Scared of Tamoxifen

Make sure to research other existing topics on the hormonal forum. Some of these topics are well covered in Bottle of Tamoxifen!! Good luck.

My oncologist tells me there is a 40% chance of uterine cancer from Tamoxifen.

No. 0-2% according to every gynecologist and oncologist I've talked to. Here's a useful section in MelissaDallas's link:

In one early study of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project, the rate of endometrial cancer occurrence among tamoxifen users who were administered 20 mg/d was 1.6 per 1,000 patient years, compared with 0.2 per 1,000 patient years among control patients taking a placebo (3). In this study, the 5-year disease-free survival rate from breast cancer was 38% higher in the tamoxifen group than in the placebo group, suggesting that the small risk of developing endometrial cancer is outweighed by the significant survival benefit provided by tamoxifen therapy for women with breast cancer (3). Continuation of tamoxifen therapy for 10 years further reduced the risk of breast cancer recurrence and mortality (6). In an update of all National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project trials of patients with breast cancer, the rate of endometrial cancer was 1.26 per 1,000 patient years in women treated with tamoxifen versus 0.58 per 1,000 patient years in the placebo group (7).

Are you sure your oncologist didn't say that the 5-year disease-free survival rate was 40% higher when taking tamoxifen? Or that only about 40% of people finish the full 5-year course of tamoxifen because of side effects?

Hi Sarah!

First of all CONGRATS on finishing chemo!!!

I wanted to chime in.. I'm 27. I finished my last round of chemo last July. I was diagnosed with Invasive ductile carcinoma in my left breast HER2+ and went through mastectomy with lymph node dissection.

So... I might be a bad influence (lol) I went rogue on my oncologists. I still wanted to share my experience though. So just like you, I went through some paralyzing hot flashes. Some were so bad it'd be hard to breathe, and I endured them for months. This is bc of the Zoladex implant I get monthly to "shut off" my ovaries. So that makes me "post menopausal." I experienced something called "vaginal atrophy" which basically means your vagina shrinks, or closes up. Forget vaginal dryness, this made sex SO painful! It eventually went away though. The mood swings, well I mean, look at what you're going through. I don't think they should be called mood swings at all, bc they're totally warranted. Anyway I'm rambling.

So as far as the tamoxifen goes. Both my oncologists said I had to do radiation. Which I opted not to. I did a ton of research and asked a bunch of questions, and I made the conscious decision not to. Instead I decided to start a new regimen of vitamins every morning that researched showed me would prevent recurrence. Bc tamoxifen has so many weird side effects, similar to all the sh*t I'd endured previously, I've decided to also not take it. I was first prescribed Arimidex. I didn't take that one either. But then, even with the zoladex, i started to menstruate, it seemed. So my doctor switched me to tamoxifen. Either or, I'm not taking them. My doctor has me on monthly tumor marker blood tests to monitor any changes. and so far so good. So i'm sticking to the natural route!!

Good luck!!

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