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Nolvadex (Tamoxifen Citrate) - Summary

 



BOXED WARNING

For Women with Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) and Women at High Risk for Breast Cancer: Serious and life-threatening events associated with NOLVADEX in the risk reduction setting (women at high risk for cancer and women with DCIS) include uterine malignancies, stroke and pulmonary embolism. Incidence rates for these events were estimated from the NSABP P-1 trial (see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY-Clinical Studies − Reduction in Breast Cancer Incidence In High Risk Women). Uterine malignancies consist of both endometrial adenocarcinoma (incidence rate per 1,000 women-years of 2.20 for NOLVADEX vs 0.71 for placebo) and uterine sarcoma (incidence rate per 1,000 women-years of 0.17 for NOLVADEX vs 0.04 for placebo)*. For stroke, the incidence rate per 1,000 women-years was 1.43 for NOLVADEX vs 1.00 for placebo**. For pulmonary embolism, the incidence rate per 1,000 women-years was 0.75 for NOLVADEX versus 0.25 for placebo**.

Some of the strokes, pulmonary emboli, and uterine malignancies were fatal.

Health care providers should discuss the potential benefits versus the potential risks of these serious events with women at high risk of breast cancer and women with DCIS considering NOLVADEX to reduce their risk of developing breast cancer.

The benefits of NOLVADEX outweigh its risks in women already diagnosed with breast cancer.

*Updated long-term follow-up data (median length of follow-up is 6.9 years) from NSABP P-1 study. See WARNINGS: Effects on the Uterus-Endometrial Cancer and Uterine Sarcoma.

**See Table 3 under CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY-Clinical Studies

 

NOLVADEX SUMMARY

NOLVADEX
(Tamoxifen Citrate)
TABLETS

NOLVADEX® (tamoxifen citrate) Tablets, a nonsteroidal antiestrogen, are for oral administration. NOLVADEX Tablets are available as.

NOLVADEX® is indicated for the following:

Metastatic Breast Cancer:

NOLVADEX is effective in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer in women and men. In premenopausal women with metastatic breast cancer, NOLVADEX is an alternative to oophorectomy or ovarian irradiation. Available evidence indicates that patients whose tumors are estrogen receptor positive are more likely to benefit from NOLVADEX therapy.

Adjuvant Treatment of Breast Cancer:

NOLVADEX is indicated for the treatment of node-positive breast cancer in postmenopausal women following total mastectomy or segmental mastectomy, axillary dissection, and breast irradiation. In some NOLVADEX adjuvant studies, most of the benefit to date has been in the subgroup with four or more positive axillary nodes.

NOLVADEX is indicated for the treatment of axillary node-negative breast cancer in women following total mastectomy or segmental mastectomy, axillary dissection, and breast irradiation.

The estrogen and progesterone receptor values may help to predict whether adjuvant NOLVADEX therapy is likely to be beneficial.

NOLVADEX reduces the occurrence of contralateral breast cancer in patients receiving adjuvant NOLVADEX therapy for breast cancer.

Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS):

In women with DCIS, following breast surgery and radiation, NOLVADEX is indicated to reduce the risk of invasive breast cancer (see BOXED WARNING at the beginning of the label). The decision regarding therapy with NOLVADEX for the reduction in breast cancer incidence should be based upon an individual assessment of the benefits and risks of NOLVADEX therapy.

Current data from clinical trials support five years of adjuvant NOLVADEX therapy for patients with breast cancer.

Reduction in Breast Cancer Incidence in High Risk Women:

NOLVADEX is indicated to reduce the incidence of breast cancer in women at high risk for breast cancer. This effect was shown in a study of 5 years planned duration with a median follow-up of 4.2 years. Twenty-five percent of the participants received drug for 5 years. The longer-term effects are not known. In this study, there was no impact of tamoxifen on overall or breast cancer-related mortality (see BOXED WARNING at the beginning of the label).

NOLVADEX is indicated only for high-risk women. “High risk” is defined as women at least 35 years of age with a 5-year predicted risk of breast cancer ≥ 1.67%, as calculated by the Gail Model.

