Effects of tamoxifen on serum lipid and apolipoprotein levels in postmenopausal patients with breast cancer

Serum lipids and apolipoprotein levels were measured in twenty postmenopausal women with primary breast cancer, before and three months after tamoxifen therapy (10 mg twice a day). Tamoxifen caused a significant reduction in total serum cholesterol (10%;P < 0.02), and in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (17%;P < 0.01), and a significant 47 % increase in the subclass 2 of the high density lipoprotein cholesterol (P< 0.01). In addition, tamoxifen caused a 16% increase in apolipoprotein A-I, a 12% decrease in apolipoprotein B (P < 0.05), and a 37% reduction in the serum concentration of lipoprotein(a) (P< 0.01). These results show that tamoxifen brings about an important improvement in serum lipid profile.     

Serum Lipids and Outcome of Early-stage Breast Cancer: Results of a Prospective Cohort Study

Summary Purpose. The prognosis of women with early-stage breast cancer is influenced by insulin and body mass index (BMI). High levels of serum insulin and obesity often coexist with dyslipidemia in the insulin resistance syndrome (IRS), but the contribution of lipids to breast cancer outcome is unclear. Here, we examine whether serum levels of total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG) influence breast cancer outcome. Patients and methods. A cohort of 520 women without known hyperlipidemia or diabetes, with stage T1–T3, N0–N1, M0 breast cancer, was assembled from July 1989 to June 1996. Fasting blood was collected at baseline. Subjects were followed prospectively, for recurrence (local, regional, distant) and death. Cox models were used to calculate the prognostic effect of TC and TG levels. Two-sided significance levels were set at 0.025. Results. TC was correlated with age (Spearman’s r = 0.44) and low tumor grade (p = 0.01), while TG was correlated with insulin (r = 0.43) and BMI (r = 0.45). At a median follow-up of 8.7 years, TC and TG were not associated with breast cancer recurrence or death before of after adjustment for age, tumor-related variables, BMI or fasting insulin levels. In multivariate analysis adjusting for age, tumor-related variables and BMI, a trend towards an adverse effect of TC on disease recurrence was seen (HR recurrence = 1.62 for the 4th versus. 1st quartile, 2-sided p = 0.03). Conclusions. Fasting TG was not associated with outcome. A trend towards risk of recurrence was seen with higher TC in multivariate analysis. This potential association should be explored in future studies.     

Effect of letrozole on the lipid profile in postmenopausal women with breast cancer

Hormonal therapy plays a central role in the overall treatment of breast cancer. Aromatase inhibitors can inhibit the aromatase enzyme system resulting in a reduction of oestrogens. Letrozole is a non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor that effectively blocks aromatase activity without interfering with adrenal steroid biosynthesis. The drug can significantly reduce the levels of plasma oestrogens, which remain suppressed throughout the treatment. Data are scarce concerning the influence of these drugs on serum lipid levels. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of letrozole on the serum lipid profile in postmenopausal women with breast cancer. A total of 20 patients with breast cancer were treated with letrozole, 2.5 mg once daily. After an overnight fast, serum lipid parameters (total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, apolipoproteins A1, B and E and lipoprotein (a)) were measured before treatment and at 8 and 16 weeks afterwards. A significant increase in total cholesterol (P=0.05), LDL cholesterol (P<0.01) and apolipoprotein B levels (P=0.05) in the serum, as well as in the atherogenic risk ratios total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol (P<0.005) and LDL cholesterol/HDL cholesterol (P<0.005) was noticed after letrozole treatment. We conclude that letrozole administration in postmenopausal women with breast cancer has an unfavourable effect on the serum lipid profile.     

Serum lipids and breast cancer risk: a cohort study of 5,207 Danish women

The association between serum lipids and breast cancer risk was investigated in a cohort of 5,207 Danish women, who participated in The Glostrup Population Studies between 1964 and 1986. During four to 26 years of follow-up, 51 incident cases of breast cancer were identified by linkage to the Danish Cancer Registry. At the time of lipid measurement, the women were between 30 and 80 years of age. An inverse association was found between serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and risk of breast cancer, which was not changed by adjustment for potential confounders such as social class, age at menarche and menopause, number of full-term pregnancies, body mass index, or alcohol and coffee consumption. The relative risk was 0.3 (95 percent confidence interval = 0,1–0.8) for women in the highest quartile of serum HDL-cholesterol compared with women in the lowest quartile and the relation displayed a significant negative trend (P = 0.01). For serum triglycerides there was a suggestion of a positive association with breast cancer incidence, but the trend was not significant (P = 0.06). No relationship between total serum cholesterol or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and risk of breast cancer was observed. Risk estimates for well known breast cancer risk factors such as social class, age at menopause, number of full-term pregnancies, and obesity were in the directions expected.Dr Høyer and Ms Engholm are with the Danish Cancer Registry, Copenhagen, Denmark; Dr Høyer is also with The Glostrup Population Studies, Glostrup, Denmark. Address correspondence to Dr Høyer at The Danish Cancer Registry, Institute of Cancer Epidemiology, Danish Cancer Society, Rosenvangets Hovedvej 35, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark. This study was funded by Sygekassernes Helsefond DK, Sundhedspuljen DK and the Danish Cancer Society.     

