Objective: To investigate the role of tamoxifen in the treatment of pre- and post-menopausal patients with endometrial carcinoma, its mechanism and effects.
Methods: Forty patients of endometrial cancer were divided into pre- and post-menopausal groups. Each group was treated with oral tamoxifen 20mg three times per day for 10 days. The changes of serum levels of sex hormones, levels of estrogen and progesterone receptor (ER, PR) in carcinoma tissue as well as histopathologic changes following tamoxifen treatments were observed and compared.
Results: Histological changes showed that the cell nucleus to cell plasma ratio decreased, the nuclear mitoses reduced and the nuclear shape varied from stick to circular, indicating a tendency of cancer cells towards better differentiation. For pre-menopausal patients, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) increased, the concentration of ER either rose or went down while PR increased. For post-menopausal patients, FSH decreased, the concentrations of ER and PR were mainly on the increase.
Conclusion: Tamoxifen was effective in treating patients with endometrial cancer. For pre-menopausal patients, it acted as an antioestrogen. For post-menopausal patients, it acted as a weak oestrogen.