Thickening of Uterus-side effect tamoxifen

disneyfan2008
disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Just curious (just found this site today) not sure if ever discussed prior-I was told tamoxifen increases chances of uteran cancer! MY oncol-suggested I have internal ultrasound to see if any changes! YES there was..so then had to have a D & C-with possibility of needing surgery. (I DID NOT)

just wondering if anyone else has thickening also? (side effect tamoxifen)

Comments

  • Boppy_of_6
    Boppy_of_6 Member Posts: 1,138
    #2
    I have been on Tamoxifen for
    I have been on Tamoxifen for 2 1/2 months. How long had you been on it before the thickening was noticed? Just curious about it. I will see my Onc. in about 3 weeks and was going to talk about it more with him. I have talked with my PCP about it also. God Bless
    (((Hugs))) Janice
  • sea60
    sea60 Member Posts: 2,613
    #3
    Boppy_of_6 said:

    I have been on Tamoxifen for
    I have been on Tamoxifen for 2 1/2 months. How long had you been on it before the thickening was noticed? Just curious about it. I will see my Onc. in about 3 weeks and was going to talk about it more with him. I have talked with my PCP about it also. God Bless
    (((Hugs))) Janice

    Yes I sure did
    I had a total hysterectomy because of it too.

    Hugs & blessings,

    Sylvia
  • cahjah75
    cahjah75 Member Posts: 2,631
    #4
    My sister
    took Tamoxifen for 5 years and about 2 years into it she had to have a polyp removed.
    {{hugs}} Char
  • sea60
    sea60 Member Posts: 2,613
    #5
    cahjah75 said:

    My sister
    took Tamoxifen for 5 years and about 2 years into it she had to have a polyp removed.
    {{hugs}} Char

    I took it for about 2+ years
    before they noticed. This all came about because after not having a period (since Chemo stopped it), since 2005. In 2008, I had a horrible flow that just came out of nowhere. That's when they discovered my uterine lining thickened.
  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #6
    I was on tamoxifen for 7
    I was on tamoxifen for 7 years. Don't remember having thickening, but every time I had irregular bleeding during the last few years that I was on it, I had a uterine biopsy. Always benign, but I grew to hate those dern biopsies.

    I am now on arimidex and having no problems (post menopausal), but I am really thinking about a hysterectomy and oophrectomy. Will see my gyn in November. I'm beginning to feel nervous about still having those organs and I usually have good instincts. But I'll see what my doc says. He has been a good friend as well as my gyn for about 20 years and I trust him to steer me the right way.
  • crselby
    crselby Member Posts: 441
    #7
    Tamoxifen one year and uterine thickening (polyps)
    My Onc said transvaginal ultrasounds of the uterus were not necessary. He said that if my uterus was developing cancer it would be easy to tell. How? I would have bloody discharge. What would be done? A hysterectomy. I thought he was kidding because he was so casual about it.

    Well, I had the ultrasound done after being on Tamoxifen for 2 months. Thickness of uterus looked good. A year later, it had a thickened part which turned out to be 2 polyps. The endometrial biopsy I underwent showed the lining inside my uterus is not cancerous, so polyps alone can be removed instead of entire uterus. However, I have developed atypical sqaumous cells on my cervix and am awaiting the results of that biopsy to see if I'll need a hysterctomy or wait and see if my immune system will take care of it.

    Why do all the docs seem to have a cavelier attitude about taking out my organs? Compared to treating cancer, I suppose it's easier.

    Why do I have such a desire for keeping my original parts? Not just my breast, not just my uterus, but my teeth, my eye's lenses (need cataract surgery), everything! This is what God gave me and I want to keep it the way it is. Am I being ridiculas?
    ~~Connie~~
  • cathyp
    cathyp Member Posts: 376 Member
    #8
    crselby said:

    Tamoxifen one year and uterine thickening (polyps)
    My Onc said transvaginal ultrasounds of the uterus were not necessary. He said that if my uterus was developing cancer it would be easy to tell. How? I would have bloody discharge. What would be done? A hysterectomy. I thought he was kidding because he was so casual about it.

    Well, I had the ultrasound done after being on Tamoxifen for 2 months. Thickness of uterus looked good. A year later, it had a thickened part which turned out to be 2 polyps. The endometrial biopsy I underwent showed the lining inside my uterus is not cancerous, so polyps alone can be removed instead of entire uterus. However, I have developed atypical sqaumous cells on my cervix and am awaiting the results of that biopsy to see if I'll need a hysterctomy or wait and see if my immune system will take care of it.

