Tamoxifen adminstration is associated with a high rate of treatment‐limiting symptoms in male breast cancer patients

Abstract

Background. Although an uncommon disease, male breast cancer (MBC) will be responsible for 300 deaths in 1993 in the United States. Because of the high rate of estrogen receptor positivity in males, adjuvant hormonal therapy with tamoxifen in the adjuvant setting has been used widely. Little is known about the side effects of this estrogen receptor blocker in males. Methods. The authors evaluated the side effects of adjuvant tamoxifen treatment in 24 patients (19 of whom were estrogen receptor positive) treated at the authors' institution between 1990 and 1993. Results. Fifteen (62.5%) patients reported at least one side effect. The most common side effect was a decrease in libido, which occurred in 7 (29.2%) patients; followed by weight gain, which occurred in 6 (25%) patients; hot flashes, which occurred in (5 20.8%); mood alterations, which occurred in 5 (20.8%); depression, which occurred in 4 (16.6%); insomnia, which occurred in 3 (12.5%); and deep venous thrombosis, which occurred in 1 (4.2%). Five (20.8%) patients terminated treatment with tamoxifen in less than 1 year because of these side effects. Two of these patients had decreased libido, two had hot flashes, and one suffered deep venous thrombosis. Conclusions. In contrast to female breast cancer patients, who have a 4% attrition rate to adjuvant tamoxifen treatment, MBC patients have a 20.8% attrition rate related to side effects of tamoxifen treatment.

Quality of Life and Tamoxifen in a Breast Cancer Prevention Trial

“…Concern has been expressed regarding the possible relationship between tamoxifen use and the onset of depression. [9][10][11][12][13] Women reporting a history of depressive episodes or of treatment for nervous or mental disorders were not excluded from the trial. If tamoxifen use were associated with the onset of clinically diagnosable depression, we would have expected to see a consistent excess of individuals scoring ≥16 on the CES-D in the tamoxifen group.…”

Development of an Integrated Program of Health Related Quality of Life Research for the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project

“…Another approach to menopausal quality of life, ted by Wiklund et al [20] and Limouzin-Lamothe al-[-'1 ' s to combine several existing instruments \ measure the components of quality of life. This «proach offers some confidence in using instruments which may have known psychometric propties.…”

Cancer of the male breast

“…Tamoxifen inhibits estrogen‐related genes, growth factors, and angiogenic factors secreted by breast cancers, with a net result of blocking the G1 growth phase and a subsequent decrease in cellular proliferation 45 . In MBC, a high incidence of tamoxifen side‐effects have been reported 46 . Moredo Anelli et al 46 .…”

“…In MBC, a high incidence of tamoxifen side‐effects have been reported 46 . Moredo Anelli et al 46 . reviewed 24 MBC patients on tamoxifen who reported side‐effects of decreased libido, weight gain, hot flushes, mood alterations, depression, insomnia, and deep vein thrombosis.…”