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Indication
Tamoxifen is a hormone-based medication which works by binding to estrogen receptors & blocking the effects of estrogen (a natural female hormone) in the breast tissue. This slows down the growth & multiplication of breast cancer cells.

Side Effects
Vaginal bleeding
Chills
Skin rash or itching over the entire body
Pain or swelling in the legs

Mechanism Of Action

Tamoxifen competitively inhibits estrogen binding to its receptor, which is critical for it’s activity in breast cancer cells. Tamoxifen leads to a decrease in tumor growth factor α and insulin-like growth factor 1, and an increase in sex hormone binding globulin. The increase in sex hormon binding globulin limits the amount of freely available estradiol. These changes reduce levels of factors that stimulate tumor growth.

Tamoxifen has also been shown to induce apoptosis in estrogen receptor positive cells. This action is thought to be the result of inhibition of protein kinase C, which prevents DNA synthesis. Alternate theories for the apoptotic effect of tamoxifen comes from the approximately 3 fold increase in intracellular and mitochondrial calcium ion levels after administration or the induction of tumor growth factor β.