Femara 2.5mg

Letrozole: Overview and Mechanism of Action

Letrozole is a medication primarily used to treat breast cancer in postmenopausal women. It belongs to a class of drugs known as aromatase inhibitors, which work by reducing the levels of the female sex hormone, estrogen.

How Letrozole Works

In postmenopausal women, the hormone estrogen is mainly produced by converting other sex hormones, such as androstenedione and testosterone, into estrogen through the action of the aromatase enzyme. Letrozole works by inhibiting the aromatase enzyme, effectively blocking this conversion process. As a result, estrogen levels in the body are significantly reduced.

Since most breast cancers are estrogen-sensitive (often referred to as estrogen receptor-positive cancers), the reduction in estrogen levels starves the cancer cells, slowing or stopping their growth.

Who Can Use Letrozole?

Letrozole is specifically designed for use in postmenopausal women because, before menopause, the ovaries are the primary source of estrogen, and the aromatase enzyme plays a less significant role in estrogen production. Thus, letrozole is not effective in premenopausal women.

By targeting estrogen production in postmenopausal women, letrozole offers a powerful treatment option for those with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer, helping to manage the disease and prevent its progression.