II.5 Tamoxifen and other genital tissues: Vagina, cervix and ovaries

It has been demonstrated that postmenopausal tamoxifen (TAM) treatment induces an oestrogen-like effect on the vaginal epithelium, including gradual increase in cellular maturity with a consequent increase of intermediate and superficial cells. No association between postmenopausal TAM treatment and vaginal malignancy was reported. Several investigators could not find significant differences in the incidence of new primary cervical cancers in postmenopausal breast cancer patients with TAM treatment as compared to controls and the relative risk for the development of new cervical cancer was low. The incidence of benign ovarian pathologies among postmenopausal breast cancer patients with TAM treatment was found to be higher than that reported for similar pathologies in controls, or among non-selected, asymptomatic and untreated postmenopausal women.