OVARIAN-TUMORS IN POSTMENOPAUSAL BREAST-CANCER PATIENTS TREATED WITH TAMOXIFEN

From September 1, 1989, to November 30, 1991, 175 menopausal breast ca ncer patients treated with tamoxifen were followed at the authors' ins titutions. During this period, 16 (9.1%) underwent total abdominal hys terectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, for various indications , Of these, 10 (62.5%) had either uni- or bilateral ovarian tumors, Th e analysis of surgical findings showed an incidence of 5.7% (10/175) o varian tumors among all the patients. In 2 (?OB), the ovarian masses d isplayed enlargement over a relatively short period while on treatment , In 5 (50%) patients, the findings were bilateral. All tumors were de tectable by ultrasonography, except four serous cystadenomas found in 3 women, The mean duration of tamoxifen treatment was 36.6 +/- 24.9 (r ange 9-86) months. The rate of 5.7% for ovarian tumors, in this select ed group of patients, is four to five times higher than that reported for similar pathologic conditions detected by general screenings viith ultrasonographic scans among nonselected, asymptomatic, and untreated postmenopausal rt omen. Two possibilities should be considered in the development of ovarian tumors coinciding with tamoxifen treatment; (1 ) women with breast malignancy are prone to develop benign or malignan t ovarian tumors in relation to genetic factors, regardless of tamoxif en treatment; and (2) tamoxifen may stimulate enlargement of such tumo rs and may even cause them. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.