Tamoxifen Used to Prevent Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease that causes bones to become fragile, which raises the risk of fractures and breaks. Osteoporosis can progress painlessly and lead to breaks in the hips, wrists and spine. Both prevention and early detection of osteoporosis can reduce the likelihood of broken bones. Tamoxifen is one medication that is being used to prevent and treat osteoporosis.

Tamoxifen

• Tamoxifen is a prescription medication that blocks the actions of estrogen. Estrogen is a female hormone that plays a role in sexual development and breast growth. Tamoxifen is primarily used to treat breast cancer tumors and to prevent some types of breast cancer. Women who are at high risk for breast cancer are candidates for tamoxifen. Tamoxifen is also used to decrease the risk of osteoporosis.

Preventing Osteoporosis with Tamoxifen

• Although the National Osteoporosis Foundation reports that tamoxifen is a medication that can cause bone loss, both the Mayo Clinic and the National Cancer Institute (see Resources) report that tamoxifen's estrogen-like properties decreases the risk of bone breaks, particularly in women who are over the age of 50.

  Tamoxifen works by blocking the effect estrogen has on breast cancer cells. While the effects of estrogen may be blocked in breast cancer cells, the estrogen-like effects do happen elsewhere in the body, including the bones.

  Common side effects can include hot flashes, bone or tumor pain, fatigue, nausea, constipation, headaches, depression and mood swings. Tamoxifen's estrogen-like effects can also put you at an increased risk for blood clots, endometrial cancer and stroke, so it's important to discuss your entire medical history with your doctor.