The Early Breast Cancer Trialists Collaborative Group reviewed the 10-year results of studies of tamoxifen citrate for early breast cancer. Treatment with tamoxifen citrate for about 5 years reduced the risk of recurrence of breast cancer and improved overall survival. 10 mg tablets and 20 mg tablets. The active ingredient in each tablet is tamoxifen citrate. Tamoxifen citrate belongs to a group of medicines called anti-estrogens.
Anti-estrogens work by blocking the effects of the hormone estrogen in the body.
Estrogen may cause the growth of some types of breast tumors. Tamoxifen citrate may block the growth of tumors that respond to estrogen. You should not take tamoxifen citrate to reduce the risk of getting breast cancer if you have ever had blood clots or if you develop blood clots that require medical treatment. However, if you are taking tamoxifen citrate for treatment of early or advanced breast cancer, the benefits of tamoxifen citrate may outweigh the risks associated with developing new blood clots. Your health care professional can assist you in deciding whether tamoxifen citrate is right for you.