Podcast: Low-Dose Tamoxifen to Reduce Risk After Chest Radiation

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edited January 2023 in High Risk for Breast Cancer

Low-Dose Tamoxifen to Reduce Risk in Women Who Received Chest Radiation
Jan 6, 2023

Dr. Sandhya Pruthi explains a study on using low-dose tamoxifen to reduce breast cancer risk in women who received radiation to the chest as children.

Women with a higher-than-average risk of breast cancer often take tamoxifen to reduce that risk. There are a number of reasons why a woman might have a higher risk of breast cancer, including receiving chest radiation for childhood cancer, such as Hodgkin lymphoma. Dr. Sandhya Pruthi joined us to discuss a study looking at whether a lower dose of tamoxifen helps reduce breast cancer risk in women who received radiation to the chest as children.

Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Pruthi explain:

  • why women who received childhood chest radiation have a higher risk of breast cancer
  • how the study came about and its results
  • how she counsels her patients who have a higher-than-average risk of breast cancer because they had chest radiation as children
Listen now or read the transcript.

Comments

  • maggie15
    maggie15 Member Posts: 1,333

    Interesting information. I would caution anyone to whom this podcast applies to also consult a pulmonologist who specializes in interstitial lung disease. Increased risk of radiation induced pulmonary fibrosis years later is another side effect of radiation to the chest meant to cure young people with other cancers. Tamoxifen has been shown to increase the risk of developing radiotherapy related lung fibrosis. While RIPF is not cancer it can be fatal, too.