The drug that is used most often in prevention of breast cancer in treating newly diagnosed breast cancer is tamoxifen. The brand name is Nolvadex.
CATHY CONLEY: The main hormonal agents are all beneficial, but they vary in their benefits and side effects.
LODOVICO BALDUCCI, MD: One major benefit of the hormonal therapies, not only that it is so active, but also it is much less toxic than chemotherapy. This SERM, the selective estrogen receptor modulators, include Tamoxifen, which is a time-honored drug, Toremifene, which is practically equivalent with Tamoxifen, may have some minor benefit. The use of Tamoxifen in the adjuvant setting is associated with a decrement of 30% in the mortality rate of breast cancer.
So they were very safe and very effective medications. They have some problems, however. They are associated with increased risk of blood clot, with an increased risk of strokes, with an increased risk of cancer of the endometrium, of the uterus. It's a very small risk.
Now there is this new generation of product called aromatase inhibitors. The way that these compounds work is by depriving completely the tissues of estrogen. That gives them some edge over estrogen antagonists. In that way, they really eliminate the source of fuel that stimulate the growth of the tumor.
