What is Arimidex used for?

Arimidex is used to treat breast cancers. It is used as an adjuvant treatment in postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer. It is also used to treat advanced breast cancer (both hormone receptor-positive and hormone receptor unknown status). This medicine is effective against locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Arimidex is also used to treat advanced breast cancer in postmenopausal women who have had disease progression after tamoxifen treatment (Nolvadex), which is another medication for breast cancer. Patients whose breast cancers are ER-negative (hormone receptor negative) and who did not respond to tamoxifen are unlikely to respond to Arimidex.

How does Arimidex work?

Arimidex decreases the amount of estrogen made in the body by the adrenal glands. It slows the growth of some types of breast cancer cells that need estrogen to grow.

What are Arimidex doses?

Arimidex is available as a 1-mg tablet. The usual dose of Arimidex is 1 mg by mouth every day.