Generic Nolvadex - tamoxifen - is a medicine that blocks the effects of the estrogen hormone in the body. Nolvadex, an anticancer drug, is given to treat breast cancer. It also has proved effective when cancer has spread to other parts of the body. Nolvadex, tamoxifen, is most effective in stopping the kind of breast cancer that thrives on estrogen.

Nolvadex is also prescribed to reduce the risk of invasive breast cancer following surgery and radiation therapy for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS or intraductal carcinoma). Tamoxifen can also be used to reduce the odds of breast cancer in women at high risk of developing the disease. The drug does not completely eliminate your chances, but in a five-year study of over 1,500 high-risk women, it slashed the number of cases by 44 percent.


 

FAQ

How does Nolvadex work?
Nolvadex is an antiestrogen (blocks the effect of estrogen on tissue). The precise mechanism of its action is unknown, but one possible mechanism is that it binds and blocks estrogen receptors on the surface of cells, preventing estrogens from binding and activating the cell. Tamoxifen is used in patients for treating and preventing breast cancer. Controversy currently exists as to which breast cancer patients will benefit from the treatment with Nolvadex.

How to use Nolvadex
Nolvadex should be taken at doses specifically directed by the physician. Currently, long term dosing is recommended (in excess of 2 years). Nolvadex can be taken with food.

Nolvadex side effects
Side effects from Nolvadex are usually mild and rarely require the drug to be stopped. If any develop or change in intensity, inform your doctor as soon as possible. Only your doctor can determine if it is safe for you to continue taking Nolvadex. Side effects of Tamoxifen may include hot flashes, weight gain, abnormal menstrual periods, and nausea.

Special warnings about Nolvadex
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. 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.