If your man is undergoing treatment for prostate cancer, you know that the feminizing side effect of breast enlargement can play havoc with his male ego. Although he's surely glad to be a survivor, he would just as surely welcome relief from the dreaded "gynecomastia." Now, Germans researchers hold out hope that tamoxifen, the drug frequently prescribed for breast cancer patients, may bea "potential management option for gynecomastia and breast pain due to non-steroidal antiandrogens."
The authors, led by Frank Kunath, published their findings in BMS Medicine. They reviewed four key studies and concluded that the currently available evidence "suggests good efficacy of tamoxifen for the prevention and treatment of breast events induced by non-steroidal antiandrogens. The impact of tamoxifen therapy on long-term adverse events, disease progression and survival remains unclear. Further large, well-designed RCTs, including long-term follow-ups, are warranted. Also, the optimal dose needs to be clarified."
A journal news release quotes Dr. Kunath as saying: "Not all men will suffer gynecomastia during anti-androgen therapy. However, if men know that there is a successful option for reducing the breast symptoms associated with treatment for prostate cancer they may be more likely to see their doctor when symptoms of cancer first appear, and consequently reduce the number of unnecessary deaths."
