Hi Ladies I have been looking back at old tamoxifen threads to see if I can find out information about tamoxifen causing womb cancer.i have had long chats with my GP and he has told me that he hasn’t seen many cases of this. can you request to have yearly checks to have your womb checked or do you have to wait to see if you have any problems? I would like to hear from anyone who has done any research or knows what the % of contracting womb cancer is. I am asking these questions because I have decided to take tamoxifen after having consultations with my oncologist who has prescribed it for protection from getting cancer in the other breast. I was diagnosed with DCIS three years ago and I was finding it really difficult to cope with not having any follow up treatment.
Hi Suziex,
It does seem to be tricky to find any precise data on this (at least from reputable websites) but I have seen figures of 2-5 times the risk of women not on Tamoxifen being quoted.
There is a thread in the ‘hormone therapy’ section of the ‘going through treatment’ board which I started when I had suspected endometrial hyperplasia (thickening of the wall of the womb) a year ago; I recently posted on there again as I am in the process of having a second incidence of this investigated (relatively unusual). Although that thread doesn’t have any frequency/incidence data quite a few women have shared their stories, so it may help with information gathering. forum.breastcancercare.org.uk/t5/Hormone-therapy/Tamoxifen-Induced-Endometrial-Hyperplasia/m-p/697993#U697993
Basically, I was told that any spotting or bleeding should be reported straight away to my GP. NICE guidelines say that you should get a 2 week referral due to increased risk of cancer (SIGN differs slightly). I have been assured that should cancer be detected it would be treated curatively with surgery.
Not sure if that helps. You could also look at CRUK e.g. here cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-info/cancerstats/types/uterus/incidence/uk-uterus-cancer-incidence-statistics and here cancerresearchuk.org/cancer-help/type/womb-cancer/about/womb-cancer-risks-and-causes#tamox
MY oncologist told me today that tamoxifen does imply an increased risk BUT it depends on age. I am 43 so he deems that I will not have an increased risk. Perhaps this is something you may wish to discuss with GP/oncologist? I had also been told that Mirena didn’t really pose a risk for breast cancer… well it did, clearly, as I didn’t smoke or drink, wasn’t overweight and did sports and ate healthily, so what else could have caused me to develop breast cancer?We all know that the DNA alone is not going to trigger it unless other factors (such as the mentioned one) concur. Or they have no idea?
Thanks for your replays I will speak to my GP about the Age factor I was 50 when diagnosed so maybe the risk will be slightly more for myself. Would be interested if any one else as any more info on the age factor?
suziex