Raloxifene and tamoxifen
Common Questions and Answers about Raloxifene and tamoxifen
evista
I just wanted to be sure that because I have been diagnoised with breast cancer and have gone through radiation treatment that the Raloxifene will be as affective as Tamoxifene in keeping the cancer from recurring. Thank you for your input.
I took Effexor for a year and a half after starting Tamoxifen. It was a horrible drug to get on and even bigger bugger to get off. HOWEVER, it helped with the mood swings. Cannot say it did much for the flashing... a major side effect is SWEATING. So instead of flashing, it was a constant heat. I've been off for about a year, the hot flashes have subsided to rare occassions. One bad side-effect of Effexor is "lack of emotion".
A woman with ADH as well as other risk factors may have a risk that is high enough to consider medications. The medications currently FDA approved as chemoprevention for breast cancer are tamoxifen and raloxifene. Decisions to use a medication as chemoprevention would be made based on weighing the risks and benefits to the individual patient.
Aside from radiation, you can ask your doctor about other breast cancer risk reduction strategies such as that of hormonal treatment with tamoxifen or raloxifene. Other breast conditions that may increase the risk of invasive cancer would include DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ).
Regards.
Treatment plans are set up on an individual basis after all the reports are in and evaluated. Tamoxifen will no doubt be suggested ... I believe the percentage of it's advantage in preventing recurrance is quite low and there are adverse reactions. It is a 5 year commitment you know. We as patients have the right to accept or refuse any treatment so be sure to ask about the untoward effects of the drug. Regards to your mom and kudos to you for being such a supportive daughter.
Other forms of treatment post-operatively would include additional radiation therapy, or hormonal treatment with Tamoxifen or Raloxifene. All of these additional treatments are aimed to lessen the chance of recurrence as well as prevent the future development of frankly invasive cancers.
Regards.
Mum was diagnosed March 2005 OVCA stage 3, reoccurance 2007 and 2008, each time treated with carbo and taxol. Currently in remission. Dr put her on femera and tamoxifen but since being on tamoxifen she has had 2 DVTs in her right leg. Dr today stopped them and put her on warfrine (sorry about the spelling). Dr thinks she might have to be on this for the rest of her life. Dr also said she expects mums cancer to come back at some point but her cancer is very slow growing.
Cancer Center physicians are participating in a clinical trial called STAR, where the effectiveness of Raloxifene is being compared to that of Tamoxifen for the prevention of breast cancer in high risk women.
Your cancer center physician will be able to discuss each of these options with you in more detail, and help to guide your treatment decision to the one most appropriate for your specific situation.
If you want further information please go to breastcancer.org the link is:
http://www.
Thank you for your comments... it's much appreciated!
God bless you, too!
I believe that you are a candidate for risk lowering strategies such as taking hormonal agents (raloxifene or tamoxifen), or surgery (mastectomy). All of these should be discussed with an oncologist or surgeon.
Regards.
There are some medications that are used to treat breast cancer that can be tried, though they would be used off label. These include tamoxifen (Soltamox) and raloxifene (Evista), here in the U.S. Another is Danazol. I don't know if they would be available in your country or not. Some of these drugs are quite potent and may have unwanted side effects. Be sure to discuss all of that with your doctor prior to taking them.
The other option is the surgery.
TBG excess production can be hereditary, which is X-linked dominant transmission, or it can be secondary to excess estrogens, as in pregnancy, use of oral contraceptives, hormone replacement, and medications like raloxifene or tamoxifen [4, 5]. The more highly sialylated TBG is cleared more slowly from plasma than the more positively charged TBG, because sialylation inhibits the hepatic uptake of glycoproteins.
I have been on Tamoxifen for a little over two years for breast cancer. I am 46 and pre-menopausal. The first 22 months on the tamoxifen I had my period and occassional hot flashes. then one month my period stopped and my hot flashes. At month 27 on Tamoxifen, I had an ultrasound that shows a lickening of the uterean wall and 3 complex ovarian cysts. My Dr. is doing a biopsy but my question is why would my periods AND the hot flashes go away completely?
Use of Raloxifene is intended to decrease the risk of osteoporosis and to decrease the risk of invasise breast cancer or to prevent invasive breast cancer from retuning in women who have had invasive BC.
If you have questions or concerns about using it, it would be best to discuss them with the physician who prescribed it.
Best wishes...
Hi, I am a 27 year old woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 25, I had a complete mastectomy and given the option of chemo or tamoxifen, we picked tamoxifen becasue being able to have children is very important to us. I have been taking this for just over one year and I had MANY side effects to tamoxifen, so much so that I have considered stopping it.
After surgery, I had radiation therapy, plus taking tamoxifen. My cancer is stage 1 and grade 1Gradually, my hot flash is stopped and my life is back to near normal. I noticed that I always very thirsty, my eyes are dry, my skin, hair also dry. I also have joint pain occurred in joint, both small and large joint. I read the symtom of Sjogren's syndrome which is a incurable auto-immune system problem which is that the glands produce lubrication has stop function properly.
Just to add to what Lauren said regarding tamoxifen vs. other AI's, they do work differently in the body. Tamoxifen works by blocking the body's use of estrogen, whereas AI's reduce the amount of estrogen present in the body. In studies of breast cancer patients, AI's have proven to work better than tamoxifen in preventing recurrence, and there are far fewer serious side effects with AI's than with tamoxifen, too. Tamoxifen can cause blood clots, and stroke..
went if ever can i expect my pain to go away, since going through chemo and starting tamoxifen, i've been having bad pain and stiffness in hands and feet. medication vicodin help some, also some stiffiness in knees. my doctor has no answers and keep try different medications that is not working. please have some anwers for me . pain started after taking tamoxifen in april, stopped chemo in march. what can i do or take to relief the pain. thank you.
I am aware that provera is contraindicated in case of hormone-driven breast cancer, but was wondering whether the fact that I am taking tamoxifen as prevention and the fact that provera is given for four months make any difference?
I am also wondering if I will have to choose between what cancer to try and prevent, that of the womb or that of the (other) breast?
I am 36 and at the moment do not consider hysterectomy an option.
Thanks,
Robin
Thank you.
I have been on tamoxifen for 5 weeks now after completing chemo and in the process of completing radiotherapy for breast cancer. I developed bilateral pulmonary embolisms a few days ago due to a dvt in my thigh which i was unaware of. I am on clexane injections for the next 6 months. Is it safe to continue on the tamoxifen? Is there an alternative to this medication that does not have such serious side effects.
I was 39 when diagnoised last year and had 4 cycles of AC chemo, followed by radiotherapy and now Tamoxifen for 5 years.
I continued to have a period during chemo, but at the end of my chemo, the blood test showed I was in menopause status, but could not tell if it was permanent of not. 2 months later I did another blood test and was back ovulating. My periods continued and even now that I am on tamoxifen.
Hi,
I too was taking Tamoxifen and then was switched to Arimidex and then Aromasen. I am now back on Tamoxifen. I had so many problems with the other meds. I am very sensative to meds and the later 2 did not work. I have a few problems with Tamoxifen but it is better than the others for me.
My Dr. said that it is not a problem being in "forced" menopause and the fact that I had a hysterectomy as well.
One thing we always have to remember is that we are our own advocate...
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