Examples of combinations of factors predicting a 5-year risk ≥ 1.67% are:

Age 35 or older and any of the following combination of factors:

•One first degree relative with a history of breast cancer, 2 or more benign biopsies, and a history of a breast biopsy showing atypical hyperplasia; or

•At least 2 first degree relatives with a history of breast cancer, and a personal history of at least one breast biopsy; or

•LCIS

Age 40 or older and any of the following combination of factors:

•One first degree relative with a history of breast cancer, 2 or more benign biopsies, age at first live birth 25 or older, and age at menarche 11 or younger; or

•At least 2 first degree relatives with a history of breast cancer, and age at first live birth 19 or younger; or

•One first degree relative with a history of breast cancer, and a personal history of a breast biopsy showing atypical hyperplasia.

Age 45 or older and any of the following combination of factors:

•At least 2 first degree relatives with a history of breast cancer and age at first live birth 24 or younger; or

•One first degree relative with a history of breast cancer with a personal history of a benign breast biopsy, age at menarche 11 or less and age at first live birth 20 or more.

Age 50 or older and any of the following combination of factors:

•At least 2 first degree relatives with a history of breast cancer; or

•History of one breast biopsy showing atypical hyperplasia, and age at first live birth 30 or older and age at menarche 11 or less; or

•History of at least two breast biopsies with a history of atypical hyperplasia, and age at first live birth 30 or more.

Age 55 or older and any of the following combination of factors:

•One first degree relative with a history of breast cancer with a personal history of a benign breast biopsy, and age at menarche 11 or less; or

•History of at least 2 breast biopsies with a history of atypical hyperplasia, and age at first live birth 20 or older.

Age 60 or older and:

•5-year predicted risk of breast cancer ≥ 1.67%, as calculated by the Gail Model.

For women whose risk factors are not described in the above examples, the Gail Model is necessary to estimate absolute breast cancer risk. Health Care Professionals can obtain a Gail Model Risk Assessment Tool by dialing 1-800-544-2007.

There are insufficient data available regarding the effect of NOLVADEX on breast cancer incidence in women with inherited mutations (BRCA1, BRCA2) to be able to make specific recommendations on the effectiveness of NOLVADEX in these patients.

After an assessment of the risk of developing breast cancer, the decision regarding therapy with NOLVADEX for the reduction in breast cancer incidence should be based upon an individual assessment of the benefits and risks of NOLVADEX therapy. In the NSABP P-1 trial, NOLVADEX treatment lowered the risk of developing breast cancer during the follow-up period of the trial, but did not eliminate breast cancer risk (See Table 3 in CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY).


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NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Media Articles Related to Nolvadex (Tamoxifen)

Few Women Take Tamoxifen To Prevent Breast Cancer
Source: Health News from Medical News Today [2010.02.08]
Researchers with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have found that the prevalence of tamoxifen use for the prevention of breast cancer among women without a personal history of breast cancer is very low. Tamoxifen can reduce the risk of developing breast cancer in women who are at increased risk for developing the disease. Details of this survey are published in the February issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research...


SSRI and Tamoxifen Increase Mortality Risk (CME/CE)
Source: MedPageToday.com - medical news plus CME for physicians [2010.02.08]
Overlapping use of tamoxifen and the antidepressant paroxetine (Paxil) significantly increases the risk of breast cancer mortality, data from a large cohort of breast cancer patients showed.

Paxil Blocks Tamoxifen, Lowers Survival Odds Against Breast Cancer (HealthDay)
Source: Y! Health Breast Cancer News [2010.02.08]
HealthDay - MONDAY, Feb. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Women with breast cancer who take both tamoxifen and the antidepressant Paxil may increase their risk of dying because Paxil reduces tamoxifen's effectiveness, Canadian researchers report.

Gene Could Predict Tamoxifen Treatment Failure
Source: Breast Cancer News From Medical News Today [2010.02.02]
Scientists in Belfast have identified a gene which could predict whether women with breast cancer will respond to treatment with tamoxifen, according to findings published in Cancer Research. Dr Tracy Robson and researcher Dr Hayley McKeen, funded by Breast Cancer Campaign at the School of Pharmacy Queen's University Belfast have identified a gene, FKBPL...

