Description and Brand Names
Drug information provided by: Micromedex
US Brand Name
- Nolvadex
- Soltamox
Descriptions
Tamoxifen is a medicine that blocks the effects of the estrogen hormone in the body. It is used to treat breast cancer in women or men. It may also be used to treat other kinds of cancer, as determined by your doctor.
Tamoxifen also may be used to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer in women who have a high risk of developing breast cancer. Women at high risk for developing breast cancer are at least 35 years of age and have a combination of risk factors that make their chance of developing breast cancer 1.67% or more over the next 5 years. Your doctor will help to determine your risk of developing breast cancer.
The following are risk factors that may increase your chance of developing breast cancer:
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If you have close family members (mother, sister, or daughter) with breast cancer.
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If you have ever had a breast biopsy or if high-risk changes in your breast(s) have been found from a breast biopsy.
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If you have never been pregnant or if your first pregnancy occurred at a late age.
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If your first menstrual period occurred at an early age.
The exact way that tamoxifen works against cancer is not known, but it may be related to the way it blocks the effects of estrogen on the body.
Before you begin treatment with tamoxifen, you and your doctor should talk about the good this medicine will do as well as the risks of using it.
Tamoxifen is available only with your doctor's prescription.
Once a medicine has been approved for marketing for a certain use, experience may show that it is also useful for other medical problems. Although these uses are not included in product labeling, tamoxifen is used in certain patients with the following medical conditions:
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Breast cancer, neoadjuvant treatment for hormone receptor-positive disease in postmenopausal women.
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Cancer of the endometrium (lining of the uterus).
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Malignant melanoma (a certain type of skin cancer).
This product is available in the following dosage forms:
Portions of this document last updated: Feb. 01, 2015
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