Fulvestrant
Description
Fulvestrant is used to treat a certain type of advanced breast cancer (estrogen-dependent breast cancer) in postmenopausal women. It is used as a monotherapy or in combination with palbociclib to treat hormone-receptor positive, advanced breast cancer in women whose breast cancer has worsened after being treated with anti-estrogen medication such as tamoxifen.
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Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Fulvestrant
- Swelling of face, arms, hands, lower legs,or feet
- Rapid weight gain
- Tingling of hands or feet
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Headache
- Joint and muscle pain
- Vaginal bleeding
- Injection site reactions
Uses of Fulvestrant
What is it prescribed for?
- Breast cancer
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Concerns
Commonly asked questions
- Onset of actionThe amount of time required for this medicine to show its action is not clinically established.
- Duration of effectThe duration for which this medicine remains active in the body is not clinically established.
- Safe with alcohol?Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
- Is it habit forming?No habit-forming tendencies were reported.
- Usage in pregnancy?This medicine is not recommended for use in pregnant women.
- Usage while breast-feeding?This medicine is not recommended for use in breastfeeding women. All the risks and benefits should be discussed with the doctor before receiving this medicine. Your doctor may advise you to discontinue the drug or to discontinue breastfeeding based on your clinical condition
Allergy
This medicine is not recommended for use in patients with a known allergy to fulvestrant or any other inactive ingredient present along with it.
Pregnancy
This medicine is not recommended for use in pregnant women due to the potential for serious adverse effects on the unborn baby.
Severe Hepatic impairment
This medicine is not recommended for use in patients with severe liver impairment due to the increased risk of worsening of the patient's condition.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
This medicine is not recommended for use in pregnant women.
Breast-feeding
This medicine is not recommended for use in breastfeeding women. All the risks and benefits should be discussed with the doctor before receiving this medicine. Your doctor may advise you to discontinue the drug or to discontinue breastfeeding based on your clinical condition
General warnings
Liver Impairment
This medicine should be used with caution in patients with mild to moderate liver diseases due to the increased risk of severe adverse effects. Close monitoring of liver function is recommended while receiving this medicine. Appropriate dose adjustments or replacement with a suitable alternative may be required in some cases based on the clinical condition.
Severe allergic reactions
Use of this medicine may cause severe allergic reactions and injection site reactions in some people. In case of any such reactions, treatment should be discontinued and appropriate medical therapy should be instituted immediately.
Contraception
Use of this medicine may increase the risk of harm to the unborn baby in pregnant women. Effective contraception is advised for the women with the childbearing potential to avoid such risks.
Bleeding disorder
This medicine should be used with caution in patients who are at risk of bleeding, or with thrombocytopenia due to the increased risk of worsening of the patient's condition. An alternative treatment option should be considered in some cases based on the clinical condition.
Driving or Operating machinery
Use of this medicine may cause blurred vision or dizziness in some patients. It is advised that you do not perform any activities such as driving a vehicle or operating machinery if you experience any of these symptoms during treatment with this medicine.
Missed Dose
The missed dose of this medicine should be taken as soon as possible. Since this medicine is given on 1-month interval, if you miss any scheduled dose you should contact your doctor immediately and fix an appointment as recommended by your doctor.
Overdose
Since this medicine is administered in the hospital or clinical setting by a qualified healthcare professional, the likelihood of an overdose is very low. However, emergency medical treatment will be initiated by the doctor if an overdose is suspected.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.
Interaction with Alcohol
Description
Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
Instructions
Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
Interaction with Medicine
Omacetaxine
Disease interactions
Disease
Information not available.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
This medicine is usually administered in the clinical/hospital setting under the supervision of a qualified healthcare professional. Do not miss any scheduled dose. Consult the doctor if you experience any undesirable side effects. Ensure that the treatment course is completed.
Miscelleneous
How it works
Fulvestrant works by blocking the estrogen receptors and inhibiting the action of estrogen on cancer cells. This slows down or stops the growth of some breast tumors that need estrogen to grow.
Legal Status
Classification
Category
Estrogen receptor antagonists, Hormones/antineoplastics
Schedule
Schedule H
[Internet]. Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2018 [cited 24 December 2018]. Available from:
[Internet]. Medicines.org.uk. 2018 [cited 24 December 2018]. Available from:
Fulvestrant - DrugBank [Internet]. Drugbank.ca. 2018 [cited 24 December 2018]. Available from:
[Internet]. Ebs.tga.gov.au. 2018 [cited 24 December 2018]. Available from:
Information on this page was last updated on 1 Feb 2019
Disclaimer
We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Practo only provides reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Practo does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided above. If you have any doubts about your medication then we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. See detailed T&C here.