The relationship between holding back from communicating about breast concerns and anxiety in the year following breast biopsy

Purpose: Evidence suggests open communication about breast cancer concerns promotes psychological adjustment, while holding back can lead to negative outcomes. Little is known about the relationship between communication and distress following breast biopsy. Design/ Sample: Women (N = 128) were assessed at the time of breast biopsy and again one week and three, six, and 12 months post-result. Methods: Linear mixed modeling examined relationships between holding back and anxiety for women with benign results (n = 94) or DCIS/invasive disease (n = 34) following breast biopsy. Findings: Anxiety increased among women with a benign result engaging in high but not low or average levels of holding back. Holding back was positively associated with anxiety post-result in breast cancer survivors, with anxiety decreasing over time. Conclusions/ Implications: Interventions to enhance communication are warranted, and knowledge of the differences among women with benign results and/or DCIS/invasive disease may allow for the development of tailored interventions.     

超声参数联合血清OPN、IL-1β水平对乳腺癌诊断的价值及临床意义

目的探讨超声参数联合血清骨桥蛋白(OPN)、白细胞介素-1β(IL-1β)水平对乳腺癌诊断的价值及临床意义。方法选取120例乳腺肿块患者,经术后病理、活检穿刺检查明确为乳腺癌患者67例作为乳腺癌组,53例乳腺良性病变患者为良性乳腺疾病组,另选取同期进行体检的乳腺健康女性60例作为健康对照组,比较各组超声检查结果以及血清OPN、IL-1β水平,分析超声参数联合血清OPN、IL-1β对乳腺癌的诊断价值。结果乳腺癌组患者血清OPN、IL-1β均高于良性乳腺疾病组和健康对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);乳腺癌组患者超声参数最大血流值(V_max)、血流阻力指数(RI)、搏动指数(PI)水平均高于良性乳腺疾病组和健康对照组,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。受试者工作特征曲线(ROC)曲线分析显示,根据曲线下面积(AUC),血清OPN、IL-1β及超声参数PI、RI、V_max对乳腺癌的最佳诊断截断点分别为69.68 mg·ml^-1、8.13 pg·ml^-1、1.53、0.77、14.26 m·s^-1;血清OPN、IL-1β及超声参数PI、RI、V_max联合检测诊断乳腺癌的特异度、敏感度、准确度高于单独检测,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论超声参数联合血清OPN、IL-1β水平检测在乳腺癌的诊断中具有优势,特异度、敏感度、准确度均高于单一指标检测。     

Levels of Serum 25-Hydroxy-Vitamin D in Benign and Malignant Breast Masses

Background: The true association between breast cancer and vitamin D is currently under investigation.We compared serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D levels in women with benign and malignant breast masses andcontrols. Materials and Methods: Levels of vitamin D were measured by electrochemiluminescense. Serum levels>35 ng/ml, 25-35 ng/ml, 12.5-25 ng/ml and <12.5 ng/ml were considered as normal, mild, moderate and severevitamin D deficiency, respectively. Results: Overall, 364 women were included in the control, 172 in the benignand 136 in the malignant groups. The median serum vitamin D level was significantly lower in breast cancersthan controls. Levels were also lower in malignant than benign cases and in benign cases than controls althoughstatistically non-significant. Conclusions: Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that severe vitamin Ddeficiency causes a three-fold increase in the risk of breast cancer while this was not the case for moderate andmild deficiency.     

