Pathology of the endometrium in breast cancer patients treated with tamoxifen (nolvadex)
Ivanova, V.; Karaivanov, M.; Marinov, E.; Gorchev, G.; Velkova, A.; Khristova, P.
Akusherstvo i Ginekologiia 42(5): 3-8
2003
ISSN/ISBN: 0324-0959 PMID: 14682005 Document Number: 564860
The objectives of this study were to: 1) characterize histologically endometrial biopsy findings for genital bleeding in breast cancer patients receiving Tamoxifen; 2) analyze histologically endometrial carcinoma in the same patients. We analyzed biopsy specimens divided into three groups: 1) 112 biopsies (curettages and hysterectomy specimens) from 88 breast cancer patients receiving Tamoxifen (Nolvadex): T+; 2) 27 biopsies (curettages and hysterectomy specimens) from 22 breast cancer patients not receiving Tamoxifen but biopsied for genital bleeding: T-; 3) 139 curettages control samples received for analysis in the period January-March 2000 from women with peri- and postmenopausal genital bleeding: K. The analysis was performed on archival H&E sections. The most frequent finding in breast cancer patients receiving Tamoxifen was endometrial polyp. Compared with the other two groups (T- and K) the frequency of this finding was statistically significant. No difference was found in the prevalence of endometrial cancer between the three groups. The analyzed endometrial carcinomas in Tamoxifen-treated breast cancer patients show signs, characteristic of Bochman type I: predominantly endometrioid, of low grade and FIGO stage, with good prognosis.