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Tamoxifen's affect on weight, memory?

Page last modified on: October 31, 2008
Question from Karen: Dr. Weiss, please tell us about Tamoxifen and what is known about weight gain and memory loss?
Answer —Marisa Weiss, M.D., president and founder: Tamoxifen is an "anti-estrogen therapy." It blocks the effect of estrogen on the breast. Estrogen stimulates breast cell growth; tamoxifen reduces breast cell growth. Tamoxifen reduces the risk of breast cancer recurrence, it reduces the chance of developing a new breast cancer unrelated to the first breast cancer, it keeps bones strong, and it reduces cholesterol. There is tons of information about tamoxifen on the Breastcancer.org site. This is a powerful medicine that's appropriate in many women, but not all women. In a large study, weight gain was no more common in women taking tamoxifen than it was in women taking a sugar pill. Memory loss can be due to so many things, and perhaps tamoxifen may also contribute to memory loss in an individual woman. We know that many women are struggling with the problems of weight gain and memory loss, and there is a lot of information available on this at Breastcancer.org.

On Wednesday, June 14, 2000, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Easing Breast Cancer Fears. Marisa Weiss, M.D. answered your questions about managing emotional effects of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Marisa Weiss, M.D. is a radiation oncologist specializing in breast cancer and the founder, president, and guiding force behind Breastcancer.org.

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