Tamoxifen use 'should double' to stop breast cancer returning A
decade's treatment with tamoxifen could stop the return of
breast cancer for many more women than the current
recommendation for five years, say researchers. University of
Oxford scientists say the doubling cuts both the risk of the
cancer returning and deaths from the disease. Writing in The
Lancet, they say this outweighs the risk of side effects. Cancer
Research UK said the study added important clarity. Tamoxifen
tablets have long been part of the daily routine for women in
the years after remission from 'ER-positive' breast cancer. ER-
positive tumour growth is accelerated by the female sex hormone
oestrogen, and tamoxifen blocks the hormone. An international
group of scientists, led by Dr Christina Davies from the
University of Oxford, looked at the effect of sustained
tamoxifen on the likelihood that cancer would return. They
looked at 6,847 women with the ER-positive version of the
disease, half of whom were given tamoxifen for the standar