Surveillance of endometrial pathologies, especially for endometrial cancer, of breast cancer patients under tamoxifen treatment.

ABSTRACT

Tamoxifen is the antihormonal treatment of choice for postmenopausal breast cancer patients with positive estrogen receptors. One of the most significant and deleterious side-effects of TAM treatment appears to be a proliferative effect on the endometrium, including endometrial cancer. Today no active screening for patients treated with tamoxifen other than routine annual gynecologic surveillance is recommended, however many investigators have recommended that those women should warrant closer gynecological surveillance for endometrial cancer during treatment, especially those with high-risk factors. This article evaluates the diagnostic flow chart for the surveillance of endometrial pathologies in tamoxifen-treated breast cancer patients, according to the literature and to the Committee Opinion of the Triveneto Directors of Gynecological and Obstetrical Departments (North-east Italy).