Abstract P1-13-10: Long-term pathologic findings in the female genital tract after completion of tamoxifen therapy for premenopausal breast cancer

Introduction: Tamoxifen (TMX) remains the main compound for adjuvant hormone therapy in premenopausal breast cancer patients. Potential uterine carcinogenicity and other effects on the female genital tract are recognized risks for TMX, but further studies with longer follow-up are needed for the subpopulation of young premenopausal patients, with prolonged life span.

Material and Methods: Retrospective analysis of the female genital tract pathologic findings found in a population of premenopausal breast cancer patients who completed at least five years of adjuvant TMX (20 mg/d) in a single center with a minimum follow-up of 10 years since the start of TMX (1985-June 2003). Periodic gynecologic exams were offered to all the patients and biopsies were performed at the discretion of the reference gynecologists. Pathologic reports from biopsies and surgical specimens were retrieved from the pathology databases of our health system. Menopausal status was defined at diagnosis according to National Comprehensive Cancer Network´s standard criteria. This retrospective study was approved by our local ethics committee.

Results: 386 patients (p.) fulfilled inclusion criteria and were searched for data analysis. Median age at the start of TMX: 45 years (23-57). Median follow-up: 14.1 years (10.0-27.5). Further adjuvant hormone therapies were used in 94/386 p. (79 sequential aromatase inhibitors, 15 luteinizing hormone-releasing analogues).11 p. received further adjuvant TMX, mainly within the ATLAS trial, up to 10 years. Hysterectomies during the period of TMX therapy were performed in 24/386 p. Events in the population (all completed the programmed TMX adjuvant therapy) were as follows: 17 locoregional relapses, 37 systemic relapses, 18 contralateral breast cancer, 24 second neoplasms (3 pancreas, 1 endocrine pancreas, 4 melanoma, 4 colon, 3 sarcoma, 2 uterine, 1 ovary, 1 kidney, 1 tongue, 1 thyroid, 1 bladder, 1 lymphoma, 1 leukemia, 1 thyroid). Pathologic findings in the female genital tract after the end of tamoxifen were reported as follows: endometrial and cervical polyps (56), endometrial atrophy (16), endometrial hyperplasia (9), uterine leiomyoma (9), superficial and/or insufficient uterine samples (30), ovarian cysts (9), endometriosis (3), endometritis (1), chronic cervicitis (3), metaplasia (10), adenomyosis (3) vaginal leiomyoma (1), vulvar folliculitis (1), vaginal infiltration from metastatic breast cancer (1), ovarian fibroma (1), ovarian teratoma (1), ovarian metastases from breast cancer (1), vaginal papilloma (1), vaginal polyp (2), vulvar cyst (2),. Endometrial cancer was found in 2/386 p. One of these two patients had a deleterious BRCA2 mutation. Conclusions: The burden of pathologic complications in the female genital tract and endometrial cancer is regarded as low in initially premenopausal breast cancer patients who completed standard adjuvant tamoxifen, even after long follow-up.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P1-13-10.