Tamoxifen use, oestrogen binding and serum lipids in postmenopausal women with breast cancer.
Tamoxifen is widely used in the management of breast cancer, including long-term use in women with early disease to reduce recurrence and mortality. Although remarkably side-effect free, concern has been expressed that its anti-oestrogen activity may extend to lipid metabolism and so result in the premature development of coronary heart disease. In a study of breast cancer patients, those taking Tamoxifen tended to have lower cholesterol concentrations (predominantly low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) and raised triglyceride concentrations. These changes are likely to be protective for coronary heart disease, suggesting Tamoxifen has an oestrogenic rather than anti-oestrogenic effect as regards lipid metabolism.
University Department of Surgery, Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre, Perth, Western Australia.
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D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000209:etiology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000187:drug effects; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008055:Lipids; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D014280:Triglycerides; D013629:Tamoxifen; D004958:Estradiol; D002784:Cholesterol