Ovarian carcinosarcomas associated with prolonged use of tamoxifen: case reports.
BACKGROUND
Recent studies have indicated that the risk associated with tamoxifen may be substantially higher for uterine malignant mixed müllerian tumors and uterine sarcomas.


METHODS
We present 2 cases of ovarian carcinosarcomas in patients with a personal history of breast carcinoma who were treated for a prolonged period with tamoxifen.


CONCLUSIONS
To our knowledge, these 2 cases are the first to describe the possible association between ovarian carcinosarcomas and previous personal and familial history of breast carcinoma and\or prolonged use of tamoxifen. These cases may suggest that like in the uterus, tamoxifen has a possible delayed effect, which might be responsible for the formation of aggressive tumors of unclear pathogenesis in the ovaries.
Lavie
Ofer
O
Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
Longacre
Teri
T
Segev
Yakir
Y
Husain
Amreen
A
D000368:Aged; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D002296:Carcinosarcoma / Q000139:chemically induced*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000139:chemically induced; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced*; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors
D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D013629:Tamoxifen