Evaluation of Tamoxifen Therapy in Pre-Menopausal and Post-Menopausal Patients of Breast Cancer: a Comparative Study

Abstract

To evaluate the effects of tamoxifen therapy on plasma lipid profile in patients of breast cancer.MethodsA total of 55 postoperative patients of breast cancer were given tablet tamoxifen 20mg orally daily for 6 months. Estimation of plasma lipid by standard method was carried out in both pre-menopausal and postmenopausal new patients of early stage breast cancer at 0 day, and after three and six months of therapy.ResultsIn pre-menopausal and postmenopausal patient's total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels were reduced significantly, whereas triglycerides (TGs), very low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (VLDL-C) and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) were not altered. Comparison of the effects of tamoxifen in pre-menopausal and postmenopausal patients on lipid profile revealed that fall in TC and LDL-C was significantly higher at both 3 and 6 months in postmenopausal patients.The study demonstrates that tamoxifen favorably alters the markers of cardiovascular risk in both pre-menopausal and postmenopausal patients of breast cancer.