© 1995 by Oxford University Press
Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. 87, No. 18, 1359-1364,
September 20, 1995
© 1995 Oxford University Press
Population-Based Study of Tamoxifen Therapy and Subsequent Ovarian, Endometrial, and Breast Cancers
Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Seattle
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington
Department of Epidemiology and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington
Correspondence to: Linda S. Cook, Ph.D., MP-381, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1124 Columbia St., Seattle, WA 98104.
Background: The success of tamoxifen in reducing the occurrence of contralateral breast cancer among breast cancer patients in clinical trials has prompted the study of its use in the primary prevention of breast cancer. Long-term risks associated with tamoxifen therapy, however, are still being evaluated, particularly with respect to subsequent cancer occurrence at sites other than the breast. Purpose: This population-based, nested case-control study investigated the risks of second primary cancers of the ovary, endometrium, and contralateral breast among women receiving tamoxifen for breast cancer in conventional medical practice. Methods: A cohort of women diagnosed with breast cancer during 1978 through 1990 was identified from a population-based cancer registry. Case subjects included all women in the cohort who subsequently developed second primary ovarian (n = 39), endometrial (n = 42), or contralateral breast (n = 234) cancer prior to 1992. Control subjects were a random sample of the cohort who did not develop a second primary malignancy; they were matched to the case subjects on age, disease stage, and year of initial breast cancer diagnosis (approximately two control subjects per case subject). Information on tamoxifen use as well as on potential risk factors for the second primary cancers was obtained through medical record abstractions and physician questionnaires. Results: The percentage of women who had received tamoxifen was 18% and 20%, respectively, among ovarian cancer case subjects and control subjects; 26% and 31%, respectively, among endometrial cancer case subjects and control subjects; and 10% and 18%, respectively, among contralateral breast cancer case subjects and control subjects. The mean duration of tamoxifen use was less than 2 years for all groups. The relative risks for ovarian and endometrial cancers in women who took tamoxifen were relatively low but were consistent with no association (for ovarian cancer, matched odds ratio [mOR] = 0.6 and 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.2-1.8; for endometrial cancer, mOR = 0.6 and 95% CI = 0.2-1.9). Tamoxifen therapy was associated with a decreased risk of contralateral breast cancer (mOR = 0.5; 95% CI = 0.3-0.9), especially if the drug had been taken for more than 1 year (mOR = 0.4; 95% CI = 0.2-0.9) or if the women were postmenopausal at initial breast cancer diagnosis (mOR = 0.4; 95% CI = 0.2-0.8). Conclusions and Implications: These data suggest that short durations of tamoxifen therapy are not associated with an increased risk of endometrial or ovarian cancer but are associated with a reduction in contralateral breast cancer risk. It would not be appropriate, however, to generalize these results to women who receive tamoxifen for longer periods. [J Natl Cancer Inst 1995;87:1359-64]
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  L. Bertelsen, L. Bernstein, J. H. Olsen, L. Mellemkjaer, R. W. Haile, C. F. Lynch, K. E. Malone, H. Anton-Culver, J. Christensen, B. Langholz, et al. Effect of Systemic Adjuvant Treatment on Risk for Contralateral Breast Cancer in the Women's Environment, Cancer and Radiation Epidemiology Study J Natl Cancer Inst, January 2, 2008; 100(1): 32 - 40. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. J. Swerdlow, M. E. Jones, and For the British Tamoxifen Second Cancer Study Grou Tamoxifen Treatment for Breast Cancer and Risk of Endometrial Cancer: A Case-Control Study J Natl Cancer Inst, March 2, 2005; 97(5): 375 - 384. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
W. McCaskill-Stevens, J. Wilson, J. Bryant, E. Mamounas, L. Garvey, J. James, W. Cronin, and D. L. Wickerham Contralateral Breast Cancer and Thromboembolic Events in African American Women Treated With Tamoxifen J Natl Cancer Inst, December 1, 2004; 96(23): 1762 - 1769. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 C. C. Capen Mechanisms of Hormone-Mediated Carcinogenesis of the Ovary Toxicol Pathol, February 1, 2004; 32(2_suppl): 1 - 5. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. M. Swain Tamoxifen and Contralateral Breast Cancer: the Other Side J Natl Cancer Inst, July 4, 2001; 93(13): 963 - 965. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. P Lewis and S M Ismail Re: Gynaecological effects of tamoxifen J. Clin. Pathol., June 1, 2000; 53(6): 484 - 484. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
L. Bernstein, D. Deapen, J. R. Cerhan, S. M. Schwartz, J. Liff, E. McGann-Maloney, J. A. Perlman, and L. Ford Tamoxifen Therapy for Breast Cancer and Endometrial Cancer Risk J Natl Cancer Inst, October 6, 1999; 91(19): 1654 - 1662. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 Y. Chen, W. Thompson, R. Semenciw, and Y. Mao Epidemiology of Contralateral Breast Cancer Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., October 1, 1999; 8(10): 855 - 861. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 E. J. Suh-Burgmann and A. Goodman Surveillance for Endometrial Cancer in Women Receiving Tamoxifen Ann Intern Med, July 20, 1999; 131(2): 127 - 135. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 F. Cosman and R. Lindsay Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators: Clinical Spectrum Endocr. Rev., June 1, 1999; 20(3): 418 - 434. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 F. A. Beland, L. P. McDaniel, and M. M. Marques Comparison of the DNA adducts formed by tamoxifen and 4-hydroxytamoxifen in vivo Carcinogenesis, March 1, 1999; 20(3): 471 - 477. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. I. Macgregor and V. C. Jordan Basic Guide to the Mechanisms of Antiestrogen Action Pharmacol. Rev., June 1, 1998; 50(2): 151 - 196. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|