Is there an association between long-term tamoxifen treatment and the development of carcinosarcoma (malignant mixed Müllerian tumor) of the uterus?
A cluster of five patients with endometrial carcinosarcoma (malignant mixed Müllerian tumor) occurred at our center during 1993; four of these had been prescribed long-term tamoxifen for breast carcinoma. Searching the archives for the 9-year period 1983-1992 revealed two further cases of uterine carcinosarcoma occurring in patients prescribed tamoxifen, from a total of 16 cases of this tumor. Five of the six patients diagnosed with carcinosarcoma who had been taking tamoxifen had been maintained on the drug for at least 6 years, while the other had a 3-year history of tamoxifen therapy. From these data we raise the question of an association between long-term tamoxifen treatment and development of endometrial carcinosarcoma, following the dramatic increase in the prescribing of this drug after 1984.
Evans
M.J.
MJ
Department of Pathology and Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Aberdeen Royal Hospitals, and Department of Pathology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
Langlois
N.E.I.
NE
Kitchener
H.C.
HC
Miller
I.D.
ID