The following is a brief overview on treating breast cancer after your initial treatment. For more information, please consult the websites listed on our organizations page.
Introduced in the 1970's, tamoxifen has become the "gold standard" for helping women stay cancer free after initial treatment. Millions of women worldwide have taken it after a breast cancer diagnosis. 500,000 women are currently taking it in the U.S. and approximately 100,000 begin treatment with tamoxifen each year.
Benefits:
Tamoxifen has been proven to be effective in reducing the risk of recurrence for women with estrogen receptor positive breast cancer. It is also used to treat women whose breast cancer has spread to other parts of the body, and in many cases, helps halt the progression of the cancer. It also reduces the possibility of a new cancer in the unaffected breast and seems to help prevent osteoporosis, the bone loss that occurs after menopause. A secondary benefit of taking tamoxifen is that it lowers cholesterol levels.
Side effects may depend on whether you have any personal history of blood clots or endometrial cancer, your susceptibility to hot flashes, your tendency to gain weight, and how vulnerable you are to depression. They may include: blood clots, endometrial cancer, hot flashes, premature menopause, issues with fertility, vaginal changes, nausea and vomiting, weight gain, mood swings and depression, loss of energy, hair and nail thinning, memory loss, changes in vision, liver cancer.
Not every woman can take tamoxifen. You'll need to discuss the treatment with your doctor to find out if it can help you based on the type of breast cancer you had.
Aromatase Inhibitors
Another form of hormonal therapy, known as aromatase inhibitors, is used by women in place of, or following tamoxifen therapy. Treatment after 5 years of standard tamoxifen therapy is known as extended adjuvant therapy This type of treatment works indirectly on estrogen by interfering with aromatase, the enzyme that produces estrogen in postmenopausal women. By interfering with the production of estrogen triggered by aromatase, aromatase inhibitors actually reduce the total amount of estrogen in the body. As a result, less estrogen can reach breast cancer cells. The American Society of Clinical Oncology recommends using aromatase inhibitors as treatment after 2-5 years of tamoxifen.
Side effects can include hot flashes, vaginal dryness, nausea, diarrhea and weakness.
Not every woman can take aromatase inhibitors. You'll need to discuss the treatment with your doctor to find out if they can help you reduce the chance that your cancer will come back.
Weiss, M. and Weiss, E. Living Beyond Breast Cancer: A Survivor's Guide for When
Treatment Ends and the Rest of Your Life Begins. New York: Three Rivers Press;
1997. p93-105.
