Types of hormonal therapy

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About Breast Cancer>Treatments>Hormonal therapy>Types of hormonal therapy > Fulvestrant

Fulvestrant

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Fulvestrant (Faslodex) is an estrogen receptor antagonist, or ERA, a class of medicine that stops the activity of estrogen on cancer cells to keep them from growing.

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How fulvestrant works

Fulvestrant blocks the effect of estrogen that drives cancer growth in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.

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Who gets fulvestrant

Fulvestrant is FDA approved for use in postmenopausal women with metastatic hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. It may be given to:

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How fulvestrant is given

Fulvestrant is given by injection into the buttocks. For the first month, you will receive two shots every 2 weeks. Afterward, it is given as two injections every 4 weeks.

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Side effects and things to remember

Common side effects of fulvestrant are:

You should not take fulvestrant if you are pregnant, and you should not become pregnant while taking it or for a year after treatment ends as fulvestrant can harm the fetus. You also should not breastfeed while taking fulvestrant.

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About this page
Glossary
About LBBC

Reviewed and updated: January 26, 2018

Reviewed by: Jennifer Winn, MD, MS

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