Breast Cancer Campaign: Gene Could Predict Tamoxifen Treatment Failure
Source: Breast Cancer News From Medical News Today [2010.02.01]
Gene could predict tamoxifen treatment failure Scientists in Belfast have identified a gene which could predict whether women with breast cancer will respond to treatment with tamoxifen, according to findings published today in Cancer Research...

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Published Studies Related to Nolvadex (Tamoxifen)

Prevention of tamoxifen induced endometrial polyps using a levonorgestrel releasing intrauterine system long-term follow-up of a randomised control trial. [2009.09]
OBJECTIVES: In a RCT, we have previously shown that the levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG-IUS, Mirena) produces a decidual response protecting the endometrium at one year follow-up. We here report on the long-term follow-up of this group of women, to test the hypothesis that a LNG-IUS could prevent the pro-proliferative uterine responses of tamoxifen for up to 4.5 years... CONCLUSION: This study confirms that LNG-IUS induces benign endometrial changes and prevents endometrial polyps but only during its use in women taking tamoxifen. Endometrial thickness is a risk factor for the development of polyps.

Uracil-tegafur and tamoxifen vs cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, fluorouracil, and tamoxifen in post-operative adjuvant therapy for stage I, II, or IIIA lymph node-positive breast cancer: a comparative study. [2009.08.18]
BACKGROUND: It has been reported that treatment with uracil-tegafur (UFT) has shown significantly better survival and relapse-free survival (RFS) than surgery alone. Therefore, we compared UFT with a combination therapy of cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil (CMF) in patients who had undergone curative surgery for axillary lymph node-positive breast cancer... CONCLUSION: UFT administered in combination with TAM holds promise in the treatment of lymph node-positive early breast cancer. On stratified analysis, the recurrence rate in the UFT group was found to be better in oestrogen receptor (ER)-positive patients. Tegafur-based treatment should be evaluated by a prospective randomised trial conducted in ER-positive patients.

Randomized double-blind 2 x 2 trial of low-dose tamoxifen and fenretinide for breast cancer prevention in high-risk premenopausal women. [2009.08.10]
PURPOSE: Tamoxifen and fenretinide are active in reducing premenopausal breast cancer risk and work synergistically in preclinical models. The authors assessed their combination in a two-by-two biomarker trial... CONCLUSION: Despite favorable effects on plasma IGF-I levels and mammographic density, the combination of low-dose tamoxifen plus fenretinide did not reduce breast neoplastic events compared to placebo, whereas both single agents, particularly fenretinide, showed numerical reduction in annual odds of breast neoplasms. Further follow-up is indicated.

A randomized placebo-controlled study of tamoxifen after adjuvant chemotherapy in premenopausal women with early breast cancer (National Cancer Institute of Canada--Clinical Trials Group Trial, MA.12). [2009.07.23]
BACKGROUND: In the early 1990s, the role of adjuvant tamoxifen in premenopausal women with early breast cancer (EBC) was not established. Similarly, optimum timing relative to adjuvant chemotherapy and efficacy of tamoxifen in hormone receptor-negative tumors were unclear... CONCLUSIONS: Adjuvant tamoxifen, given after chemotherapy to premenopausal women with EBC, improved 5-year DFS. Poor compliance may have reduced treatment efficacy.

Endocrine effects of adjuvant letrozole compared with tamoxifen in hormone-responsive postmenopausal patients with early breast cancer: the HOBOE trial. [2009.07.01]
PURPOSE We compared the endocrine effects of 6 and 12 months of adjuvant letrozole versus tamoxifen in postmenopausal patients with hormone-responsive early breast cancer within an ongoing phase III trial. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients were randomly assigned to receive tamoxifen, letrozole, or letrozole plus zoledronic acid...

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Clinical Trials Related to Nolvadex (Tamoxifen)

Phase II Metastatic ER+/PgR+ Nolvadex +/- Iressa Study [Completed]
This study is being carried out to see if ZD1839 is effective in treating metastatic breast cancer in combination with Nolvadex, and if so, how it compares with Nolvadex alone.

ITA - Clinical Study Comparing ARIMIDEXâ„¢ With NOLVADEXâ„¢ in Women With Breast Cancer Treated With NOLVADEX for at Least 2 Years [Active, not recruiting]
The purpose of this study was to assess the difference in disease-free survival between post-menopausal women with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer who switched from tamoxifen to anastrozole and those who continued on tamoxifen.

