Tamoxifen Cuts Fracture Risk: Study

FRIDAY, Oct. 10 (HealthDay News) -- Tamoxifen, the drug used for more than 30 years to treat breast cancer, reduces the risk of osteoporosis-related fractures, a new study shows. "The effects are almost instantaneous," said study author Dr. Andrew Cooke, head of radiation oncology at CancerCare Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. However, he added, "The fracture risk goes right back up once you stop it. The good news is, it reduces fracture risk when you are on it. Once you stop, you are not protected." The findings are published in the Nov. 10 issue of theJournal of Clinical Oncology. Previous studies have found that women on tamoxifen have increased bone mineral density. And patients taking tamoxifen, compared to another class of breast cancer drugs, aromatase inhibitors, have a reduced risk of fracture. For the new... [read full story]