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exemestane Side Effects

Also known as: Aromasin

Analysis of 20,856 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2003 to 2025.

Total Reports

20,856

Death-Related

2,477

11.9% of reports

Hospitalizations

5,181

24.8% of reports

Top Indication

Breast Cancer

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

FATIGUE
2,174
MALIGNANT NEOPLASM PROGRESSION
1,772
ARTHRALGIA
1,678
NAUSEA
1,675
DIARRHOEA
1,661
DYSPNOEA
1,372
PAIN
1,111
ASTHENIA
1,065
MALAISE
1,049
HEADACHE
1,047
COUGH
1,001
VOMITING
971
DISEASE PROGRESSION
961
DEATH
927
NEOPLASM PROGRESSION
923
METASTASES TO BONE
900
DECREASED APPETITE
880
DIZZINESS
862
ALOPECIA
856
PYREXIA
824

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 18,955 (98%)
Male 214 (1%)
Unknown 97

Age Distribution

0-17 67 (0%)
18-44 833 (6%)
45-64 5,935 (42%)
65-74 4,365 (31%)
75+ 2,778 (20%)

Reporting Trend by Year

2003 2025

Reactions in Death Reports

Top reactions reported in 2,477 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.

Reaction Reports
DEATH 924
DYSPNOEA 502
FATIGUE 395
DIARRHOEA 352
ASTHENIA 349
MALIGNANT NEOPLASM PROGRESSION 345
NAUSEA 341
ASCITES 313
VOMITING 310
COUGH 304
DECREASED APPETITE 292
SEPSIS 276
MALAISE 275
HEADACHE 273
FALL 272
ARTHRALGIA 270
INSOMNIA 268
DIZZINESS 266
PYREXIA 266
TACHYCARDIA 265

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 5,181 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
DYSPNOEA 612
FATIGUE 590
NAUSEA 565
DIARRHOEA 560
VOMITING 441
PYREXIA 404
ASTHENIA 392
MALIGNANT NEOPLASM PROGRESSION 373
PAIN 365
PNEUMONIA 351
COUGH 339
ANAEMIA 333
WEIGHT DECREASED 307
DECREASED APPETITE 304
MALAISE 298
PLEURAL EFFUSION 290
GENERAL PHYSICAL HEALTH DETERIORATION 280
HEADACHE 261
ARTHRALGIA 235
STOMATITIS 233

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What the FAERS Data Reveals About exemestane Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 20,856 voluntary reports linked to exemestane and its brand equivalents (Aromasin), spanning 2003 through 2025. Of those, 2,477 (11.9%) listed death as an outcome and 5,181 (24.8%) involved hospitalization. The most common indication reported alongside adverse events was Breast Cancer.

Demographic breakdowns help contextualize who is being exposed to the drug. Of reports with known sex, 98% were female and 1% male; age distribution skews toward 45-64, with 5,935 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is fatigue with 2,174 submissions, followed by malignant neoplasm progression and arthralgia.

FAERS is a signal-detection tool, not a scorecard. Reports are voluntary, and a single case may list multiple suspect drugs, so numbers above should not be read as incidence rates or per-patient risk. Widely prescribed drugs naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies even when individual risk is low. These aggregates are useful for spotting patterns that merit further pharmacovigilance, not for choosing between medications. This page is for educational reference only and is not medical advice — speak with a licensed clinician about any side-effect concerns.