Aromatase Inhibitors used in post menopausal cases of estrogen receptor positive breast cancers are notorious for causing arthalgias. There are apparently 3 inhibitors:
Arimidex (chemical name: anastrozole)
Aromasin (chemical name: exemestane)
Femara (chemical name: letrozole)
About 1/4 of patients stop the drug within 2 years due to those complaints. 3.4 g/day omega 3 in patients with BMI >30 helped the pain (but not in thinner subjects).
Shen, Sherry, et al.
Omega-3 fatty acid use for obese breast cancer patients with aromatase inhibitor-related arthralgia (SWOG S0927).
Breast cancer research and treatment (2018): 1-8.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10549-018-4946-0
- 3.3 gm/day omega 3 with EPA:DHA 2:1
- no benefits in BMI<30
For BMI>30:
Comments – benefits are mild but if it is enough to keep patient on meds, then it is enough. Under 4/10 is pain subjects can ignore so it could bring it down below that, that is significant. Have to be on them 6 months for full benefits
newpainmuse 