The effects of tamoxifen on the vaginal epithelium in postmenopausal women

Although increased vaginal discharge occurs with treatment, clinicians ofte n presume the effects of tamoxifen on the vaginal epithelium are antiestrog enic. We studied 16 postmenopausal women before they began tamoxifen treatm ent, at 6 months, and then at annual intervals for up to 6 years. Vaginal s crapings for cytology smears and maturation values (MV) for these were perf ormed. MV scores increased by a mean of 32% and these were predictably rela ted to baseline values, with greater increases seen when there were lower s cores before treatment. Only one woman with an MV of 0 before treatment had no significant changes with 3 years' treatment. The effects of tamoxifen a n the vaginal epithelium are influenced by the baseline hormonal milieu and are maturational in the majority of postmenopausal women.