Tamoxifen Benefits

Deciding to take any medication is a personal decision and the benefits and risks specific to you should be taken into consideration.

Some of the factors that should be considered are:
- specifics of the diagnosis - hormone receptor status, stage of disease, etc.
- family history and hereditary risk of breast cancer
- specifics of the prognosis
- risk of recurrence
- treatment and surgery history
- personal risk tolerance
- potential benefits and risks of tamoxifen

Potential benefits of tamoxifen for hormone receptor positive breast cancer:
- helps to prevent growth of cancer in the breast
- reduces the risk of cancer recurrence in the breast
- reduces the risk of new cancer in the breast

Potential risks of tamoxifen:
- increases the risk of blood clots, strokes, uterine cancer, and cataracts
- less serious side effects are similar to menopause, such as: hot flashes and vaginal discharge

High benefit of tamoxifen example:
Someone who has had a lumpectomy for an invasive cancer and positive lymph nodes is probably a high risk of recurrence and the benefits of tamoxifen likely outweigh the risks. Unless this person has a high risk of blood clots, in which case they should consider other hormonal treatment options.

Low benefit of tamoxifen example:
Someone who has had a bilateral mastectomy for a non-invasive cancer (DCIS) is probably a low risk for recurrence and the risks of tamoxifen would likely outweigh the benefits. Deciding to take any medication is a personal decision and the benefits and risks specific to you should be taken into consideration.

Some of the factors that should be considered are:
- specifics of the diagnosis - hormone receptor status, stage of disease, etc.
- family history and hereditary risk of breast cancer
- specifics of the prognosis
- risk of recurrence
- treatment and surgery history
- personal risk tolerance
- potential benefits and risks of tamoxifen

Potential benefits of tamoxifen for hormone receptor positive breast cancer:
- helps to prevent growth of cancer in the breast
- reduces the risk of cancer recurrence in the breast
- reduces the risk of new cancer in the breast

Potential risks of tamoxifen:
- increases the risk of blood clots, strokes, uterine cancer, and cataracts
- less serious side effects are similar to menopause, such as: hot flashes and vaginal discharge

High benefit of tamoxifen example:
Someone who has had a lumpectomy for an invasive cancer and positive lymph nodes is probably a high risk of recurrence and the benefits of tamoxifen likely outweigh the risks. Unless this person has a high risk of blood clots, in which case they should consider other hormonal treatment options.

Low benefit of tamoxifen example:
Someone who has had a bilateral mastectomy for a non-invasive cancer (DCIS) is probably a low risk for recurrence and the risks of tamoxifen would likely outweigh the benefits.

Potential benefits of tamoxifen for hormone receptor positive breast cancer:
- helps to prevent growth of cancer in the breast
- reduces the risk of cancer recurrence in the breast
- reduces the risk of new cancer in the breast

Potential risks of tamoxifen:
- increases the risk of blood clots, strokes, uterine cancer, and cataracts
- less serious side effects are similar to menopause, such as: hot flashes and vaginal discharge

Research thus far has not shown that tamoxifen and other anti-estrogen medications are effective for hormone (estrogen and progesterone) receptor negative breast cancer tumors. Potential benefits of tamoxifen for hormone receptor positive breast cancer:
- helps to prevent growth of cancer in the breast
- reduces the risk of cancer recurrence in the breast
- reduces the risk of new cancer in the breast

Potential risks of tamoxifen:
- increases the risk of blood clots, strokes, uterine cancer, and cataracts
- less serious side effects are similar to menopause, such as: hot flashes and vaginal discharge

Research thus far has not shown that tamoxifen and other anti-estrogen medications are effective for hormone (estrogen and progesterone) receptor negative breast cancer tumors.