Endometrial histologic changes in post-menopausal breast cancer patients using tamoxifen.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of tamoxifen on the endometrium of post-menopausal women with breast cancer and to examine the relationship between ultrasonography, hysteroscopy and histopathologic changes.


METHODS
Included in this longitudinal study were 303 post-menopausal women taking 20 mg daily of tamoxifen. Hysteroscopy was performed in 83 patients with an endometrial thickness of only >or=5 mm and 34 with vaginal bleeding also. Forty-five asymptomatic patients (control group) underwent hysteroscopies.


RESULTS
The most frequent outcome in patients with endometrial thickness of only >or=5 mm was an atrophic endometrium in an empty cavity (79.5%) whereas simple hyperplasia (35.3%) was found in women with vaginal bleeding. Carcinoma was diagnosed in seven cases (5.9%). In the control group, no endometrial cancer was found.


CONCLUSIONS
This study suggests that patients with a thickness >5 mm should be offered a whole hysteroscopic evaluation, whenever bleeding is reported.
Marchesoni
D
D
Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Udine, Udine, Italy. diego.marchesoni@dsc.uniud.it
Driul
L
L
Fabiani
G
G
Di Loreto
C
C
Cataldi
P
P
Mozzanega
B
B
D000368:Aged; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001284:Atrophy / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004714:Endometrial Hyperplasia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015907:Hysteroscopy; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D009214:Myoma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology*; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000187:drug effects*; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014463:Ultrasonography
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D013629:Tamoxifen