I just wanted to ask if anyone knows why tamoxifen is prescribed for 5 years? If the benefits are so great why are women not given it for longer than 5 years? Anecdotally I have heard of many women who have been given the 5 year ‘all clear’ and then a short time later have developed secondaries. Perhaps this is more than coincidence and the tamoxifen has kept recurrences at bay? I know there’s a lot of debate about the SE’s of tamoxifen but I for one would stay on it for longer than 5 years if it would be helpful. I am assuming that the thinking is that oestrogen levels will have tailed off by the end of the 5 year period. Perhaps the medics should test womens’ oestrogen response a few weeks after stopping tamoxifen to see whether it is rising again. Then continued tamoxifen use could be advised for women who are still vulnerable.
Just a thought…
alex
Hi Alex I asked my onc similar thing and her response was that they are presently doing trials re 10 years of tamoxifen,sorry for all those with side effects…I’m one of the lucky ones in that it hasn’t affected me at all…so is it working then ! Also, she said that usually once past the menopause they like to put you on an aromase inhibitor eg arimidex etc as the ovaries arent producing the majority of oestrogen then but it’s still being made by other glands and in fat tissues,and the aromase drugs work better on that. Oh think that was the gist of it anyway. Someone may come along with a better knowledge of it.
Sandra x
Hi
I think 5 years is because of the increased risk of womb cancer with longer use. However, after the 5 years I think some people are then put on Arimidex or similar for 3 to 5 years.
thanks for your comments. ironically the BBC website has an article tonight linking tamoxifen to increased risk of developing non ER receptive tumour in the other breast! oh dear, damned if we do and damned if we don’t it seems!
Hi
Just had a look at that article on the BBC website. I take tamoxifen because I am highly PR+ but ER- so I guess I would become ER-/PR-! There is so little information out there on PR+/ER- tumours. Thanks alexamay09 for the info. Love xxx
Tamoxifen increases the risk of developing an ER negative tumour? Seriously, Alex? Oh my God! I’ve come up against nothing but contradictions since being diagnosed with this d**n disease but this one tops them all!
cancer is most likely to recur within the first 2-3 years after initial diagnosis… and taking tamoxifen helps prevent recurrence therefore taking it for 5 years would cover the time of highest chance of recurrence plus a little bit extra.