Circulating sphingosine-1-phosphate inversely correlates with chemotherapy-induced weight gain during early breast cancer

Weight gain in women receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer is associated with a higher risk of recurrence. Using metabonomic profiling, we recently reported that plasma lactate and alanine were prognostic for weight gain in individuals with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy. The role of lipid second messengers has not been studied. We assessed serum levels of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), a known secreted lipid second messenger with a role in cell growth, in sequential samples from post-menopausal women receiving standard chemotherapy for early breast cancer and correlated these with body mass measurements and metabonomic profiling. While serum S1P levels prior to treatment did not correlate with body weight changes or circulating alanine and lactate, S1P levels measured during therapy were inversely correlated with weight gain (P = 0.04), but not weight loss (P = 0.74) or no change in weight (P = 0.5), suggesting a role of dynamic circulating S1P in adipocyte growth. These data provide evidence for an association between serum S1P and weight gain during chemotherapy cycles in women with breast cancer. Lipid second messengers have a role in chemotherapy-induced weight gain in breast cancer.     

Are the effects of tamoxifen on the serum lipid profile modified by apolipoprotein E phenotypes?

BACKGROUND: Tamoxifen has favorable effects on the serum lipid profile. It has been suggested that the apolipoprotein (Apo) E phenotype can influence serum lipid parameters; the ApoE allele 4 (ApoE4) is associated with higher total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. The ApoE phenotype also affects lipid responses to diets or treatment with statins. However, the effect of tamoxifen on the lipid profile in different ApoE phenotypes is unknown. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In the present study, we evaluated the effects of tamoxifen on the serum lipid profile in 11 ApoE4-positive postmenopausal women with breast cancer (phenotypes 3/4 and 4/4) compared with 33 ApoE4-negative women (phenotypes 3/2 and 3/3). Serum lipid parameters [high-density (HDL), LDL and total cholesterol, triglycerides, ApoAI, ApoB and lipoprotein (a)] were measured after an overnight fast before treatment and after 3 and 12 months. ApoE isoforms were determined by isoelectric focusing of delipidated very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL). RESULTS: During the follow-up period, serum levels of total and LDL cholesterol and ApoB decreased significantly in both groups, but no significant differences were found. Concentrations of serum HDL cholesterol were not significantly different between both groups. However, serum ApoAI levels increased significantly in ApoE4-negative subjects (p = 0.00005), but no significant changes in ApoE4-positive women were observed. Serum triglyceride levels increased by 23.2% (p < 0.05) in ApoE4-positive patients, but they did not change significantly in ApoE4-negative patients. The LDL/HDL cholesterol ratio decreased similarly in the two groups, but the ApoAI/ApoB ratio, which may be a better predictor of cardiovascular events, significantly changed in the ApoE4-negative subjects. Finally, the median level of Lp(a) decreased by 43.4% in the ApoE4-negative patients, whereas it did not change significantly in the ApoE4-positive group. CONCLUSION: In postmenopausal Greek women with breast cancer, the levels of Lp(a) and triglycerides and the ApoAI/ApoB ratio respond more favorably to tamoxifen treatment in ApoE4-negative than in ApoE4-positive patients.     

Effects of toremifene (TOR) and tamoxifen (TAM) on serum lipids

This study clarified the difference in the effects on serum lipids between toremifene (TOR) and tamoxifen (TAM). To remove influencing factors, we investigated adjuvant therapy for hormone receptor-positive patients with breast cancer without lymph node metastasis. The subjects were 65 patients who were enrolled in a multicenter randomized comparative study between April 1997 and March 2001. As adjuvant therapy, 20 mg of TAM or 40 mg of TOR was administered for 1 year. The levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein A-1 (Apo A-1), apolipoprotein A(Apo B), and lipoprotein a (Lp(a)) were measured prior to administration and 3, 6, and 12 months after the start of administration. TC, LDL-C, Lp(a) and Apo B significantly decreased from the third month of administration compared with values before the start of administration in both the TOR and TAM groups. HDL-C significantly increased from the third month only in the TOR group. TG significantly increased in the TAM group but significantly decreased in the TOR group in the 12th month of administration. When these two groups were compared, HDL-C was significantly higher ( p < 0.01) and TG was significantly lower ( p < 0.01) in the TOR group in the 12th month. Improvement of abnormal values of TG, HDL-C and LDL-C was better in the TOR group than in the TAM group after administration for 12 months. The effect on lipid metabolism showed different profiles between the two selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), and TOR gave better results than TAM.     

Lipids status in human breast cyst fluids

Benign mammary gross cystic disease is the most common breast lesion; women with apocrine changes of epithelium lining the cysts are at higher risk for developing breast cancer than the normal population. Total cholesterol, high- and low-density lipoproteins fractions, triglycerides and phospholipids, lipase activity and total lipid concentrations were measured in cyst fluids and sera from 89 women affected by gross cystic breast disease. Total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein content were significantly (P<0.001) greater in pooled cyst fluids than normal sera. Moreover, data analyses show a significant increase in the mean values of total lipids and lipase activity in metabolically active apocrine cysts, when compared to the flattened cysts (P<0.001). The lipids feature of apocrine cysts could represent an altered expression of biosynthetic activity of the surrounding apocrine cell surface glycolipid and steroidogenic metabolism and may provide further knowledge about the functional stage changes of gross breast cysts.     

