Package Insert: Information for the Patient
Letrozole Alter 2.5 mg Film-Coated Tablets
Letrozole
Read this package insert carefully before starting to take this medication, as it contains important information for you.
What is Letrozol Alter and how it works
Letrozol Altercontains an active ingredient called letrozol. It belongs to a group of medications called aromatase inhibitors. It is a hormonal (or "endocrine") treatment for breast cancer.The growth of breast cancer is usually stimulated by estrogens, which are the female sex hormones.Letrozol Alter reduces the amount of estrogen by blocking an enzyme ("aromatase") involved in estrogen production and therefore can block the growth of breast cancers that need estrogens to grow.As a result, tumor cells grow more slowly or stop growing and/or spreading to other parts of the body.
What is Letrozol Alter used for
Letrozol Alter is used to treat breast cancer in women who have gone through menopause, that is, the cessation of menstrual periods.
It is used to prevent breast cancer from recurring. It can be used as the first treatment before breast cancer surgery, if immediate surgery is not suitable, or it can be used as the first treatment after breast cancer surgery, or after five years of treatment with tamoxifen. Letrozol Alter is also used to prevent breast cancer from spreading to other parts of the body in patients with advanced breast cancer.
If you have any questions about how Letrozol Alter works or the reason why you have been prescribed this medication, consult your doctor.
Follow carefully all the instructions given by your doctor. They may be different from the general information contained in this leaflet.
Letrozol may cause tendon inflammation or tendon injuries (see section 4). If you experience any signs of pain or tendon inflammation, rest the affected area and contact your doctor.
Do not take Letrozol Alter
If any of these cases apply to you,do not take this medication and inform your doctor.
Warnings and precautions
Consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting to take Letrozol Alter
If any of these cases apply to you,inform your doctor. Your doctor will take this into account during your treatment with Letrozol Alter.
Children and adolescents (under 18 years)
Children and adolescents should not use this medication.
Older adults (65 years and older)
People 65 years and older may use this medication at the same dose as adults.
Taking Letrozol Alter with other medications
Inform your doctor or pharmacist that you are taking, have taken recently, or may need to take any other medication.
Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and fertility
Driving and operating machinery
If you feel dizzy, tired, drowsy, or unwell, do not drive or operate tools or machinery until you feel better again.
Letrozol Alter contains lactose
If your doctor has told you that you have an intolerance to certain sugars, consult with him before taking this medication.
Letrozol Alter contains tartrazine
It may cause allergic reactions.
Use in athletes
This medication contains letrozol, which may produce a positive result in doping control tests.
Follow exactly the administration instructions for this medication as indicated by your doctor or pharmacist. In case of doubt, consult your doctor or pharmacist again.
The usual dose is one Letrozol Alter tablet once a day. If you take Letrozol Alter at the same time every day, it will help you remember when to take the tablet.
The tablet can be taken with or without food and should be swallowed whole with a glass of water or other liquid.
How Long to Take Letrozol Alter
Continue taking letrozol every day for the time your doctor tells you to. You may need to take it for months or even years. If you have any doubt about how long you should take this medication, consult your doctor.
Control of Treatment with Letrozol Alter
You should only take this medication under strict medical supervision. Your doctor will periodically monitor your situation to check that the treatment has the desired effect.
Letrozol may cause a decrease in bone thickness or bone loss (osteoporosis) due to the decrease in estrogen in the body. Your doctor may decide to perform bone density measurements (a way to control osteoporosis) before, during, and after treatment.
If You Take More Letrozol Alter Than You Should
If you have taken too many letrozol tablets, or if someone else has accidentally taken the tablets, contact your doctor or go to the hospital immediately.Show them the medication packaging. You may need medical treatment.
You can also call the Toxicology Information Service, phone 91 562 04 20, indicating the medication and the amount taken.
If You Forget to Take Letrozol Alter
If You Interrupt Treatment with Letrozol Alter
Do not stop taking this medication unless your doctor tells you to. See also the section “How Long to Take Letrozol Alter”.
If you have any other questions about using this medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everyone will experience them.
The majority of side effects are mild to moderate and usually disappear after a few days or weeks of treatment.
Some of these side effects, such as hot flashes, hair loss, or vaginal bleeding, may be due to a lack of estrogen.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.
Some side effects can be serious:
Rare(may affect up to 1 in 100 people):
Rare(may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)
Rotator cuff tear (connective tissue that connects muscles to bones).
If you experience any of the above, inform your doctor immediately.
You must also inform your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms during treatment with Letrozol Alter:
Some side effects are very common(may affect more than 1 in 10 people):
If any of these affect you severely, consult your doctor.
Some side effects are common(may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
If any of these affect you severely, inform your doctor.
Some side effects are infrequent(may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
If any of these affect you severely, inform your doctor.
Side effects with unknown frequency(frequency cannot be estimated from available data):
If any of these affect you severely, inform your doctor.
Reporting side effects:
If you experience any type of side effect, consult your doctor or pharmacist, even if it is a possible side effect that does not appear in this prospectus. You can also report them directly through the Spanish System for Pharmacovigilance of Medicines for Human Use:https://www.notificaram.es. By reporting side effects, you can contribute to providing more information on the safety of this medicine.
Keep this medication out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medication after the expiration date that appears on the packaging after CAD. The expiration date is the last day of the month indicated.
This medication does not require special storage conditions.
Medications should not be disposed of through drains or trash. Dispose of packaging and medications you no longer need at the SIGRE collection point at the pharmacy. If in doubt, ask your pharmacist how to dispose of packaging and medications you no longer need. By doing so, you will help protect the environment.
Letrozol Alter Composition
-The active ingredient is letrozol. Each film-coated tablet contains 2.5 mg of letrozol.
-The other components (excipients) are: lactose monohydrate, carboxymethylstarch sodium (type A) (derived from potato starch), microcrystalline cellulose, hypromellose, anhydrous colloidal silica, and magnesium stearate. The coating is composed ofOpadry Yellow,which is formed by:hypromellose, macrogol 6000, titanium dioxide (E171), yellow iron oxide (E172), red iron oxide (E172), and tartrazine (E102).
Appearance of the product and content of the container
Letrozol Alteris presented as film-coated tablets. The tablets are cylindrical, yellow, biconvex, and marked with the letter “L” on one of the faces.
Each container contains 30 tablets conditioned in blister pack.
Holder of the marketing authorization and responsible for manufacturing
Holder of the marketing authorization
Laboratorios Alter, S.A.
C/ Mateo Inurria 30
28036 Madrid
Spain
Responsible for manufacturing
Laboratorios Cinfa, S.A.
C/ Olaz-Chipi 10, Industrial Estate Areta
31620 Huarte, Navarra
Spain
Last review date of this leaflet:October 2019.
The detailed and updated information of this medicine is available on the website of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Medical Devices (AEMPS)http://www.aemps.gob.es/
Have questions about this medication or your symptoms? Connect with a licensed doctor for guidance and personalized care.