Tamoxifen side effects

Dear Sir/Madam,

I had less then a cm size tumor removed from my right breast. I have just finished with chemo.  I have radiation scheduled for 6 weeks.  The next step would be putting me on Tamoxifen. I don't like the side effects I am reading about this medicine.  It scares me that I could have a stroke, or uterine cancer from this medicine. What are the percentages of each side effects that have been recorded by research.  If I don't take Tamoxifen, what would the chances of breast cancer returning, has researchers recorded this percent?

Sincerely,
Susan H. Schaffer

[CCF-RN,MSN-JS]

Dear Ms. Schaffer,  For each individual woman the risk for serious side effects, including stroke or uterine cancer, is small, though real.  Many large studies have shown that tamoxifen can reduce the chances of breast cancer recurrence.  In general, for women with hormone receptor positive breast
cancer, the benefits of tamoxifen usually outweigh the potential side effects.  The balance of risk and benefit must be individualized, however, and you should have a discussion with your oncologist about the risks and benefits of tamoxifen as they apply to your individual case.  

[carme]

I was a volunteer in the Tamoxifen trials 1991-2000 at the City of Hope. I took it for 4 1/2 years. The side effects were minimal for the 1st 4 years, then I began having edema in my legs/ankles. My mom had hot flashes while she took it after her 2nd mastectomy for cancer...but she lived 13 more years before ovarian got her. My breast cancer didn't show up until 12/03. The doctors believe the tamoxifen probably helped, since my younger sister who didn't participate in the study had breast cancer 9/02. I elected to have bilateral mastectomies, since I have a BRCA2 mutation...granted that choice is the extreme, but if you've ever seen the horrible death cancer can cause right up close, then living without breasts and enduring "side effects" is a walk in the park.  You have to be proactive in your treatment and preventative check ups etc.