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Aromatase Inhibitor Withdrawal

Meaning

A clinical phenomenon observed following the cessation of therapy with aromatase inhibitors, which are medications used primarily in oncology to suppress estrogen synthesis. The abrupt removal of this estrogen-suppressing agent can lead to a rapid and often temporary surge in circulating estrogen levels due to the rebound activity of the aromatase enzyme. This rebound effect can precipitate a transient hyperestrogenic state, sometimes resulting in a constellation of symptoms or a theoretical risk of disease flare-up in hormone-sensitive conditions.