Tamoxifen citrate is a generic name for a medication commonly prescribed for the treatment and prevention of breast cancer. Doctors have used tamoxifen citrate for over 25 years in the fight against the disease, according to the American Cancer Society.

Function

Tamoxifen citrate functions by lowering the amount of estrogen in your body, robbing estrogen-dependent cancers of these female hormones that are necessary for their growth.

Uses

The most common uses of tamoxifen citrate are for the treatment of breast cancer in women and men that has spread to other organs, as a secondary treatment for women following surgical removal of a breast cancer tumor, or to prevent the return of breast cancer or the development of the disease in high-risk women. Less common uses include treating endometrium cancer and malignant melanoma, reports the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Time Frame

For the treatment of breast cancer, doctors typically prescribe 20 to 40mg of tamoxifen per day for a period of weeks or months depending on the type and stage of the cancer. To prevent breast cancer, doctors prescribe 20mg daily for five years, explains the Mayo Clinic.

Side Effects

The most common side effects of tamoxifen citrate are changes in menstruation, flushing, hot flashes, weight gain and difficulty breathing, reports the Mayo Clinic.

Considerations

Because the drug has the potential to cause fetal harm or miscarriages, doctors restrict use of tamoxifen citrate in pregnant women to instances where there is no safe alternative to treatment. Tamoxifen citrate is not approved for use in children, reports the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Source:

Mayo Clinic: Tamoxifen (Oral Route)

U.S. National Library of Medicine DailyMed: Tamoxifen Citrate (Tamoxifen Citrate) Tablet

American Cancer Society: Medicines to Reduce the Risk of Breast Cancer