Science Daily: "Novel Basis Identified for Tamoxifen Failure" (ie, tamoxifen can worsen cancer)

[zazen]

I'm not surprised. In addition to overtreatment of early stage cancer that might have resolved on its own (according to another new study) and potential harm of mamograms to actually dislodge cancer and/or increase radiation to dense tissue, I've suspected that some of these drugs given to women to "reduce risk" may be killing them.

I know the researchers and clinicians mean well, but there are some systemic problems in the BC research and treatment industry that in addition to BC are causing a lot of harm to women.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081203201330.htm

see also original article at http://breast-cancer-research.com/content/10/6/R103

ScienceDaily (Dec. 18, 2008) — Tamoxifen may worsen breast cancer in a small subset of patients. Research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Breast Cancer Research suggests that in patients who show reduced or absent expression of the protein E-cadherin, commonly used anti-oestrogen drugs such as tamoxifen may promote more harmful cancer cell behaviour.

A team of researchers co-ordinated by Dr. Stephen Hiscox, from the Welsh School of Pharmacy at Cardiff University, investigated the selective oestrogen receptor modulator (SERM) tamoxifen on human breast cancer cells, comparing it to the direct effects of oestrogen withdrawal.
Dr. Hiscox said, "Anti-oestrogens, such as tamoxifen, have been the mainstay of therapy in patients with oestrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer and have provided significant improvements in survival. Our experimental studies suggest that in a certain group of patients, it may be much less effective, however, as it appear to promote an aggressive cell behaviour".