Tamoxifen citrate is an oral prescription medication used to prevent breast cancer as well as treat some types of cancerous tumors of the breast, endometrium and skin. When taken daily, tamoxifen citrate reduces the amount of estrogen in your body, which leads to benefits in the treatment of these diseases.

Function

Doctors believe that tamoxifen works by binding to spots within your breast that are intended for interaction with estrogen, which reduces the effects of the hormone upon the tissue, explains the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Effects on Cancer

For patients with some types of estrogen-dependent breast or other cancers, having less estrogen affecting the breast tissue causes cells that need the hormone for growth to die. This makes tamoxifen beneficial for treating metastic breast cancer cells (those that have spread to other parts of the body) as well as for destroying any breast cancer cells left behind after a breast cancer tumor has been removed, explains the Mayo Clinic.

Prevention

Because tamoxifen lowers estrogen levels, the drug makes it more difficult for estrogen-dependent breast cancer tumors to develop. Tamoxifen therefore benefits breast cancer survivors and women at high risk of developing a first breast cancer by decreasing the likelihood of tumors, reports the American cancer Society.

Types of High-Risk Women

Women who are considered high risk for developing breast cancer and may benefit from preventative use of tamoxifen include those who have developed benign breast cysts in the past, women who develop their first period before the age of 11, those with parents or siblings who experienced breast cancer, and those who have never had children or had them later in life, reports the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Considerations

Despite its many benefits, tamoxifen may not be safe for use in patients who have a history of bleeding problems, cataracts, high cholesterol, stroke, pulmonary embolism or uterine cancer, cautions the Mayo Clinic.

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