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letrozole Side Effects

Also known as: Femara

Analysis of 59,013 adverse event reports submitted to the FDA from 2004 to 2025.

Total Reports

59,013

Death-Related

5,837

9.9% of reports

Hospitalizations

15,111

25.6% of reports

Top Indication

Breast Cancer

Most Reported Adverse Reactions

FATIGUE
7,159
NAUSEA
5,259
NEUTROPENIA
4,896
DIARRHOEA
4,460
MALIGNANT NEOPLASM PROGRESSION
4,254
ARTHRALGIA
3,803
WHITE BLOOD CELL COUNT DECREASED
3,678
ALOPECIA
3,582
PAIN
2,959
ASTHENIA
2,852
DYSPNOEA
2,838
NEOPLASM PROGRESSION
2,802
VOMITING
2,679
DEATH
2,586
HEADACHE
2,388
DECREASED APPETITE
2,319
METASTASES TO BONE
2,268
DIZZINESS
2,170
ANAEMIA
2,160
MALAISE
2,133

Who Reports Side Effects

Gender Distribution

Female 54,311 (98%)
Male 837 (2%)
Unknown 71

Age Distribution

0-17 341 (1%)
18-44 3,510 (9%)
45-64 17,286 (42%)
65-74 11,391 (28%)
75+ 8,508 (21%)

Reporting Trend by Year

2004 2025

Reactions in Death Reports

Top reactions reported in 5,837 reports where death was an outcome. These are voluntarily reported and do not establish causation.

Reaction Reports
DEATH 2,577
MALIGNANT NEOPLASM PROGRESSION 699
DYSPNOEA 632
FATIGUE 629
NAUSEA 586
ASTHENIA 520
VOMITING 510
DIARRHOEA 498
DECREASED APPETITE 442
NEOPLASM PROGRESSION 423
BREAST CANCER METASTATIC 379
ASCITES 373
GENERAL PHYSICAL HEALTH DETERIORATION 368
MALAISE 363
SEPSIS 362
FALL 355
PYREXIA 348
COUGH 340
ARTHRALGIA 330
ABDOMINAL PAIN 328

Reactions in Hospitalization Reports

Top reactions in 15,111 reports where hospitalization was an outcome.

Reaction Reports
NAUSEA 1,637
FATIGUE 1,521
DIARRHOEA 1,339
DYSPNOEA 1,290
VOMITING 1,193
ASTHENIA 962
PYREXIA 937
ANAEMIA 935
PNEUMONIA 891
DECREASED APPETITE 816
PAIN 815
NEUTROPENIA 781
MALAISE 756
MALIGNANT NEOPLASM PROGRESSION 747
ARTHRALGIA 731
WHITE BLOOD CELL COUNT DECREASED 723
FALL 682
GENERAL PHYSICAL HEALTH DETERIORATION 648
URINARY TRACT INFECTION 638
COUGH 627

Nearby — Related Medications

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What the FAERS Data Reveals About letrozole Side Effects

The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) contains 59,013 voluntary reports linked to letrozole and its brand equivalents (Femara), spanning 2004 through 2025. Of those, 5,837 (9.9%) listed death as an outcome and 15,111 (25.6%) 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 2% male; age distribution skews toward 45-64, with 17,286 reports in that bracket. The single most reported reaction is fatigue with 7,159 submissions, followed by nausea and neutropenia.

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.