From the Guidelines
The original brand name for tamoxifen is Nolvadex. Tamoxifen was first developed by Imperial Chemical Industries (later AstraZeneca) and marketed under the brand name Nolvadex beginning in the 1970s. This medication is a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) primarily used to treat hormone receptor-positive breast cancer in both pre- and post-menopausal women. It's also used for breast cancer prevention in high-risk individuals, as noted in the American Society of Clinical Oncology clinical practice guideline update 1.
Key Points
- Tamoxifen works by binding to estrogen receptors in breast tissue, blocking estrogen's stimulatory effects on breast cancer cells.
- While Nolvadex was the original brand name, tamoxifen is now widely available as a generic medication.
- The typical dosage for breast cancer treatment is 20 mg daily, usually continued for 5-10 years depending on the specific situation, as recommended in the guideline 1.
- Side effects may include hot flashes, vaginal discharge, and more serious but rare complications like blood clots or endometrial cancer. According to the guideline update on the use of pharmacologic interventions including tamoxifen 1, the medication may be offered to reduce the risk of ER-positive invasive breast cancer for premenopausal and postmenopausal women with a 5-year projected breast cancer risk of 1.66% or with lobular carcinoma in situ.
From the Research
Tamoxifen Brand Name
Details of Tamoxifen
- Tamoxifen is a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) used in the treatment and prevention of breast cancer 4, 5, 6.
- It has been shown to reduce the risk of breast cancer by as much as 50% in high-risk women 4.
- Tamoxifen is also known to have adverse effects, including an increased risk of endometrial cancer and thromboembolic events 3.