Casodex - Nolvadex Combination [Completed]
This study looks at the relationship in the dose of nolvadex and the incidence of gynaecomastia and also Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) inhibition when co-administered with Casodex. The aim of the study is to assess the optimal dose of nolvadex which will reduce the breast tissue adverse effects without reducing the efficacy of Casodex.

Effectiveness of Combination of Arimidex and Nolvadex in Adjuvant Therapy of Breast Carcinoma in Postmenopausal Women. [Active, not recruiting]
The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy and tolerability of 3 years treatment with anastrozole after a prior 2 years' treatment with tamoxifen versus 5 years treatment with tamoxifen in postmenopausal women with early breast cancer

A Trial Comparing the Efficacy and Tolerability of Faslodex With Nolvadex in Postmenopausal Women With Advanced Breast Cancer [Completed]
The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of Faslodex (fulvestrant) to Nolvadex (tamoxifen) as first-line treatment for postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer. Patients will be treated until disease progression or until the investigator has determined that treatment is not in the best interest of the patient, whichever occurs first.

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PATIENT REVIEWS / RATINGS / COMMENTS

Based on a total of 2 ratings/reviews, Nolvadex has an overall score of 8.50. The effectiveness score is 6 and the side effect score is 7. The scores are on ten point scale: 10 - best, 1 - worst.
 

Nolvadex review by 53 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Moderately Effective
Side effects:   Mild Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Breast Cancer
Dosage & duration:   1 TAB 20mg taken everyday for the period of must take 5 years
Other conditions:   none
Other drugs taken:   none
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   The objective of Tamoxifen is to work against the effects of estrogen on cancer cells. As a treatment for breast cancer, the drug is supposed to slow or stop the growth of cancer cells that are present in the body. I am praying that this is fulfilling its purpose but only in 3rd month of taking it so who knows.
Side effects:   Main side effect : vaginal discharge, slight weight gain (water retention I hope) and heartburn.
Comments:   I have to take Tamoxifen for 5 years.

 

Nolvadex review by 46 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Moderately Effective
Side effects:   Moderate Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   breast cancer
Dosage & duration:   20 mg taken daily for the period of currently 2 years
Other conditions:   anxiety
Other drugs taken:   effexor
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   The benefits of tamoxifen have been to be cancer free 2 years after my diagnosis. Hopefully this "clean bill of health" will continue as I begin year 3 of tamoxifen in my 5 year plan. The benefits of effexor help balance the mood swings caused by a lowered amount of estrogen in my body. Tamoxifen does its job by keeping the estrogen blocked in my body so any abnormal cells can't feed on the estrogen. My cancer was highly estrogen-positive. Lowered estrogen causes depression and mood swings. Effexor helps to alleviate these symptoms along with my exercise regime and healthy eating habits.
Side effects:   Side effects were more severe at the onset of taking tamoxifen. I had hot flashes that were quite severe. They often came without warning especially at mealtime. I also had some body aches and pains. Vaginal dryness was also severe. My period became erratic. After 2 years most side effects have decreased - hot flashes are gone as well as the aches. My period has been non-existant for 4 months. However, I feel irritable and edgy about the regularly scheduled time for a few days. The effexor helps. Dryness is still a problem but not as severe. Vaginal odor continues to be a concern.
Comments:   I was put on Tamoxifen for 5 years following my 9/05 breast cancer diagnosis. I started Tamoxifen 12/05. I started Zoloft 2 months later when I began having mood swings. Zoloft helped for a year then I felt my symptoms returning. I began Effexor at 75 mg and have been fine. My oncologist felt I am young and strong (age 46, exercise 4 times weekly, runner, martial artist) and that I should try to lower or end my Effexor. However, I didn't agree. I needed help with the mood swings and irritability. I can't lose my temper at work. I work with developmentally disabled adults. Losing my temper could be my job. I did try a natural regime of vitamins (B-12 and E) for several months but I felt no relief. Friends even told me about my mood. I went from depressed to angry in a flash. The 75 mg of Effexor is wonderful. My estrogen is blocked by the Tamoxifen and the effexor helps keep me at an even keel.

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Page last updated: 2010-02-08

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