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Review
. 2014 Feb 17:6:29-36.
doi: 10.2147/BCTT.S43763. eCollection 2014.

Tamoxifen for women at high risk of breast cancer

Safia A Nazarali  1 , Steven A Narod  1
Affiliations
Review

Tamoxifen for women at high risk of breast cancer

Safia A Nazarali et al. Breast Cancer (Dove Med Press). .

Abstract

Tamoxifen has been used as a treatment for women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer for roughly four decades and has been approved as chemoprevention for over ten years. Although tamoxifen has been proven to be beneficial in preventing breast cancer in high-risk women, its use has not been widely embraced. To some extent, this is due to several of its side effects, including an increased risk of endometrial cancer and pulmonary embolism, but these serious side effects are rare. The risks and benefits of tamoxifen chemoprevention should be considered for each patient.

Keywords: breast cancer; chemoprevention; tamoxifen; women.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Overview of tamoxifen metabolism pathway and the main enzymes involved. Thickness of the arrow demonstrates the relative contribution of each pathway. Note: Adapted from Springer and Current Oncology Reports, 12,2010,7–15, CYP2D6 polymorphisms and tamoxifen metabolism: clinical relevance, Higgins MJ, Stearns V, figure number 1, with kind permission from Springer Science and Business Media. Abbreviations: CYP, cytochrome P450; OH, hydroxide.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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