The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 270 No 7231 p41
11 January 2003

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Human Reproduction (humrep.oupjournals.org)

Possible new role for tamoxifen

Tamoxifen could be used to stimulate the ovaries of former breast cancer patients who wish to increase their chance of becoming pregnant, say American researchers.

They report a small study in which 12 women who had survived breast cancer received 40–60mg of tamoxifen for around seven days starting on days 2–3 of their menstrual cycle for 15 cycles. These patients produced a greater number of mature eggs than a group of five patients who had previously undergone natural cycle in vitro fertilisation (IVF). "Tamoxifen helped a higher proportion of patients to potentially preserve their fertility and attempt pregnancy," they say.

The researchers also report the first occurance of pregnancy and live birth after tamoxifen stimulation, IVF and embryo transfer (Human Reproduction 2003;18:90).