Tamoxifen for breast cancer

About tamoxifen

Treatment options for cancro al seno include surgery, chemioterapia, radioterapia and hormone treatment. Often a combination of two or more of these treatments is used. Tamoxifen is a hormone treatment.

Some breast cancers need the female hormone oestrogen to grow. The cells of these cancers have receptors on their surface that oestrogen can attach to and are called 'hormone receptor-positive' cancers. Tamoxifen works by blocking the receptors and this prevents oestrogen from reaching cancer cells, stopping them from growing.

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking tamoxifen it is important that your doctor or pharmacist knows:

• If you have unusual or irregular menstrual periods.

• If you have ever had a stroke, a blood clot in your lungs, or deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

• Se sei incinta o stai allattando.

• If you have porphyria, a rare inherited blood disorder.

• If you are taking any other medicines. This includes any medicines you are taking which are available to buy without a prescription, as well as herbal and complementary medicines. It is also particularly important that you tell your doctor if you are taking a hormonal contraceptive ('the pill' or 'mini-pill') or hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

• Se hai mai avuto una reazione allergica a un medicinale.

• Before starting this treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. The leaflet will give you more information about tamoxifen and a full list of side-effects which you may experience from taking it.

• Take one 20 mg tablet of tamoxifen each day, exactly as your doctor tells you to. Your dose will also be on the label of the pack to remind you.

• You may take tamoxifen at whatever time of day you find easiest to remember, but try to take your doses at the same time each day. This will help you avoid missing any doses. You can take tamoxifen before, during or after meals.

• Se dimentichi di prendere una dose, prendila appena te ne ricordi. Se non te ne ricordi fino al giorno successivo, salta la dose dimenticata. Non prendere due dosi insieme per compensare una dose dimenticata.

• Try to keep your regular appointments with your doctor or clinic. This is so your doctor can check on your progress. You may need to have a blood test from time to time.

• If you are having an operation, tell the person carrying out the treatment that you are taking tamoxifen. This is because you may need to stop taking tamoxifen for a while before the operation.

• You must not get pregnant whilst you are on tamoxifen. Make sure you have discussed with your doctor which types of contraception are suitable for you and your partner, if this is relevant for you.

• Se acquisti dei medicinali, verifica con un farmacista che siano adatti da assumere insieme agli altri tuoi medicinali.

Oltre ai loro effetti benefici, la maggior parte dei farmaci può causare effetti collaterali indesiderati, anche se non tutti li sperimentano. Questi di solito migliorano man mano che il tuo corpo si adatta al nuovo farmaco, ma parla con il tuo medico o farmacista se uno dei seguenti effetti collaterali persiste o diventa fastidioso.

Importante: your doctor will have discussed with you the possibility of less common side-effects. You must let your doctor know immediatamente if you develop any of the following:

• Pain or swelling in your lower leg, or any sudden breathlessness. Taking tamoxifen can increase the risk of you developing a blood clot in a leg vein (also known as a DVT), or in your lungs (also known as pulmonary embolism, or PE).

• Any swelling of your face or throat, breathing difficulties, or a severe rash. These may be signs of an allergic-type reaction.

• Irregular or unusual vaginal bleeding or discharge, or pain in your lower tummy (abdomen). Your doctor will want to check to see if there are any changes in the lining of your womb that could cause concern.

Se si verificano altri sintomi che ritieni possano essere dovuti a questo medicinale, discutine con il tuo medico o farmacista.

• Tenere tutti i medicinali fuori dalla portata e dalla vista dei bambini.

• Conservare in un luogo fresco e asciutto, lontano da fonti di calore e luce diretta.