Faslodex: is it hormone therapy? See indications, action and price

The breast cancer is a disease that affects thousands of women every year in Brazil. Campaigns to encourage self-examination and medical follow -up for annual check-ups are frequent .

There are several treatment options for this disease, such as the use of medications or hormonal therapies. Among the options, there are remedies like Faslodex.

Check out the indications of the package leaflet, how the medicine acts and other information:

Contents

What is Faslodex and what is the laboratory?

Faslodex is one of the trade names of the remedy whose active ingredient (drug) is Fulvestranto. It is a reference drug from the Astrazeneca laboratory and is available in an injectable version (for intramuscular use).

This medication is used to treat some types of breast cancer and acts by inhibiting the growth of the tumor sensitive to the hormone estrogen (responsible for most cases). What is possible due to the action of the substance Fulvestranto – belonging to the class of antiestrogens.

In the next topics, see the indications of the drug and the action of the active ingredient.

What is Faslodex used for?

According to the instructions on the package insert, the drug Faslodex should be used for the treatment of breast cancer in women of any age, who are postmenopausal .

The conditions are that the tumor is locally advanced or metastatic (when it spreads to other parts of the body), previously treated with an antiestrogen – regardless of whether postmenopause occurred naturally or was artificially induced.

In addition, this medication can also be used in combination with Palbocyclib. In this case, treatment is indicated for women in the same conditions as before, but who have breast cancer positive for the hormone receptor (RH) and negative for the receptor for human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER-2).

It is also necessary that, in this case, they have undergone previous treatment with endocrine (hormonal) therapy.

What is the mechanism of action of the active ingredient Fulvestranto?

The active ingredient Fulvestranto acts as a competitive substance, that is, it binds to the estrogen receptor and inhibits tumor growth in cases of breast cancer.

It prevents the production of estrogen, the generic name for hormones responsible for ovulation and the development of “female characteristics”. This is because this is one of the most responsible for the occurrence of breast cancer.

In this way, the substance causes estrogen to be temporarily eliminated from the body and thus stops the tumor from developing.

Is Faslodex hormone therapy?

-Yeah . As mentioned in the previous topic, Fulvestranto (active ingredient of Faslodex) acts by inhibiting / blocking the effects of the hormone estrogen in the body.

Thus, Faslodex can be classified as hormone therapy – because the category includes medications that act by blocking or interfering with hormone production.

How does the package insert indicate applying Faslodex?

Faslodex is an injectable medication, applied intramuscularly (directly into the muscle). The package insert indicates that the injection is prepared and administered by a health professional, with medical supervision and in an appropriate environment.

In addition, the application must be carried out in the buttock region and done slowly – care is also necessary on the part of the professional due to the proximity to the sciatic nerve.

There are also indications that Faslodex can be administered in conjunction with Palbocyclib (drug substance). However, in this case, it is necessary for patients to be previously treated with LHRH agonists (gonadotropin-releasing hormone).

It is worth mentioning that, when used in combination, it is necessary to pay attention to the recommendations on the package insert of both – considering that they may have divergences, including in the dose. What should always be evaluated by a doctor.

Regarding the dosage in cases of monotherapy, the package insert recommends that 500mg be administered intramuscularly in 2 injections of 5mL (one in each buttock).

The interval of 1 month must be respected and an additional dose of 500mg is required after 2 weeks of the initial dose.

What are the side effects?

Like any medicine, Faslodex can cause side effects for people who use it. It must be remembered that it is a relative factor, as some patients may not have it while others may even have more than one reaction.

According to the package leaflet, very common adverse reactions (occurring in more than 10% of patients) are:

  • Injection site reactions and peripheral neuropathic pain (pain that occurs due to disease or nerve damage) related to the injection site;
  • Weakness, nausea;
  • Elevation of liver enzymes (ALT, AST, ALP) – which can only be detected from a blood test;
  • Allergic reactions;
  • Arthralgia (joint pain), musculoskeletal pain;
  • Rash (skin lesions with redness);
  • Heat waves.

There are also common reactions (occurring between 1% and 10% of patients):

  • Headache (headache);
  • Increased bilirubin (secretion produced by the liver);
  • Reduced platelet count (blood cells);
  • Vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia (due to loss of appetite);
  • Urinary tract infections.

To find out more information about unusual / rare reactions, it is ideal to seek medical help and read the package leaflet .

Faslodex is fattening?

There is no indication of weight gain in the package insert of the drug Faslodex as a possible side effect. Thus, there is no evidence that treatment with this medication can put on weight.

However, some possible adverse reactions of the medication can alter the diet, such as vomiting or nausea. So you need to be aware of any changes.

If you notice changes in your weight for no apparent reason, you should inform the doctor responsible for your case. He / she will be able to investigate the cause of the weight change and relate, or not, this factor to the medication.

Is it approved by ANVISA?

-Yeah . Faslodex is registered with ANVISA (National Health Surveillance Agency) under number 116180114 and is classified as an antineoplastic drug.

Therefore, it is marketed as a safe medication with proven efficacy based on specific tests.

What is the price of Faslodex and where to buy cheaper?

The price * for Faslodex may vary according to availability and also according to your region. There are two ways of marketing the medicine:

  • Faslodex (250mg / 5mL) box with 1 syringe with solution + 1 needle – in general, the value is approximately R $ 4,000;
  • Faslodex (250mg / 5mL) box with 2 syringes with solution + 2 needles – the price ranges from R $ 6,800 to R $ 7,800.

It is worth mentioning that this medication is only sold to hospitals.

* Prices consulted in February 2020. Prices may change.

Does Faslodex have generic or similar?

-Yeah . The drug Faslodex has generic and similar versions available, they are:

  • Eranful (similar interchangeable);
  • Vequile (similar interchangeable);
  • Seletiv (similar interchangeable);
  • Supreniq (similar interchangeable);
  • Poemmy (similar interchangeable);
  • Mylveston (similar);
  • Fulvestranto Sandoz (generic);
  • Fulvestranto Mylan (generic);
  • Fulvastranto Euroframa (generic);
  • Fulvestranto Doctor Reddy’s (generic).

It is worth remembering that no medication should be replaced, or used simultaneously, without the prescription of the doctor responsible for the case.

Are you in SUS?

No . The drug Faslodex (whose active ingredient is Fulvestranto) does not appear in the National List of Essential Medicines (RENAME) of 2020 – as well as its active ingredient.

In addition, the drug is also not classified as an exceptional dispensing medication. Therefore, it is currently not available through SUS.

How to budget?

In cases of non-availability via the Unified Health System (SUS), patients with a medical report can apply for a court order to receive treatment paid for by the Federal Government or even through the Health Plan – if applicable.

For that, it is necessary to open a process according to the stipulated requests. Among them is the delivery of documents that include: medical report, exams, standard requirement and budget from 3 pharmacies .

Considering the wide range of commercialization networks, it is possible to count on the assistance of advisors in judicial quotations for the purchase of medicines in order to make the budget easier.

When accessing the link , just perform your registration informing some personal data and the necessary medication. Finally, click on “request quotes” and wait for the return soon.


Treatment with hormone therapy is just one of the possible treatments for breast cancer. It is also common for people with the disease to need more invasive treatments, such as radiation therapy or surgery.

However, if precautions are taken properly (self-examination and medical follow-up for annual examinations, such as mammography ), it is possible to discover the disease earlier.

Thus, it is often possible to perform non-invasive treatments, for example, the use of medications such as Faslodex.

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