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Factors associated with endometrial pathology during tamoxifen therapy in women with breast cancer: a retrospective analysis of 821 biopsies

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A Letter to the Editor to this article was published on 16 March 2020

Abstract

Purpose

This study evaluated the factors associated with endometrial pathologies during tamoxifen use in women with breast cancer.

Methods

This study analyzed 821 endometrial biopsies from women who received tamoxifen for breast cancer. Clinical characteristics were compared according to the presence of endometrial pathology (atypical hyperplasia and cancer). In addition, patients with endometrial polyps were compared with women with normal histology.

Results

Among 821 biopsies, atypical endometrial hyperplasia and cancer were diagnosed in 7 women each. Endometrial polyps were found in 173 women, and 634 women presented normal histology. In comparing women with endometrial pathology (atypical hyperplasia and cancer, n = 14) and those without pathology, parity was significantly lower (P = 0.014) and endometrial thickness was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in women with pathology. In addition, abnormal uterine bleeding was more common in the pathology group (P < 0.001). However, age, body mass index, menopausal status, intrauterine device use, history of diabetes mellitus, and duration of tamoxifen use did not differ according to the presence of pathology. In comparing women with endometrial polyps and those with normal endometrium, significant differences were found in parity (P < 0.001), duration of tamoxifen use (P = 0.003), and endometrial thickness (P < 0.001), but not in the presence of abnormal vaginal bleeding.

Conclusion

Parity, endometrial thickness, and the presence of abnormal vaginal bleeding, but not age, body mass index, and menopausal status, may be associated with endometrial pathology during tamoxifen use in women with breast cancer. This finding might provide useful information for gynecological surveillance and counseling during tamoxifen treatment.

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Author notes

  1. Jungeun Jeon and Sung Eun Kim contributed equally to this manuscript.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 81 Irwon-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, 06351, Republic of Korea

    Jungeun Jeon, Dong-Yun Lee & DooSeok Choi

  2. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, MizMedi Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea

    Sung Eun Kim

Authors
  1. Jungeun Jeon
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  2. Sung Eun Kim
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  3. Dong-Yun Lee
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  4. DooSeok Choi
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Contributions

Conception and design: JJ, SK, DL; Analysis and interpretation: JJ, DL; Data collection: SK, DL; Writing the article: JJ, SK, DL, DC.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Dong-Yun Lee.

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All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Jeon, J., Kim, S.E., Lee, DY. et al. Factors associated with endometrial pathology during tamoxifen therapy in women with breast cancer: a retrospective analysis of 821 biopsies. Breast Cancer Res Treat 179, 125–130 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-019-05448-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-019-05448-w

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