--- title: "Raloxifene is associated with less side effects than tamoxifen in women with early breast cancer: a questionnaire study from one physician's practice. | Sutter Health" description: "Raloxifene is associated with less side effects than tamoxifen in women with early breast cancer: a questionnaire study from one physician's practice." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/raloxifene-is-associated-with-less-side-effects-th-1055312770" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Research](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research) / 3. [Research publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications) / 4. Raloxifene is associated with less side effects than tamoxifen in women with early breast cancer: a questionnaire study from one physician's practice. # Raloxifene is associated with less side effects than tamoxifen in women with early breast cancer: a questionnaire study from one physician's practice. J Womens Health Gend Based Med. 2002 Apr;11(3):291-301. _J Womens Health Gend Based Med. 2002 Apr;11(3):291-301._ 2002-04-20 ## Abstract Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) are being used increasingly for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer. The currently available SERMs, tamoxifen and raloxifene, are both associated with antiestrogenic side effects that can be bothersome. However, no data exist on how they compare in this regard. We conducted a retrospective, questionnaire-based study to answer this question. METHODS: Women with early breast cancer in one physician's practice who had received either or both of these drugs were surveyed using a self-administered questionnaire. Respondents graded the frequency and severity of side effects related to estrogen deprivation, such as vaginal dryness, mood changes, hot flashes, weight gain, and changes in libido, as well as other side effects, such as vaginal discharge. They were separated into three groups for analysis (group 1, tamoxifen only; group 2, raloxifene only; group 3, both drugs). Side effects graded 4 or 5 (or weight gain >10 pounds) were considered severe. RESULTS: Two hundred sixty-four questionnaires were available for analysis. Women on raloxifene had a shorter average duration of therapy. In comparing the tamoxifen and raloxifene groups, vaginal discharge, severe hot flashes, and weight gain of >10 pounds were significantly more frequent with tamoxifen. However, weight gain was also related to the duration of therapy with either drug. [PubMed abstract](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=rohatgi+N%2C+raloxifine) ![Nitin Rohatgi, M.D., MBA](https://dyn.mktgcdn.com/p/tVS4RemP6bkC55e_mitBU2bV-F97uZqUB_hdGp4TZ6s/fit=crop,gravity=auto,dpr=2,width=188,height=250,quality=100) Nitin Rohatgi, M.D., MBA Principal investigator [View profile](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/investigators/nitin-rohatgi-md-mba-1049681017) ## Research topics - [All Cancer](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22All+Cancer%5C%22%22) ## Related publications [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) - Publication ### [Breast Cancer Survival Defined by the ER/PR/HER2 Subtypes and a Surrogate Classification according to Tumor Grade and Immunohistochemical Biomarkers](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/breast-cancer-survival-defined-by-the-er-pr-her2-1055312621) Breast Cancer Survival Defined by the ER/PR/HER2 Subtypes and a Surrogate Classification according to Tumor Grade and Immunohistochemical Biomarkers. 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Carroll MP1, Guiry PJ, Brown JM. Author information 1School of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Centre for Synthesis and Chemical Biology, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland. Org Biomol Chem. 2013 Jul 28;11(28):4591-601. doi: 10.1039/c3ob40360b. Epub 2013 May 2. Meta-analysis in asymmetric catalysis. Influence of chelate geometry on the roles of PN chelating ligands. Carroll MP1 Guiry PJ Brown JM. 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Epub 2010 Oct 4. 2011 May 01 [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/raloxifene-is-associated-with-less-side-effects-th-1055312770#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Research publications","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Raloxifene is associated with less side effects than tamoxifen in women with early breast cancer: a questionnaire study from one physician's practice."}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalScholarlyArticle","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/raloxifene-is-associated-with-less-side-effects-th-1055312770#medicalscholarlyarticle","name":"Raloxifene is associated with less side effects than tamoxifen in women with early breast cancer: a questionnaire study from one physician's practice.","headline":"Raloxifene is associated with less side effects than tamoxifen in women with early breast cancer: a questionnaire study from one physician's practice.","abstract":"Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) are being used increasingly for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer. The currently available SERMs, tamoxifen and raloxifene, are both associated with antiestrogenic side effects that can be bothersome. However, no data exist on how they compare in this regard. We conducted a retrospective, questionnaire-based study to answer this question. METHODS: Women with early breast cancer in one physician's practice who had received either or both of these drugs were surveyed using a self-administered questionnaire. Respondents graded the frequency and severity of side effects related to estrogen deprivation, such as vaginal dryness, mood changes, hot flashes, weight gain, and changes in libido, as well as other side effects, such as vaginal discharge. They were separated into three groups for analysis (group 1, tamoxifen only; group 2, raloxifene only; group 3, both drugs). Side effects graded 4 or 5 (or weight gain >10 pounds) were considered severe. RESULTS: Two hundred sixty-four questionnaires were available for analysis. Women on raloxifene had a shorter average duration of therapy. In comparing the tamoxifen and raloxifene groups, vaginal discharge, severe hot flashes, and weight gain of >10 pounds were significantly more frequent with tamoxifen. However, weight gain was also related to the duration of therapy with either drug.","description":"Raloxifene is associated with less side effects than tamoxifen in women with early breast cancer: a questionnaire study from one physician's practice.","keywords":["All Cancer"],"datePublished":"2002-04-20","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/raloxifene-is-associated-with-less-side-effects-th-1055312770","inLanguage":"en-US","isPartOf":{"@type":"Periodical","name":"J Womens Health Gend Based Med"},"sourceOrganization":{"@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Institute for Medical Research"},"about":[{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"All Cancer","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22All+Cancer%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"}],"mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/raloxifene-is-associated-with-less-side-effects-th-1055312770","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/raloxifene-is-associated-with-less-side-effects-th-1055312770#breadcrumblist"}}} ```