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Nolvadex – a weapon against breast cancer

It has been established that breast cancer is responsible for more than 13% of all deaths in women when it comes to different types of cancer. It is therefore a condition that needs to be battled against with all means necessary. Of course, the best way to treat breast cancer is to prevent it by regular checkups that can even be done at home, by checking the breast tissue for any unusual lumps or growths. The good news is that if breast cancer is noticed in the early stages, the survival rate is very high. In some cases, surgery is required, but in the majority of cases, the medications will do the trick. One of the drugs most commonly used in treating breast cancer is Nolvadex, a drug that is metabolized into hydroxytamoxifen which prevents the action of estrogen that is most commonly responsible for the growth of breast cancer. The way in which Nolvadex works could be best described as a broken key. Namely, this medication, or more precisely, its metabolite binds to the estrogen receptors in cancer cells, thus preventing anything else (estrogen) from binding to the receptors. This way, Nolvadex prevents the growth of cancer and helps in treating it. Due to its effect on estrogen receptors, there are other uses for Nolvadex, such as in treating infertility in female patients who are suffering from anovulatory disorders. Another condition that can be treated by Nolvadex is gynecomastia, as well as a rare condition known as retroperitoneal fibrosis. Some other properties of Nolvadex make it a useful tool in treating manic episodes in patients suffering from bipolar disorder and it is also being tried for preventing angiogenesis.

Best way to approach a Nolvadex treatment

The best way to approach your Nolvadex treatment would be to do exactly as your doctor prescribed, when it comes to your dosage, the schedule and the duration of your treatment. However, before you even start taking Nolvadex, you need to talk to your healthcare provider about your medical history. For example, history of blood clots in the lungs or veins, as well as use of blood thinners like warfarin will prevent you from using Nolvadex as the potential dangers outweigh the benefits. In addition, you need to tell your doctor if you are suffering from any of the following: liver disease, history of cataract, high triglycerides or cholesterol or if you are receiving any chemotherapy or radiation. In these cases, your doctor will need to run additional tests to make sure that your health is not going to be compromised. Nolvadex is also very harmful for the fetus and it should not be used by pregnant women. In fact, women should take all the precautions not to become pregnant while taking Nolvadex, especially because of the fact that hormonal contraception methods are less effective when taking Nolvadex. Furthermore, your doctor will most likely want to check your progress with mammograms and they might also want to check your liver regularly to see if Nolvadex is working well and that it is not compromising the functioning of your liver.