Is Tamoxifen listed as a “chemo”drug?

Anonymous

Is Tamoxifen listed as a “chemo”drug?

VL22

Pardon my ignorance, but someone just told me this, which I had never heard of before.

She seemed very certain, but you know how that can go!

Thanks

gb2115

I have seen Tamoxifen referred to as such, but I think when most people talk about chemotherapy they mean the IV drip kind. But I think I read somewhere that it can technically be lumped into that category. It's also referred to as "chemoprevention."

Egads007

No, tamoxifen is a hormone blocker, it is sometimes referred to as ‘the little chemo’, maybe that is where your friend is mistaken.

moth

I don't think it is. Chemotherapy drugs are all cytotoxic. They either kill cancer cells or stop them from dividing.

Tamoxifen is a serm : selective estrogen receptor modulator. It can block estrogen from being absorbed by some tissues. It is not cytotoxic.

Lula73

According to American Cancer Society, it is not chemo. Rather it falls under ‘Other Types of Drugs That Treat Cancer’

https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/treatment-types/chemotherapy/how-chemotherapy-drugs-work.html

muska

Tamox and AIs are often referred to as "chemopreventive" drugs. Read this: What is chemoprevention?

exbrnxgrl

I'd like to add that not all chemotherapy is given via IV. There are cytotoxic drugs that are given in oral form and they are definitely chemo. Tamoxifen and the AI's are not chemo, though some say they are. I have been on AI's for almost 7 years and would never say I'm on chemo. As for chemoprevention, I think it's not the best term to use as some folks will see the word chemo and think it's a type of chemotherapy. They are very useful drugs, but not chemo at all!

ksusan

In my state, it is classified as a chemotherapy drug. This has to do with a "chemotherapy drug compact," which is a financial grouping for indsurance determination purposes.

Meow13

well you know it is kind of interesting. My oncologist told me the anastrozole would actually kill the cancer cells. I thought we are effectively starving the cancer of estrogen. But my oncologist said it actually kills the cancer cells hmmm ok. Not sure how it kills them, I still think he meant starving them. Tamoxifen works differently that in binds the cells so they can't feed on the estrogen.