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Hormone therapy treatments, including natural aromatase inhibitors, are used to fight breast and uterine cancer by depriving cancer cells of estrogen. Two types of natural aromatase inhibitors are available, and they are often prescribed to postmenopausal women. Tamoxifen is another hormone therapy drug that is used in conjunction with natural aromatase inhibitors. Alternative therapies, such as phytoestrogen, quercetin, and resveratrol, can also be used to block estrogen and fight breast and uterine cancers.
A variety of treatments are employed to fight breast and uterine cancer, including many that attempt to deprive cancer cells of the natural estrogen they need to thrive. A common hormone therapy treatment is called a natural aromatase inhibitor, which actually prevents the body from producing estrogen. Other treatments are needed for women who have yet to reach the age of menopause.
Two varieties of a natural aromatase inhibitor may be prescribed. One type suspends the activity of a certain enzyme called aromatase, which is responsible for converting androgens into estrogens in the body. Another type prevents estrogen from entering the bloodstream more directly. In addition to excision of the tumor, radiation or chemotherapy, natural aromatase inhibitor drugs are often prescribed to prevent the growth or recurrence of cancer in postmenopausal women. If indirect inhibitors don’t seem to work, the more direct fulvestrant therapy is often used.
A natural aromatase inhibitor can go by a variety of names. The direct estrogen blocker is called fulvestrant or Faslodex®. Indirect inhibitors are called anastrozole, exemestane and letrozole. Respectively, these have the brand names Arimidex®, Aromasin® and Femara®. All are typically taken once daily in pill form.
Another type of hormone therapy drug called tamoxifen is often used in conjunction with a natural aromatase inhibitor. These are not taken together, but rather in alternating periods. According to the Breast Cancer Diagnosis Guide at Breastcancer.org, doctors often start with a natural aromatase inhibitor since it has slightly fewer side effects. Many doctors alternate each treatment even every two to three years.
The side effects of tamoxifen are considered more serious in some women, including strokes, increased blood clots, and even the development of endometrial cancer in a small percentage. Aromatase therapy, however, could cause heart disease and increased bone loss, known as osteoporosis. Doctors may prescribe a medicine to strengthen bones to be taken together with aromatase inhibitors. The most minor symptoms of this type of hormone therapy are generalized stiffness of the muscles and joints.
Other more natural cancer treatments can be used to block the action of estrogen and fight breast cancers of the uterus. A treatment called phytoestrogen is derived from plants and can reduce the amount of natural estrogen in the body. Other alternative therapies include the enzyme quercetin, found most commonly in apples and onions, and the flavonoid resveratrol, found in high concentrations in dark grapes.
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