The Lowdown on Tamoxifen
by Catie Hayes of Womanlinks.com
Tamoxifen is a medication that has been around for about 20 years. Initially it was prescribed to patients with advanced breast cancer. It has also been used following radiation or surgery in women with early breast cancer. Recently, it has been found that tamoxifen is helpful to women at high risk of developing breast cancer too. There is no current evidence to prove that women at low risk of developing breast cancer could benefit from taking tamoxifen.
Breast cancer thrives in an estrogen rich environment. Tamoxifen is basically an 'anti-estrogen' substance. It competes with estrogen to bind the estrogen receptors in the breast cancer cells. As a result, tumor growth is slowed. Prevention of reoccurance of the original cancer and development of new cancer in the other breast have been found as additional benefits, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Tamoxifen has been found to be most effective for women with ER-positive (estrogen receptor) cancer cells. A biopsy of the cancerous tissue can determine if the cells are ER-positive or ER-negative.
Additionally, studies have shown that the benefits of tamoxifen are age-related. Women over 50 typically show the greatest responce. It is unclear why younger women respond less favoribly, but researchers believe it could be related to the amount of estrogen their bodies produce.
Now there are some risks involved taking tamoxifen. The chances of developing endometrial cancer, deep vein thrombosis (blood clot in the veins), pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung) or stroke are increased. Also, women are two to three times more likely to develop uterine cancer. (this is about the same risk as hormone replacement therapy) Less critical side effects include headaches, nausea, weight loss, irregular menstruation, rashes, mood changes, and cataracts.
The typical dose of tamoxifen is five years. The type of breast cancer will determine the appropriate length of time to take it though. Women with early stage breast cancer may have prescriptions for two to five years, for example. Strangely enough, when tamoxifen is consumed for more than five years, its benefits may be reversed, according to a Duke University Medical Center study.
Although it is a powerful tool in the fight against breast cancer, tamoxifen is not a magic cure-all for every woman. Use of the drug needs to be determined on a case by case basis, carefully weighing the benefits against the risk of side effects. Do your homework, and talk to your doctors. For more information on tamoxifen, see the Breast Cancer Resource page
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