Elsevier

Gynecologic Oncology

Volume 73, Issue 3, June 1999, Pages 402-406
Gynecologic Oncology

Regular Article
Ovarian Histopathology in Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Tamoxifen

https://doi.org/10.1006/gyno.1999.5378Get rights and content

Abstract

Objective. The purpose of this study was to examine ovarian histopathology in tamoxifen-treated breast cancer patients undergoing oophorectomy.

Methods. We reviewed the records and ovarian histopathology of 152 breast cancer patients who underwent oophorectomy at a single institution between January 1980 and October 1996. At the time of oophorectomy, 99 patients had never received tamoxifen, 44 patients were currently receiving tamoxifen, and 9 patients had previously received tamoxifen. Patient demographic and medical data and indication for oophorectomy were examined. Ovarian histopathology was classified as normal, functional ovarian cyst, benign ovarian tumor, endometriosis, ovarian cancer, and metastatic cancer.

Results. Patient characteristics and indication for oophorectomy did not differ significantly based on tamoxifen exposure. There was no difference in the occurrence of benign ovarian tumors, functional ovarian cysts, or metastatic breast cancer based on tamoxifen exposure. Tamoxifen-treated patients were less likely to have ovarian cancer, 0 of 53 patients (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.0%, 6.7%) compared with 10 of 99 patients (95% CI: 5.0%, 17.8%) patients not receiving tamoxifen (P = 0.015). Endometriosis was slightly more common in patients currently receiving tamoxifen, but the difference was not statistically significant.

Conclusions. In women undergoing oophorectomy, there was no evidence that tamoxifen exposure was associated with an increase in benign or malignant primary or metastatic ovarian neoplasm or in functional ovarian cysts. Further study is necessary to better define any association between tamoxifen and endometriosis and the effect of tamoxifen on ovarian cancer risk.

References (20)

There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (14)

  • Medical treatments of presumed benign ovarian tumors

    2013, Journal de Gynecologie Obstetrique et Biologie de la Reproduction
  • Tamoxifen and the risk of ovarian cancer in BRCA1 mutation carriers

    2009, Gynecologic Oncology
    Citation Excerpt :

    Cohen et al. reported an incidence of ovarian cancers of 5.7% (10/175) in post-menopausal breast cancer patients treated with tamoxifen, a rate 4–5 times the expected [21]. However, this was not confirmed in several additional studies, among them the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project P-1 Study in which patients were randomized to tamoxifen or placebo [6,22,23] All incident cancers were noted and no difference in the incidence of ovarian cancer was found. Our study is the first to evaluate the risk of ovarian cancer with tamoxifen treatment in BRCA1 mutation carriers.

View all citing articles on Scopus
View full text