Faslodex (fulvestrant) is a medication used to treat certain breast cancers. It serves a specific purpose in targeting cancer cells that are sensitive to hormones. Understanding how this treatment works and what to expect is helpful for patients.
What Faslodex Is and How It Works
Faslodex is a form of hormone therapy, not traditional chemotherapy. Chemotherapy typically works by killing rapidly dividing cells, including healthy ones, while hormone therapy specifically targets cancer cells that rely on hormones for growth. This distinction is important for understanding its mechanism of action and potential side effects.
Faslodex belongs to a class of drugs called Selective Estrogen Receptor Degraders (SERDs). It works by binding to estrogen receptors in cancer cells. Once bound, Faslodex causes these receptors to degrade, reducing their number and blocking estrogen’s ability to stimulate tumor growth. This action helps to slow or stop the progression of hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer.
It is used to treat hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer. It is often prescribed for postmenopausal women whose cancer has progressed after other hormone-based treatments. Faslodex can also be used as an initial hormone therapy in postmenopausal women with HR+, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer.
Receiving Faslodex Treatment
Faslodex is administered through intramuscular injection, typically into the buttocks. The common dose is 500 mg, given as two 250 mg injections, one in each buttock. These injections are given slowly, usually taking one to two minutes per injection.
The typical dosing schedule begins with an initial loading phase. Patients receive a dose on Day 1, followed by another dose on Day 15, and then Day 29. After these initial doses, treatment continues with monthly injections. This schedule helps to achieve steady levels of the medication in the body within the first month of treatment.
Faslodex injections are generally given by a healthcare professional in a clinical setting like a doctor’s office or hospital. Consistent adherence to the scheduled appointments is important to maintain the effectiveness of the treatment. If a dose is missed, patients should contact their healthcare provider immediately to reschedule.
Understanding and Managing Side Effects
Like all medications, Faslodex can cause side effects. Common side effects include hot flashes, nausea, fatigue, and pain at the injection site. Patients may also experience muscle, bone, or joint pain, as well as headaches. These mild side effects are often temporary and may subside within a few days or weeks.
Less common but more serious side effects can also occur, such as elevated liver enzymes, which may indicate liver injury. Symptoms like dark urine, jaundice, or abdominal pain should be reported to a doctor immediately. Bleeding and bruising more easily are also possible.
Communication with the healthcare team is important for managing side effects. Patients should inform their doctor or nurse about any side effects they experience, even if they seem minor. Healthcare providers can offer supportive care measures, adjust treatment plans if necessary, or prescribe medications to help alleviate discomfort. In cases of severe symptoms or a medical emergency, immediate medical attention is advised.