Loading
The original targeted cancer drug (1977): a pill that blocks oestrogen's effect on breast cancer and halves recurrence, still essential for premenopausal women.
Selective oestrogen receptor modulator: antagonist in breast, partial agonist in bone and endometrium. Five years reduces 15-year breast cancer mortality by about a third (EBCTCG); ten years is better than five (ATLAS, aTTom). Standard for premenopausal women (alone or with OFS), for men, and for chemoprevention. Endometrial cancer and thromboembolism are the serious rare harms; CYP2D6 activation to endoxifen.
Competitive ER antagonist in breast tissue; tissue-selective co-regulator recruitment. Connects to Estrogen receptor (ERα).
1.Tamoxifen is converted by CYP2D6 to endoxifen
Oral, self-administered, so it is a Part D drug: covered through a stand-alone Part D plan or Medicare Advantage drug benefit, usually on the specialty tier with 25 to 33% coinsurance until the annual cap ($2,000 in 2025, $2,100 in 2026). Generic, on the lowest tiers; often a few dollars a month.
Multi-source generic on low-cost tiers; usually no prior authorisation. Cash prices without insurance are modest.
Sources: Medicare.gov: Drug coverage (Part D) · Medicare.gov: Costs for Medicare drug coverage (annual out-of-pocket cap). Not medical or financial advice; verify with your plan.
Sources: NICE search: tamoxifen. Funding decisions are indication-specific and change monthly; verify with NICE and your treating team.
| Region | Year | Indication |
|---|---|---|
| US | 1977 | Advanced breast cancer |
| US | 1998 | Risk reduction in high-risk women |
| Adverse event | Any grade | Grade 3+ |
|---|---|---|
| Hot flushes | 41% | - |
| Endometrial cancer (10-year cumulative) | 3% | - |
| Venous thromboembolism | 2% | - |
| Cataract | 5% | - |
Events listed without rates were not read from a primary source; see the label. Blank cells mean the figure was not sourced, not that it is zero.
Read for the class this product belongs to (tamoxifen) unless the answer names the product. Population figures from the cohorts named, not a prediction for one person. Blank where no source gives a recovery figure.
Country and place are remembered in this browser only. A postcode is sent to OpenStreetMap's Nominatim service to find coordinates when you press the button; nothing else leaves your device.
Query for this drug: (TITLE:"Tamoxifen" OR ABSTRACT:"Tamoxifen" OR TITLE:"Nolvadex" OR ABSTRACT:"Nolvadex") AND (cancer OR tumor OR tumour OR oncology OR carcinoma OR lymphoma OR leukemia OR leukaemia OR myeloma OR sarcoma OR melanoma OR glioma). Results are unfiltered search hits about Tamoxifen, not a curated reading list.
Shares HOBOE: A Phase 3 Study of Adjuvant Triptorelin and Tamoxifen, Letrozole, or Letrozole and Zoledronic Acid in Premenopausal Patients With Breast Cancer, Tubular carcinoma of the breast, Antiandrogens for hair: spironolactone, finasteride, dutasteride, COMET (Comparison of Operative versus Monitoring and Endocrine Therapy).
Shares Ovarian Suppression Evaluating Subcutaneous Leuprolide Acetate in Breast Cancer, A Study of Camizestrant in ER+/HER2- Early Breast Cancer After at Least 2 Years of Standard Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy, A Study of Elacestrant Versus Standard Endocrine Therapy in Women and Men With ER+,HER2-, Early Breast Cancer With High Risk of Recurrence, A Study of Imlunestrant Versus Standard Endocrine Therapy in Participants With Early Breast Cancer.
Shares A Study of Elacestrant Versus Standard Endocrine Therapy in Women and Men With ER+,HER2-, Early Breast Cancer With High Risk of Recurrence, Selective oestrogen receptor degrader (SERD), ER status (oestrogen receptor by IHC), Chemical carcinogenesis - receptor activation.
Shares Ovarian function suppression (OFS), SOFT & TEXT, Ovarian function after chemotherapy: who recovers, and when, Menopause brought on by cancer treatment, and the options for it.
Shares IBIS-I (International Breast Intervention Study I), IBIS-II (International Breast Intervention Study II), IBIS-I: five years of tamoxifen keeps preventing breast cancer for at least 20 years, Chemoprevention & risk-reducing surgery.
Shares A Study of MK-5684 in People With Certain Solid Tumors (MK-5684-015/OMAHA-015), First-in-Human Study of Tersolisib (STX-478) as Monotherapy and in Combination With Other Antineoplastic Agents in Participants With Advanced Solid Tumors, PR status (progesterone receptor by IHC), Selective oestrogen receptor degrader (SERD).
Shares PR status (progesterone receptor by IHC), Selective oestrogen receptor degrader (SERD), Aromatase inhibitor, ER status (oestrogen receptor by IHC).
Shares A Study of Imlunestrant (LY3484356) in Premenopausal Women With Estrogen Receptor-Positive (ER+) Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 Negative (HER2-) Early Breast Cancer, A Study of Imlunestrant Versus Standard Endocrine Therapy in Participants With Early Breast Cancer, Breast cancer (KEGG map), Estrogen receptor (ERα).