Hysteroscopic evaluation of the endometrium of post-menopausal patients with breast cancer before and after tamoxifen use.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate by hysteroscopy and histopathology the influence of tamoxifen in the endometrium of post-menopausal women with previous breast cancer.


METHODS
Out of 46 patients studied, 20 of them had been using tamoxifen for an average length of 12 months, and are still being followed-up. Hysteroscopy with endometrial biopsy was performed before and after the use of the drug.


RESULTS
The prevalence of endometrial activity before and after this hormoniotherapy was the same, i.e. 10.0%, showing a non-significant variation.


CONCLUSIONS
The hormoniotherapy with tamoxifen has not increased the endometrial proliferactive activity of postmenopausal patients with breast cancer. The most common hysteroscopical finding was numerous vesicles disseminated throughout the uterine cavity probably due to atrophy of the endometrium.
Gonçalves
M A
MA
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics of the Pontificia, Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
Gonçalves
W J
WJ
Matias
M M
MM
Nazario
A C
AC
de Lima
G R
GR
Baracat
E C
EC
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001706:Biopsy; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004717:Endometrium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015907:Hysteroscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D013629:Tamoxifen