The most important benefit of tamoxifen (and similar drugs) is reducing the risk of breast cancer returning (called recurrence) and the risk of a new cancer developing in the other breast. However, for tamoxifen to be effective in lowering your risk of breast cancer recurrence, it is essential that you take the medicine exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not stop, skip, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor’s approval. Try to take tamoxifen at the same time every day.
Tamoxifen can also:
- Shrink large hormone-receptor-positive breast cancers before surgery;
- Slow or stop the growth of advanced hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer in both pre- and post-menopausal women;
- Reduce the number of breast cancer deaths;
- Improve overall survival; and
- Be used to help lower the risk of developing breast cancer
- Be used to help lower the risk of developing breast cancer in women at high risk of developing the disease
In addition, tamoxifen may have extra health benefits:
- Tamoxifen may improve blood cholesterol by lowering LDL levels (the “bad” cholesterol), which in turn, can lower the risk of heart disease.
- Tamoxifen may help maintain bone density, which in turn can lower the risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures in postmenopausal women.
Sources:
American Cancer Society, 2021. Tamoxifen and Raloxifene for Lower Breast Cancer Risk.
American Cancer Society, 2023. Treating Breast Cancer: Hormone Therapy for Breast Cancer
National Cancer Institute, 2022. Hormone Therapy for Breast Cancer
Susan G. Komen, 2024. Tamoxifen.