13 percent of women stop taking breast cancer drug because of side effects

More than 10 percent of women with breast cancer stopped taking the commonly prescribed aromatase inhibitors (a type of drug designed to block the production of estrogen) because of joint and muscle pain, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. The researchers are looking at interventions to determine how to manage the musculoskeletal side effects of these drugs. Symptoms almost always improve after stopping the drug. Researchers are trying to determine if switching to a different aromatase inhibitor will prevent the side effects in women who are affected. Another option is to switch from an aromatase inhibitor to tamoxifen, which also blocks estrogen but which is not known to cause as much joint and muscle pain.