Some types of breast cancer need estrogen in order to grow. These cancers have receptors, or sites, to where estrogen attaches, promoting cancer growth. These are known as estrogen receptor-positive cancers. Tamoxifen blocks the estrogen from binding to these receptors, preventing the breast cancer from growing. For women with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer (like mine), taking Tamoxifen for 5 years greatly reduces the rick of recurrence and the risk of dying from breast cancer. Tamoxifen can reduce the chance of getting breast cancer by nearly 50% in women who are at higher risk.
Like with all medicines, this one comes with a long list of potential side effects. Below are some of them.
- Common
- Hot flashes (whats new - my special friend for the past 6 months)
- Vaginal dryness or discharge
- Mild nausea
- Weight gain/loss
- Bone pain
- Dizziness
- Less Common
- Risk of blood clot in the lungs or the major veins of the legs
- Uterine cancer
- Eye problems
There was a recent study that 10 years of tamoxifen is better then 5 years.
study-ten-years-of-tamoxifen-better-than-five. I discussed this with my oncologist who said that the recommendation to continue for an additional 5 years will be on a case-by-case basis. For me it's really too early to say how long I will be taking this. The possibility of having my ovaries removed in the next 5 years would change the duration, since I would replace Tamoxifen with a different (post menopause) hormone therapy.
Most of the women I have talked to about Tamoxifen all say they hate it. Hopefully, my side effects will be minimal.
I will be starting this on 1/11/13.
No comments:
Post a Comment