title: Adjuvant tamoxifen influences the lipid profile in breast cancer patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Currently there is a debate regarding whether tamoxifen used in breast cancer has an impact on lipid profiles. The aim of this study was to determine whether tamoxifen has an impact on the serum lipid profile in Taiwanese women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data of 109 patients were collected from the routine clinical follow-up for women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer who were treated between July 2005 and March 2008. These patients were divided into 2 subgroups, based on their tumor grade and lymph node status. Subgroup 1 patients had tumor grade I/II and a negative lymph node status. Those patients with tumor grade III or a positive lymph node status were defined as subgroup 2.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the 109 patients, the mean serum total cholesterol (TC) levels after tamoxifen treatment, as well as the serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, were lower than the baseline levels, with statistically significant differences. Treatment with tamoxifen lowered the serum TC and LDL-C levels in both subgroups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that tamoxifen has an impact on the serum lipid profile of breast cancer patients in Taiwan. Physicians should follow up the lipid profile in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Research, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, R.O.C. ; Comprehensive Breast Cancer Center, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, R.O.C. ; Department of Environmental Engineering, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung, R.O.C.
authors.forename: Che
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Center of Biostatistics Consultation, College of Public Health, National Taiwan University, Taipei, R.O.C. ; School of Oral Hygiene, College of Oral Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, R.O.C.
authors.forename: Li-Sheng
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Breast Cancer Center, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, R.O.C. ; School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: Shou-Jen
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.affiliation: Department of Research, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, R.O.C. ; Comprehensive Breast Cancer Center, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, R.O.C. ; School of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C.
authors.forename: Dar-Ren
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Chen
keywords: Breast cancer; Lipid profile; Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; Metabolism; Tamoxifen; Total cholesterol