What are aromatase inhibitors?

aromatase inhibitors (AIS) are the class of drugs used to treat breast cancer and ovarian cancer in women after menopause. They work by inhibiting the effect of enzyme aromatase, which is responsible for the synthesis of hormonal estrogen. Estrogen stimulates breast and uterus tissue, promoting cancer growth in these tissues. Therefore, aromatase inhibitors help to slow down cancer growth by limiting the amount of estrogen in the body.

Before menopause, most estrogen in the female body are produced in the ovaries, but after menopause, most estrogen are produced in the adrenal gland by aromatizing, and the hormone androgen are converted into estrogen aromatase. Because aromatization is not the main source of estrogen in prior to menopausal women, aromatase inhibitors are only used to treat cancer in patients with menopause. If it is used in women before menopausal women, AIS can actually worsen cancer because the ovaries increase estrogen Promotion in response to aromatization inhibition.

someinhibitory aromatázy se v současné době používají k léčbě endometriózy a k zastavení nebo zpomalení včasné puberty u dětí. Contemporary research is focused on whether AIS can be used to stimulate ovulation or to help adolescents with growth defects to achieve normal adult heights. Aromatase inhibitors are also sometimes used by bodybuilders who take anabolic steroids to prevent the transformation of the excess testosterone, androgens, to estrogen, which can cause side effects, including gynecomastia or men's breast growth. Toto použití však není lékařsky rozpoznáno jako účinné nebo bezpečné.

Možné vedlejší účinky inhibitorů aromatázy zahrnují poruchy kloubů, jako je artritida a artralgie nebo bolest kloubů. U pacientů, kteří již trpí poruchami kloubů, může AIS způsobit zvýšení příznaků. Inhibitory aromatázy se také mohou zhoršitOsteoporóza a jsou spojena se zvýšením zlomenin kyčle, páteře and wrist. Another possible side effect is hypercholesterolemia or high blood cholesterol. Possible risks of acceptance AIS increase with prolonged use.

women using aromatase inhibitors are sometimes also prescribed bisphosphonates, a class of drugs used to prevent bone loss, to solve the side effect of osteoporosis. However, bisphosphonates are associated with another serious side effect, osteonecrosis of the jaw, characterized by bone damage and death in the jaw due to insufficient blood supply. Statins, drugs that reduce cholesterol can help solve cardiovascular risks and osteoporosis when they are accepted with AI, and do not carry the risk of jaw osteonecrosis.