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Acute tamoxifen-induced depression and its prevention with venlafaxine
François Bourque1, Sherif Karama, Karl Looper
1Dept. of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Background:
Tamoxifen is a first-generation selective estrogen-receptor modulator that has been shown to decrease recurrence and prolong survival among premenopausal women with breast cancer; however, it also results in estrogen-insufficiency symptoms, the most common being hot flushes.
Objective:
The authors present a case in which tamoxifen apparently produced acute depression symptoms in a 34-year-old breast cancer patient.
Method:
After two aborted periods of tamoxifen treatment, the patient was started on venlafaxine as a preventive measure before tamoxifen treatment was begun again.
Results:
After 2 months of treatment with venlafaxine, tamoxifen was initiated for a third time, with no recurrence of her previous mood symptoms.
Conclusion:
Treatment of depression may result in better compliance with tamoxifen regimens and, thus, more favorable outcomes.
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