    Why do all the docs seem to have a cavelier attitude about taking out my organs? Compared to treating cancer, I suppose it's easier.

    Why do I have such a desire for keeping my original parts? Not just my breast, not just my uterus, but my teeth, my eye's lenses (need cataract surgery), everything! This is what God gave me and I want to keep it the way it is. Am I being ridiculas?
    ~~Connie~~

    Keeping our "parts"
    Like you, I am deciding what to do about my body parts! I had an ovary removed w/a complex cyst and elevated CA-125 level 2 years ago after my mastectomy. I started tamoxifen for 2 mos but had unusual bleeding. That's when I had the cyst problem. The last 2 years I've had so many uterine biopsys and TV ultrasounds for uterine polyps and cysts on my other ovary. My CA-125 is still elevated.
    It was not an easy decision to finally decide on removing my uterus and my other ovary next month. If the uterus is removed, we need to worry about the bladder support. Losing my other ovary takes away the natural protection for my heart (it is damaged from radiation and chemo I had for Hodgkins Lymphoma in 1989 and 1994)and puts us in sugical menopause. Also, it is another surgery and surgery in itself presents risks.
    So, I don't think you are ridiculous to want to keep your God given parts!
    Cathy
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #9
    Boppy_of_6 said:

    I have been on Tamoxifen for
    I have been on Tamoxifen for 2 1/2 months. How long had you been on it before the thickening was noticed? Just curious about it. I will see my Onc. in about 3 weeks and was going to talk about it more with him. I have talked with my PCP about it also. God Bless
    (((Hugs))) Janice

    first year ok-just over 2 yrs
    My oncologist insisted I go to my OB/GYN for internal ultra sound (in office)the first one was ok-I went back at the 2nd year of taking meds & he told me right then I DID have thickening.I had a D & C the next week-all ok this time..NO surgery (but if so I would have needed surgery!)
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #10
    sea60 said:

    Yes I sure did
    I had a total hysterectomy because of it too.

    Hugs & blessings,

    Sylvia

    hYsterectomy
    I was told I May need hysterectomy-but I got the OK-this year I DID NOT need one! BUT i must be tested annually
  • elm3544
    elm3544 Member Posts: 748
    #11
    Me, too
    I was on tamoxifen for only about 5 months when I had the ultrasound and the uterine biopsy due to thickening of the uterine walls. I continued on the tamoxifen 5 more months until my complete hysterectomy less than 3 weeks ago. My oncologist switched me to Arimidex.
    I asked my gynocologist about having a hysterectomy back in May and she told me she had patients who refused to take the tamoxifen until they had the surgery for fear of uterine cancer. She and I agreed that was not a risk I wanted to take. As it turned out, I had a very large ovarian cyst plus several cysts and fibroids on the uterus, and it was enlarged. She said this may or may not have been due to tamoxifen.
    I am glad I had the hystectomy, one less thing to worry about. I am also 49 years old and certainly past my child bearing years.
  • wercancerfree
    wercancerfree Member Posts: 7
    #12
    Evista
    I was told to go on Evista after radiation because I also have a fibroid tumor in my uterus. They said tamoxifen would not be a good choice for me because it might cause me problems with this tumor. I have had this tumor since my last child 30 some years ago and have not had any issues. GYN told me they didn't want to take it out because it might cause more problems if they did. It is checked every year and hasn't grown in size. I have been on Evista for 3 years of the 5 year program.
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #13
    elm3544 said:

    Me, too
    I was on tamoxifen for only about 5 months when I had the ultrasound and the uterine biopsy due to thickening of the uterine walls. I continued on the tamoxifen 5 more months until my complete hysterectomy less than 3 weeks ago. My oncologist switched me to Arimidex.
    I asked my gynocologist about having a hysterectomy back in May and she told me she had patients who refused to take the tamoxifen until they had the surgery for fear of uterine cancer. She and I agreed that was not a risk I wanted to take. As it turned out, I had a very large ovarian cyst plus several cysts and fibroids on the uterus, and it was enlarged. She said this may or may not have been due to tamoxifen.
    I am glad I had the hystectomy, one less thing to worry about. I am also 49 years old and certainly past my child bearing years.

    Oddly since on Tamoxfin
    Since on Tmx med just over 2 yrs my colitis is the best it's been in 18 yrs...during surgery and radiation OMG it was terrible..the worst ever in all the years of having it..so my oncolo told me silver lining to cancer...my colitis is in remission and I can now eat anything...for 18 yrs very limited food etc...

    so something good came of it...now when I GO OFF taxmofin..will colitis flare up again...? time will tell

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