Randomised trial, 1988
Does tamoxifen help severe premenstrual breast pain?
Yes. Eighty-nine percent of women treated with tamoxifen were free of symptoms compared to 38% on placebo. Twelve months after treatment, 53% of the tamoxifen-treated women remained symptom-free versus none of the placebo group.
What they did
Thirty-four women with severe premenstrual breast pain were randomly assigned to receive tamoxifen 10 mg daily or placebo from cycle day 5 to day 24 for 6 consecutive cycles. Eighteen women received tamoxifen and 16 received placebo.
What they found
After treatment, 89% of the tamoxifen group were free of symptoms and the remainder experienced partial alleviation. In the placebo group, 6 patients (38%) showed only partial alleviation. Twelve months after treatment ended, 53% of the tamoxifen-treated women were still free of symptoms compared with none of the placebo-treated women (p less than 0.001).
What it means for you
Tamoxifen appears highly effective for severe premenstrual breast pain. The study was small with only 34 women total, and we do not know if results would be the same in other populations.
89%
Symptom-free on tamoxifen
53%
Still symptom-free at 12 months
38%
Partial relief on placebo
About the study
- Original title
- Treatment of premenstrual mastalgia with tamoxifen
- Authors
- Messinis IE, Lolis D
- Journal
- Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica
- Year
- 1988
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- Participants
- 18
- What was tested
- Tamoxifen 10 mg daily from cycle day 5 to 24 for 6 consecutive cycles
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0412.1988.tb07804.x
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