Ultrasonographic measurement of endometrial changes following discontinuation of tamoxifen treatment in postmenopausal breast cancer patients.
OBJECTIVE
To assess whether there is a decrease in endometrial thickness following discontinuation of tamoxifen treatment as measured by ultrasound.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sapir Medical Centre, Kfar-Saba, Israel.


METHODS
Fifty-eight postmenopausal women with breast cancer who were treated with tamoxifen.


METHODS
Transvaginal ultrasonographic measurements of endometrial thickness.


METHODS
Evaluation of the changes of endometrial thickness and the frequency the endometrium reached a thickness of < or = 5 mm at different time intervals after stopping tamoxifen treatment.


RESULTS
There was a significant decrease in median thickness of the endometrium, within six months after stopping tamoxifen, from 7.75 mm measured at the last ultrasonographic study performed before tamoxifen discontinuation down to 5.2 mm (P = 0.002). There were no further reductions in endometrial thickness, and it remained constantly low in subsequent ultrasonographic studies which were performed at various times up to 30 months following the discontinuation of tamoxifen treatment. While taking tamoxifen, only 25-9% of the women had an endometrial thickness of < or = 5 mm. This proportion doubled in their first six months after stopping.


CONCLUSIONS
Median thickness of endometrial thickness significantly reduced within six months following tamoxifen discontinuation, and remained constantly low thereafter. This finding may support use of ultrasonographic imaging for the measurement of tamoxifen's effect on the endometrium of postmenopausal breast cancer patients.
Cohen
I
I
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sapir Medical Centre, Kfar-Saba, Israel.
Beyth
Y
Y
Azaria
R
R
Flex
D
D
Figer
A
A
Tepper
R
R
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014591:Uterine Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D013629:Tamoxifen