It is a type of hormonal therapy. Hormonal therapies work by interfering with the production or action of particular hormones. Hormones are substances produced naturally by the body, where they act as chemical messengers and help control the activity of cells and organs. Arimidex is also being studied in controlled clinical trials to compare its effectiveness with other types of hormone treatment like tamoxifen . Your doctor can explain why you may be offered this treatment as part of a trial.
Many breast cancers rely on supplies of the hormone oestrogen to grow.
This is carried out by an enzyme called aromatase. This conversion process is known as aromatization, and happens mainly in the fatty tissues of the body. Arimidex works by blocking this process and preventing this chemical change. This results in a reduction in the amount of oestrogen in the body. For this reason Arimidex is known as an aromatase inhibitor.