Hormonal treatment

The medications tamoxifen or arimidex are usually prescribed for five years following cancer treatment. Research shows that tamoxifen, which blocks the ability of estrogen to attach to cells and promote their growth, reduces the risk that women who have had a "receptor positive" breast cancer--meaning their cancer cells have hormone receptors--will experience a recurrence of the original cancer or a new cancer. For women who are postmenopausal with early-stage breast cancer that is hormone-receptor positive, arimidex provides greater benefits; it works by reducing the level of estrogen in the blood. Evidence also suggests that for some postmenopausal women who have had receptor-positive breast cancer and completed five years of tamoxifen, taking the aromatase inhibitor letrazole for five additional years may be appropriate.

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Thee are benefits to taking these medications, but women also experience side effects that can be bothersome and affect quality of life, especially hot flashes and night sweats. If women are experiencing these symptoms they should discuss them with their doctor to learn about different strategies for managing them.