Tamoxifen Facts

Some important defining facts about Tamoxifen

• Tamoxifen (brand: Nolvadex®) is a drug that interferes with the activity of estrogen, a female hormone. Tamoxifen has been used for more than 30 years to treat breast cancer in women and men.


• Tamoxifen has been used for almost 10 years to reduce the risk of breast cancer in women who are at increased risk of developing breast cancer.
  
• The known, serious side effects of tamoxifen are blood clots, strokes, uterine cancer, and cataracts. Other side effects include menopause-like symptoms such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness, joint pain, leg cramps and fatigue.


• The benefits of tamoxifen as a treatment for breast cancer are firmly established and far outweigh the potential risks.


• The results of the Breast Cancer Prevention Trial (BCPT) showed a reduction in diagnoses of invasive breast cancer among women who took tamoxifen for 5 years.


• The results of the Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene (STAR) clinical trial showed that tamoxifen and another drug, raloxifene, are equally effective in reducing invasive breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women who are at increased risk of the disease.