Endometrial Changes in Breast Cancer Patients Under Tamoxifen
Treatment After Levonorgestrel-Releasing Intrauterine System

Melahat DÖNMEZ KESİM, Yavuz AYDIN, Gül MANDIRACI, Alev ATIŞ
İstanbul-Turkey

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the long term effects of levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system on endometrium of breast cancer patients under tamoxifen treatment.
STUDY DESIGN: 142 postmenopausal,breast cancer patient taking tamoxifen treatment were included. Levonorgestrel releasing intrauterine sistem (LNG-IUS) was fitted to 60 of them which constructed the study group and remaining 82 the control group.All women followed for 24 months. Endometrial biopsies were obtained by histeroscopy,at the begining and at the end of 24th month in both groups. All specimens were histopathologically evaluated.
RESULTS: New endometrial polip and/or hyperplasia development were not seen in study group (levonorgestrel IUS fitted patients) after 24 moths of followup of postmenopausal breast cancer patients using tamoxifen.
CONCLUSION: LNG-IUS system may be useful for preventing unwanted effects of tamoxifen on endometrium and so preventing invasive intervensions causing high costs and patient discomfort and incomplience with the drug.
(Gynecol Obstet Reprod Med 2005; 11:203-207)

Key Words: Tamoxifen, Endometrium, Breast, Cancer, Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system