A study finds exercise can ease the achy joints and muscle pain that lead many patients to quit taking medicines that treat the disease and lower the risk of a recurrence.
The study involved 121 women on aromatase inhibitors. The estrogen-blocking pills are recommended for five years after initial breast cancer treatment for hormone-driven tumors, the most common type.
Joint pain is the top reason women quit taking the drugs, but Boston researchers found exercise cut this problem and helped women lose weight.
The study was discussed Thursday at a cancer conference in San Antonio.
BENEFITS OF HORMONE-BLOCKER
Although Thursday, results of another study were released and they show that women at high risk of developing breast cancer because of family history or bad genes have a new option to help prevent the disease.
A study of 4,000 women found that a daily hormone-blocking pill cut the risk of developing breast cancer by more than half after five years of use.
The drug is anastrozole, sold as Arimidex and in generic form. It can cause hot flashes, joint pain and other side effects, but these were nearly as common among women given dummy pills and are often due to menopause and aging.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2013/12/268808