title: Thyroid function in postmenopausal breast cancer patients treated with tamoxifen.
abstract: Thyroid function was evaluation in 26 postmenopausal women with breast cancer before and at various time intervals during treatment with tamoxifen. Tamoxifen treatment suppressed plasma levels of FT3 and FT4 (p < 0.005 for both) and elevated plasma concentrations of TBG (p < 0.005 and TG (p < 0.025). In general, these changes became significant after 6 months of treatment. Plasma TSH increased significantly after 1 y of treatment (p < 0.025). A fall in FT4 and FT3 combined with increase in TSH suggests a reduced bioavailability of T4 and T3 during tamoxifen treatment. The increase in TG may reflect a reduced synthesis or liberation of T4 resulting in a reduced plasma level of FT4. Our findings suggest that tamoxifen influences the thyroid hormone levels, not only by modulating plasma TBG, but also by interfering with hormone synthesis or secretion in the thyroid gland.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Anker
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Lønning
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aakvaag
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Lien
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000187:drug effects*; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013954:Thyroglobulin / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D013960:Thyroid Function Tests; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D013974:Thyroxine / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D013975:Thyroxine-Binding Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D013975:Thyroxine-Binding Proteins; D014284:Triiodothyronine; D013629:Tamoxifen; D013972:Thyrotropin; D013954:Thyroglobulin; D013974:Thyroxine