Tamoxifen

[Samantha91265]

Has anyone tried tamoxifen to treat their ovarian cancer? My mom was told it has a 10% chance of working, so we are aware that it is not used much because of the low success rate. This is kind of a last ditch effort before hospice. I’m just wondering if anyone else tried tamoxifen for ovarian cancer and what the result was. Thank you.

[Di16]

It didn't work for me, but I have tried other options since then. I recently took Letrozole for 2 years. Could there be any other options for your mum? Di

[SUE7777]

Hi Samantha, please also look at current trials. All the best Sue xx

[Ge0rg1na]

Hi Samantha, sorry that your mother is having to go through this. I was prescribed Tamoxifen earlier this year and it helped for about three months. But be warned, I had no side effects whatsoever but I heard from others who felt really bad on it. On the plus side, the tablets can be posted to her so she doesn't have to visit the hospital. I hope she's like me and has no bad effects. I wish her well and I agree with Sue, check out the drug trials Gx

[girakoch]

My ovarian recurred in my lymph nodes earlier this year and simultaneously a breast cancer tumour was found. I am BRCA2 positive. I was put on letrozole and have been taking it for 6 weeks.

My CA125 has dropped from 31 to 25, so the letrozole may be having some effect. However, I have all manner of side effects, and really do not feel that well. I have two friends who take letrozole for breast cancer, and they appear to have no side effects.

Have other ladies taken letrozole for ovarian cancer, did it work, and how did they manage side effects, if any?

[mupash in reply to girakoch]

HI LADIES,

I READ THAT LETROZOLE WORKS ON ESTROGEN POSITIVE TUMORS. I DON'T KNOW IF THE DATA HAS CHANGED.

LEE

[Broader]

Sorry I haven’t tried Tamoxifen, I’m on Letrozole which apparently is very similar, I’m doing ok but no tests yet to say it’s working or not !!

It’s definitely worth a shot if it’s last ditch attempt, but I’m not medically trained so maybe speak to someone who is to get some more advice.

Best wishes to you and your mum

Christine x

[Maus123]

Hi Samantha. I took Tamoxifen for about 2 months, right before my recurrence, as mine is a low grade serous type tumour that apparently has a decent chance of responding to hormone blockers. But Tamoxifen didn't seem to get much in the way of my recurrence, so I guess that one wasn't 'it' for me.

Side effects were tiredness and intermittent light nausea for me. Now (after recurrence , chemo & Avastin) I'm on Letrozole and have been for over two years, and that seems to work better so far.. at least my ca125 is holding fairly steady. No nausea either this time, yay. That said, the stuff downright floors me, heh. Fatigue is a real thing. I tend to fall asleep in the middle of a sentence and doing the weekly shop on Monday puts me in bed on Tuesday and maybe Wednesday... like I was 95 years old instead of 51 ;).

But then, I guess other women experience those meds quite differently and may not have the same side effects.

My 2c: 10% is not bad in the world of cancer treatments I think. I'd try it, if it were me.

All the best. Maus