The effects of tamoxifen on the endometrium, blood flow of the uterine arteries and serum lipoprotein (a) levels in postmenopausal women

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of tamoxifen therapy on the endometrium by transvaginal color Doppler sonography and on lipid profile focusing on lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] levels. Seventy-five postmenopausal breast cancer patients were examined by transvaginal color Doppler sonography and serum Lp(a) levels. Lipid parameters were measured after overnight fasting. Forty of the patients were treated with tamoxifen (20-30 mg/day) for at least 1 year. The remaining 35 patients did not receive tamoxifen and were used as controls. Statistical analysis was performed using t-test and Mann-Whitney U-test (Systat version 5.0). The patients receiving tamoxifen had significantly thicker endometrium (7.9 +/- 3.6 mm) compared to the control group (4.5 +/- 1.8 mm) (p < or = 0.001). The mean pulsatility index and resistance index of the uterine arteries in the tamoxifen group were 2.063 +/- 0.49 and 0.83 +/- 0.07, respectively, and were significantly lower than those of the control group (2.69 +/- 0.16 and 0.88 +/- 0.02) (p < 0.001). In addition, tamoxifen decreased total cholesterol (p < 0.001) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p <0.001) and apolipoprotein B (p < 0.05) significantly. Tamoxifen also increased high density lipoprotein cholesterol (p < 0.05) and apolipoprotein A-I (p < 0.05). These results indicate that tamoxifen stimulates the endometrium and acts as an anti-atherogenic agent in postmenopausal women.

Effect of tamoxifen in patients with thin endometrium who underwent frozen–thawed embryo transfer cycles: a retrospective study

“…Moreover, TAM could induce the local estrogen biosynthesis through altering estrogen-metabolizing enzymes ( 37 ). Resistance (RI) and pulsatility (PI) indices of the uterine arteries that decreased after TAM treatment might also contribute to the growth of endometrium ( 38 ). Therefore, Tian et al.…”

“…Moreover, TAM could induce the local estrogen biosynthesis through altering estrogen-metabolizing enzymes (37). Resistance (RI) and pulsatility (PI) indices of the uterine arteries that decreased after TAM treatment might also contribute to the growth of endometrium (38). Therefore, Tian et al ORs adjusted for maternal age, BMI, duration of infertility, infertility diagnosis, the number and stage of embryos transferred, and the endometrial thickness, with the HRT group as the reference.…”

Anomalies utérines chez la femme non ménopausée sous tamoxifène en traitement adjuvant du cancer du sein

“…Le tamoxifène serait responsable d'une diminution de l'impédance du flux dans la circulation endométriale ou sous endométriale probablement en rapport avec une vasodilatation [29].…”