Breast cancer chemo may increase stroke risk

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In general, chemotherapy appears to increase the risk of stroke in patients with breast cancer. However, researchers report in the October 20th issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

This contrasts with another study published this month, which found the opposite—that is, slightly more strokes occurred in women who took tamoxifen than in those who did not.

Dr. Ann M. Geiger of Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, and colleagues studied 179 women with breast cancer who had had a stroke; each of these individuals was matched to two women with breast cancer who remained stroke-free.

Tamoxifen use was not associated with having a stroke, the team found.

However, regardless of tamoxifen use, chemotherapy—but not a specific chemotherapeutic regimen—more than doubled the risk of stroke.

Given these results, the researchers call for further investigation of the possible link between stroke and chemotherapy.

“The life-saving advantages of chemotherapy for breast cancer are clear, but in light of these findings breast cancer survivors who underwent chemotherapy should consider steps to minimize their stroke risk, such as managing hypertension.” Geiger told Reuters Health.

SOURCE: Journal of the National Cancer Institute, October 20, 2004.

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