J Natl Cancer Inst 86:527-537, 1994.13. Figure 2 Abenign endometrialpolyp in a 54 yearoldwomantreated with tamoxifen who … Lancet 1:375, 1989.4. Goldstein SR: Unusual ultrasonographic appearance of the uterus in patients receiving tamoxifen. Elwood JM, Boyes DA: Clinical and pathological features and survival of endometrial cancer patients in relation to prior use of estrogens.

Gynecol Oncol 42:120-123, 1991.19. Malfetano JH: Tamoxifen-associated endometrial carcinoma in postmenopausal breast cancer patients. To begin with, the expected annual risk of endometrial cancer is approximately 2/1,000, as defined by the B-14 trial [12]. Whether the dose level of tamoxifen or duration of use is important remains to be determined. Boccardo et al [16] investigated the estrogen-like effect of tamoxifen on the vaginal epithelium. Am J Obstet Gynecol 170:447-451, 1994. Most of these cancers will be detected at an early stage when they are highly curable. Steinberg KK, Thacker SB, Smith SJ, et al: A meta-analysis of the effect of estrogen replacement therapy on the risk of breast cancer. The increased risk of endometrial cancer associated with tamoxifen use will lead to increased morbidity in breast cancer patients, but this does not appear to outweigh the significant advantage that tamoxifen confers by controlling breast cancer. Tamoxifen is a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) used in … The best method for screening, however, remains to be determined. You can access the Abnormal uterine bleeding tutorial for just £48.00 inc VAT.UK prices shown, other nationalities may qualify for reduced prices.If this tutorial is part of the member benefit package, Fellows, Members, registered Trainees and Associates should sign in to access the tutorial.

On endometrial biopsy, 10 patients (16%) in the tamoxifen-treated group were found to have atypical endometrial hyperplasia, while five (8%) had endometrial polyps. Since the initial report by Killackey et al suggesting a possible link between tamoxifen use and the development of endometrial carcinoma in three pat… This issue is clear for the patient with a diagnosis of breast cancer. In addition, the tamoxifen-treated group had a significantly thicker mean endometrial diameter (9.1 mm versus 4.8 mm). None of the tamoxifen-treated patients died of endometrial cancer, compared with four of those who did not receive tamoxifen.Finally, the results of the NSABP B-14 trial [12] also confirmed that uterine cancers occurring in tamoxifen-treated breast cancer patients are not associated with a higher incidence of adverse histologic features. It binds to the estrogen receptor and is used primarily for adjuvant therapy in breast cancer. Gynecol Oncol 45:118-128, 1992.24. Cancer Res 44:4006-4010, 1984.15. They noted a 6.4-fold increase in the relative risk of endometrial cancer in 931 tamoxifen-treated patients, compared with 915 patients in the control group. Obstet Gynecol 79:111-116, 1992.18. Seventy-five (31%) of these patients had received tamoxifen, 20 mg/day, for a mean duration of 26 months as therapy for their breast cancer. However, Tamoxifen stimulates the estrogen receptors in the lining of the uterus so it acts like an estrogen and can cause endometrial hyperplasia. Barakat RR, Wong G, Curtin JP, et al: Tamoxifen use in breast cancer patients who subsequently develop corpus cancer is not associated with a higher incidence of adverse histologic features. This yielded an average annual hazard rate for endometrial cancer of 0.7/1,000.

When the abnormal sonographic appearance persisted, the patient underwent a sonohysterogram, which involves the instillation of 3 to 10 mL of saline at the time of sonography. Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data [22] would predict that 6.9 cancers would occur in the placebo group. The authors concluded that short-term tamoxifen use at the 20 mg/day dosage level was not associated with a higher incidence of abnormal pathology, as detected at the time of D&C in breast cancer patients.All patients underwent endovaginal sonography with color Doppler imaging, after which an endometrial biopsy was performed. Lancet 343:1318-1321, 1994.22. Taking into account the increased cumulative rate of endometrial cancer, there was a 38% reduction in the 5-year cumulative hazard rate in the tamoxifen-treated group. Non-members can purchase access to tutorials but also need to sign in first. The presence of a hydroxyl group in this compound destabilizes the ethylene bond, allowing isomerization of the compound to its E isomer, a potent estrogen agonist.
Most patients tend to display a multiplicity of findings. VanLeeuwen et al [11] noted that women who used tamoxifen for more than 2 years had a 2.3 (range, 0.9 to 5.9) times greater risk of endometrial cancer than nonusers, and the risk rose to 3.0 (range, 0.6 to 15.8) for those treated for more than 5 years. If you are using hormone replacement therapy or Tamoxifen and you develop abnormal uterine bleeding, it is very important that you see your doctor and be evaluated.