The treatment is taken as a 1mg tablet, once a day for five years. Anastrozole is an aromatase inhibitor. This works by cutting down the amount of the hormone oestrogen that a patient’s body makes by blocking an enzyme called ‘aromatase’.
The most common side effects of the medicine are hot flushes, feeling weak, pain/stiffness in the joints, arthritis, skin rash, nausea, headache, osteoporosis, and depression. Anyone who suspects they are having a side effect from this medicine is encouraged to talk to their doctor, pharmacist or nurse and report it directly to the MHRA’s Yellow Card scheme.
Effective
Health Minister, Will Quince, said: “Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK so I’m delighted that another effective drug to help to prevent this cruel disease has now been approved.
“We’ve already seen the positive effect Anastrozole can have in treating the disease when it has been detected in post-menopausal women and now we can use it to stop it developing at all in some women.
“This is a great example of NHS England’s innovative Medicines Repurposing Programme supporting the development of new ways for NHS patients to benefit from existing treatments.”
Dame June Raine, Chief Executive of the MHRA, said: “This innovative Programme is essential to support and advance research into medicines that might be repurposed, increase access to life-saving medicines and, ultimately, improve patients’ lives. The MHRA welcomes applications for repurposed medicines and encourages early dialogue from companies or developers considering this.”
Baroness Delyth Morgan, chief executive at Breast Cancer Now, said: “The extension of anastrozole’s licence to cover it being used as a risk-reducing treatment is a major step forward that will enable more eligible women with a significant family history of breast cancer, to reduce their chance of developing the disease.
“For the past decade, Breast Cancer Now has been tirelessly campaigning with clinicians, researchers and patients for drugs that are found to be effective and safe in new uses to reach people who could benefit, and we were thrilled when NHS England set up the Medicines Repurposing Programme. Anastrozole was the first drug to be supported by the programme and this paves the way for improving access to risk-reducing drugs. We look forward to continuing our work with NHS England to further improve access to these drugs for everyone eligible.”
Jonathan Wilson, Senior Vice President at Accord Healthcare said: “We believe in the untapped potential of existing medicines to serve broader healthcare needs. Our work with the Medicines Repurposing Programme isn’t just about innovation; it’s about creating real, measurable outcomes for patients.
“By obtaining this licence variation in partnership with the Programme, we’ve not only expanded treatment options but also provided renewed hope for thousands of individuals. It’s a profound step forward, validating our commitment to collaboratively advancing healthcare with quality, safety, and efficacy at the forefront.”
