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Geodon attributed to breast cancer?

Page last modified on: September 11, 2008

Question from Emmy: I took Geodon, an antipsychotic, for the past year and a half. Is it possible that I got locally advanced breast cancer from taking Geodon?: Answers —Diane Thompson, M.D.: It is very unlikely. There are no studies that support a direct relationship between this antipsychotic and breast cancer.; Rosalind Kleban, L.C.S.W.: So many of the questions we're hearing tonight are really addressing the issue of "What have I done? What is my contribution to the diagnosis of breast cancer?" Experiencing a diagnosis of breast cancer and undergoing treatment is very difficult and rigorous. To add guilt just makes the experience more difficult and painful. There's much that we don't know about why people get breast cancer. What we DO know is that it's not caused by a woman's character or lifestyle. The need to search for a reason helps us feel in control; however, self-blame is both painful and untrue.

On Wednesday, March 19, 2003, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Overcoming Depression. Rosalind Kleban, M.S.W., Diane S. Thompson, M.D., and Jennifer Griggs, M.D., M.P.H. answered your questions about medication and lifestyle changes that can ease depression along with to put hope, fun, and pleasure back into your life during and after breast cancer 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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Meet the Experts

Rosalind Kleban, L.C.S.W. is administrative supervisor for psychosocial programs at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center's Lauder Breast Center in New York City, where she leads weekly support groups for women with early and advanced breast cancer.

Diane S. Thompson, M.D. is director of clinical research at Queen's Medical Center and associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Hawaii's John A. Burns School of Medicine.

Jennifer Griggs, M.D., M.P.H. is a medical oncologist specializing in the treatment of breast cancer, with a a special interest in cancer survivorship, patient-physician communication, and quality of care for women with breast cancer.