Effects of Tamoxifen on Bone Mineral Metabolism in Women with Breast Cancer.
- Author:
Hui Bong LEE
1
;
Young Jin SUH
;
Sang Seol JUNG
;
In Chol KIM
Author Information
1. Departments of Surgery, St. Vincent's The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Breast cancer;
Tamoxifen;
Bone;
Mineral;
Calcium;
Phosphorus;
Alkaline phosphatase;
Metabolism
- MeSH:
Alkaline Phosphatase;
Breast Neoplasms*;
Breast*;
Calcium;
Estrogen Receptor Modulators;
Estrogens;
Female;
Humans;
Korea;
Menopause;
Metabolism*;
Minerals;
Osteoporosis;
Phosphorus;
Receptors, Progesterone;
Reference Values;
Retrospective Studies;
Tamoxifen*
- From:Journal of the Korean Surgical Society
1998;55(5):661-669
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
BACKGROUND: Tamoxifen, a synthetic antiestrogen, increases disease-free and overall survival when used as adjuvant therapy for primary breast cancer. Because it is given for long periods, it is important to know whether tamoxifen affects bone mineral metabolism in women. However few reports on this topic have been published in Korea. METHODS: We classified patients into four subgroups by age, hormone receptor status, and menstrual status, and during a five-year randomized, uncontrolled clinical investigation we studied retrospectively the effects of tamoxifen on biochemical measures of bone mineral metabolism in 112 women with axillary-node-negative breast cancer. RESULTS: In all four subgroups, neither the serum calcium nor the phosphorus level showed any fluctuation beyond the reference range. Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) decreased one year after the operation in all subgroups, and then increased afterwards in the reference range. However, women in the under 40-years-old subgroup and in the both estrogen and progesterone receptor negative subgroup showed a prominent rise in the upper value of the reference range up to 436 IU/l. In the 60 or older subgroup, ALP values showed some fluctuations similar to those for the both estrogen and progesterone receptor positive subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: We think that treatment with tamoxifen may be associated with preservation of bone minerals in women after menopause, in women 60 and older, and in women with a positive estrogen and progesterone receptor. Also, this effect probably can help to prevent or to delay the development of osteoporosis in these women with breast cancer, but a possible relation with a decrease in the risk of fractures still remains to be evaluated.
