Tamoxifen

Tamoxifen is an anti-oestrogen drug, it stops oestrogen attaching to breast cancer cells and making them grow. Tamoxifen is used to treat oestrogen receptor (ER+) positive breast cancer in both pre-menopausal women and post menopausal women. It can also be taken by men who have oestrogen receptor (ER+) positive breast cancer.

Tamoxifen is a hormone (endocrine) therapy drug. It is used to treat oestrogen receptor (ER+) positive breast cancer.

Tamoxifen is an anti-oestrogen drug, it works by stopping oestrogen attaching to breast cancer cells and making them grow.

In Aotearoa New Zealand, tamoxifen is available as tablets (10mg and 20mg).

The usual dose of tamoxifen is 20 mg taken once a day.

Always take your tamoxifen exactly as your specialist team and/or GP, and pharmacist has told you. The pharmacy label on your medicine will tell you how much to take, how often to take it, and any special instructions.

Timing:

Take tamoxifen at the same time each day, you can choose to take it in the morning or evening.

With or without food:

You can take tamoxifen with or without food. If you experience nausea try taking tamoxifen with food or just before bedtime.

What if I forget to take a dose (missed dose):

If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember. But if it’s nearly time to take your next dose, just take the next dose at the right time. Do not take a double dose.

Keep taking tamoxifen regularly:

It it important to take tamoxifen every day for the recommended length of time (usually 5 years or 10 years). Taking tamoxifen everyday will stop the oestrogen receptors (ER) attaching to breast cancer cells, it stops oestrogen from telling the cancer cells to grow.