-negative breast cancer.
Faslodex is liquid that is given once a month as an injection into a muscle, usually at your doctor's office. Women usually get Faslodex as long as it is effectively treating the cancer.
Benefits of Faslodex
Research has shown that Faslodex works as well as or better than Arimidex (chemical name: anastrozole), an aromatase inhibitor, in slowing or stopping the growth of metastatic (breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body), hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer in postmenopausal women after tamoxifen has stopped working.
Side effects of Faslodex
The most common side effects of Faslodex are:
- hot flashes
- nausea
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- constipation
- stomach/abdominal pain
- sore throat
- back pain
- headache
- injection site pain
Some women may have other side effects while getting Faslodex:
- bone/joint pain
- dizziness
- swelling
- loss of appetite
- sleeping problems
- nervousness/anxiety
- sweating
- dry skin
Does insurance cover Faslodex?
Costs for Faslodex can vary. If you have health insurance, check with your insurance company to see if and how much of the cost of Faslodex is covered. If you don't have health insurance or your insurance doesn't cover the cost of Faslodex, ask your doctor or nurse about programs in your area that may be able to help.
AstraZeneca, the company that makes Faslodex, offers the AZ Cancer Support Network, which can help you learn about prescription programs. In the United States, call 1-866-992-9276, or visit the AstraZeneca patient prescription assistance programs page.
You can also read the Breastcancer.org Paying for Your Care section for information on additional types of financial assistance and cost-lowering tips.
