Tamoxifen used to be
prescribed after you were diagnosed for breast cancer -- and, as with other
forms of chemo, you would run a risk for premature menopause as a side effect.
But recently doctors have begun prescribing Tamoxifen as a preventative to
women with a high risk for breast cancer, since it cuts breast cancer rates by
about 45 percent. While the media has
focused on the positive aspects of this drug (and there are many), there is an
important potential side effect to Tamoxifen that hasn't been played up a great
deal: it can send you into premature menopause.
This happens because Tamoxifen takes the place that estrogen would and
so acts as an estrogen-blocker. Since
your body isn't getting the regular amount of estrogen it would naturally get
-- and since low estrogen levels signal your body to produce more FSH -- your
body ultimately may react by entering menopause prematurely. One important point: Often this is a temporary effect and regular
ovarian function returns.
About Tamoxifen
Tamoxifen is an
antagonist of the estrogen receptor in breast tissue via its active metabolite,
hydroxytamoxifen. In other tissues such as the endometrium, it behaves as an
agonist, and thus may be characterized as a mixed agonist/antagonist. Tamoxifen
is the usual endocrine (anti-estrogen) therapy for hormone receptor-positive
breast cancer in pre-menopausal women, and is also a standard in post-menopausal
women although aromatase inhibitors are also frequently used in that setting
Tamoxifen is sold
under the trade names Nolvadex, Istubal, and Valodex.
Tamoxifen
competitively binds to estrogen receptors on tumor cells and other tissue
targets, producing a nuclear complex that decreases DNA synthesis and inhibits
estrogen effects. It is a non-steroidal agent with potent antiestrogenic
properties which compete with estrogen for binding sites in breast and other
tissues.
Tamoxifen and Premature Menopause
Tamoxifen, by
itself, does not cause permanent premature menopause in younger women (i.e.,
women in their thirties). For most young women who take tamoxifen, the ovaries
continue to act normally and produce estrogen in the same or slightly increased
amounts. In fact, some studies have suggested that tamoxifen may make
pre-menopausal women more fertile. Therefore, precautions to avoid pregnancy
should be taken if using tamoxifen when sexually active. Tamoxifen should not be
taken during pregnancy.
However, for older
women, the link between tamoxifen administration and early menopause is more
substantial. In one of the studies, Dr. Goodwin, a Professor of Medicine
at the University of Toronto, prospectively
studied an inception cohort of 183 premenopausal women with locoregional breast
cancer who received several forms of tamoxifen therapy or no tamoxifen
treatment and followed up their status for 1 year to examine the predictors of
the onset of menopause. No treatment was received by 29% of the sample; 12%
received tamoxifen therapy alone; 45.3% received either cyclophosphamide,
methotrexate, and 5-fluorouracil (CMF) or cyclophosphamide, epirubicin, and
5-fluorouracil (CEF); and 13.6% received either CMF or CEF followed by
tamoxifen therapy. It was found, that the use of tamoxifen therapy in addition
to either type of chemotherapy resulted in a small but statistically
significant increase in the risk of menopause, confirming that beyond the age
of 35 years, the risk of menopause is statistically significantly increased
when chemotherapy is used as opposed to tamoxifen therapy only or to no
adjuvant therapy. These data provide important information for women who may be
concerned about the risk of the onset of menopause associated with adjuvant
therapy. While there may be some slight increased risk of premature menopause
from tamoxifen therapy in the oldest group of premenopausal breast cancer
patients, for women younger than 45 years of age, this is not a substantial
risk. Even in older menstruating women, this model suggests that the
incremental increased risk of menopause from tamoxifen therapy is only about
10% greater than in those women who receive no therapy.
Other possible side effects of tamoxifen
Though the overall
occurrence of side effects is relatively low among women who take tamoxifen,
the following side effects have been reported. Many women only experience one
or two of these side effects and some women do not experience any. Women who
are considering tamoxifen should discuss all potential benefits and risks with
their physicians prior to treatment. In many cases, the benefit of treating or
preventing breast cancer with tamoxifen outweighs the risk of these side
effects.
* Hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms: The most commonly reported side effect among
women who take tamoxifen is a higher occurrence of hot flashes (approximately
50% of women on tamoxifen experience hot flashes when compared with a placebo,
an inactive pill). Hot flashes may be accompanied by sweating, flushing, or
heart palpitations. Hot flashes occur when estrogen is blocked in the
hypothalamus, the part of the brain that controls the body's thermostat. Some
women find that regular exercise can help reduce hot flashes. If the hot
flashes are particularly bothersome and do not respond to conservative measures
such as exercise, calcium, or other interventions, physicians may prescribe
medications such as clonidine (brand name, Duraclon) or Megace (brand name,
Megestrol). Physicians may also recommend taking 30 to 60-day
"breaks" from tamoxifen to help reduce hot flashes and other
menopausal symptoms.
Other reported
menopausal symptoms in addition to hot flashes include vaginal dryness, mood
changes, headaches, and irregular menstrual cycles. Women who experience
vaginal dryness, irritation, or discharge are encouraged to ask their
physicians about using vaginal lubricants to help relieve these symptoms. In
some cases, vaginal discharge can be an indication of a more serious condition,
such as endometrial cancer, and may require further investigation.
* Nausea or vomiting: Some women who take tamoxifen may experience
nausea or vomiting while on the medication. Nausea and vomiting usually cease
after the first few weeks on tamoxifen. Women who experience severe nausea and
vomiting while taking tamoxifen should talk to their physicians about ways to
relieve these symptoms.
* Depression or mood changes: A small number of women who take tamoxifen
experience sharp mood swings or become severely depressed. Since depression can
come on slowly, over a period of several months, some women do not realize that
they are depressed. It also may be difficult to determine whether tamoxifen is
the source of the patient's depression or if other stress factors (such as
coping with breast cancer and/or going through natural menopause) have
contributed to the depression. Depending on the individual situation,
depression may be treated with counseling or other medications. Some physicians
will recommend taking 30 to 60-day "breaks" from tamoxifen to help
relieve depression.
* Weight gain: Large studies conducted by the National
Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) revealed that women who took
a placebo (inactive pill) were just as likely to gain weight as women who took
tamoxifen. It is difficult to determine whether weight gain is caused by
tamoxifen or by other factors, such as prior cancer treatment (especially
certain chemotherapy regimens), changes in physical activity, changes in eating
habits due to the stress of coping with breast cancer, etc. A few women who
take tamoxifen experience weight loss.
Sources and Additional Information: