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01-11-2014 | Epidemiology

No increased venous thromboembolism risk in Asian breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant tamoxifen

Authors: Tom Wei-Wu Chen, Ho-Min Chen, Ching-Hung Lin, Chiun-Sheng Huang, Ann-Lii Cheng, Mei-Shu Lai, Yen-Shen Lu

Published in: Breast Cancer Research and Treatment | Issue 1/2014

Abstract

Tamoxifen is an effective endocrine treatment for early breast cancer (EBC) but increases the risk of venous thromboembolism. Whether Asian EBC patients (pts) bear the same risk when treated with adjuvant tamoxifen is uncertain. EBC pts diagnosed between 2004 and 2009 were selected from a population database in Taiwan. The pts were followed up from the index date to December 31, 2011 to collect events of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). Cumulative incidence rates and hazard ratios (HRs) were used to compare the risk between pts treated with and without tamoxifen. In addition, comorbidities were included in an adjusted model of the risk of DVT and PE. A total of 28,029 EBC pts, including 17,843 (63.8 %) in the tamoxifen group and 10,155 (36.2 %) in the nontamoxifen group, were analyzed. The 7-year cumulative incidence rates for DVT and PE were 2.58 and 0.32 % in the tamoxifen group and 2.51 and 0.32 % in the nontamoxifen group (P = 0.92 for DVT, P = 0. 65 for PE), respectively. The HR for the nonadjusted and adjusted models showed no differences in DVT and PE risks between the tamoxifen and nontamoxifen groups. The uterine cancer risk was significantly increased in the pts receiving tamoxifen (adjusted HR = 2.79, P < 0.001), suggesting tamoxifen compliance. The risks of developing DVT and PE are not increased in Asian EBC pts receiving adjuvant tamoxifen. Ethnicity differences should be considered when discussing optimal endocrine treatments with EBC pts.

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Title: No increased venous thromboembolism risk in Asian breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant tamoxifen
Authors: Tom Wei-Wu Chen
Ho-Min Chen
Ching-Hung Lin
Chiun-Sheng Huang
Ann-Lii Cheng
Mei-Shu Lai
Yen-Shen Lu
Publication date: 01-11-2014
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Breast Cancer Research and Treatment / Issue 1/2014
Print ISSN: 0167-6806
Electronic ISSN: 1573-7217
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-014-3140-2

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