Abstract
INTRODUCTION
Tamoxifen is a selective estrogen modulator agent used in breast cancer women. While it has an antiestrogenic effect in the breast, it has estrogenic and antiestrogenic effects in the genital system. It has side effects such as endometrial polyps, hyperplasia, cancer, and ovarian cysts in the uterus and ovaries. In our study, we examined the gynecological clinical and pathological features of patients using tamoxifen.
METHODS
In this retrospective study, 183 women’s, using tamoxifen for breast cancer, demographic data, comorbidities, menopausal status, admission symptoms, ultrasound findings, endometrial sampling results, tamoxifen duration of use were obtained from patient files and evaluated.
RESULTS
The mean age of 183 patients included in our study was 53.86±10.04. Ovarian cysts were detected in 22 (12%) patients, 15.6% of premenopausal and 8.6% of postmenopausal patients. 13.7% of all patients, 17.8% of premenopausal, and 9.7% of postmenopausal patients had abnormal uterine bleeding. Endometrial sampling was performed in 54.1% of the patients. Endometrial biopsy results were unsatisfactory in 18.6% of the patients, benign findings in 15.3%, atrophy in 6.6%, polyps in 9.3%, hyperplasia without atypia in 2.2%, hyperplasia with atypia in 1.1%, and cancer in 1.1%. Abnormal uterine bleeding rates were statistically higher in those who received treatment at 60 months or more than under 60 months.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION
Tamoxifen is associated with pathologies such as polyps, hyperplasia, cancer, and ovarian cyst. Uterine pathologies usually present with abnormal uterine bleeding. As the duration of tamoxifen use increases, the rate of abnormal uterine bleeding also increases.