High insulin levels in newly diagnosed breast cancer patients reflect underlying insulin resistance and are associated with components of the insulin resistance syndrome

Background High insulin levels have been associated with poor outcomes in breast cancer. Our goal was to investigate whether hyperinsulinemia was associated with insulin resistance in a cohort of newly diagnosed locoregional breast cancer patients and to examine associations of hyperinsulinemia with the broader insulin resistance syndrome (IRS). Methods Five hundred and four women with T1-3, N0-1, M0 breast cancer provided fasting blood that was analyzed for glucose, insulin and lipids. They underwent anthropomorphic measurements and provided information on diet, exercise and sleep. Relationships of insulin with three validated indices of insulin resistance and with attributes of the IRS were examined. Results High insulin levels were strongly correlated with insulin resistance calculated using the three indices of insulin resistance/sensitivity (Spearman r = 0.83–0.98). Hyperinsulinemia was also associated with other components of the IRS (obesity, high waist–hip ratio, lipid profile). Conclusions High insulin levels in women with locoregional breast cancer reflect the presence of insulin resistance and are associated with other components of the IRS. These observations have implications for the development of therapies that target hyperinsulinemia in early stage breast cancer and for the long-term management of breast cancer survivors.     

The Effect of Exemestane on the Lipidemic Profile of Postmenopausal Early Breast Cancer Patients: Preliminary Results of the TEAM Greek Sub-study

Summary Introduction. Long-term endocrine therapy for breast cancer may have clinical implications as drugs that potentially alter the lipid profile may increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. In this study, a companion sub-protocol to the TEAM (Tamoxifen and Exemestane Adjuvant Multicenter) International trial, we compared the effect of the steroidal aromatase inactivator exemestane on the lipid profile of postmenopausal women with early breast cancer in the adjuvant setting to that of tamoxifen. Patients and methods. In this open-label, randomized, parallel group study, 176 postmenopausal patients with estrogen and/or progesterone receptor positive early breast cancer were randomized to either adjuvant exemestane (25 mg/day; n = 90) or tamoxifen (20 mg/day; n = 86). Assessments of total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and serum triglycerides (TRG) were performed at baseline and every 3 months for the first 12 months. Results. Serum triglyceride levels were consistently increased above baseline throughout the study in the tamoxifen arm, while there was a trend towards reduction in the exemestane arm. There was also an overall trend for tamoxifen to decrease the levels of LDL throughout the study period. Exemestane did not demonstrate any other significant change in HDL levels; however, there was a consistent trend for a reduction in total cholesterol in both treatment arms. The atherogenic risk determined by the TC:HDL ratio remained stable in both arms throughout the treatment period. Conclusions. Exemestane appears to have a neutral effect on total cholesterol and HDL levels. Unlike tamoxifen’s positive effect on LDL levels, exemestane does not significantly alter LDL levels. Tamoxifen on the other hand increases triglyceride levels, while exemestane results in a beneficial reduction in TRG levels. These data offer additional information with regard to the safety and tolerability of exemestane in postmenopausal breast cancer patients and support further investigation of its potential usefulness in the adjuvant setting.     

Discovery of lipid profiles in plasma-derived extracellular vesicles as biomarkers for breast cancer diagnosis

Lipids are a major component of extracellular vesicles; however, their significance in tumorigenesis and progression has not been well elucidated. As we previously found that lipid profiles drastically changed in breast tumors upon progression, we hypothesized that lipid profiles of plasma-derived extracellular vesicles could be utilized as breast cancer biomarkers. Here, we adopted modified sucrose cushion ultracentrifugation to isolate plasma-derived extracellular vesicles from breast cancer (n = 105), benign (n = 11), and healthy individuals (n = 43) in two independent cohorts (n = 126 and n = 33) and conducted targeted lipidomic analysis. We established a breast cancer diagnostic model comprising three lipids that showed favorable performance with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.759, 0.743, and 0.804 in the training, internal validation, and external test sets, respectively. Moreover, we identified several lipids that could effectively discriminate breast cancer progression and subtypes: phosphatidylethanolamines and phosphatidylserines were relatively higher in Stage III, whereas phosphatidylcholines and sphingomyelins were higher in Stage IV; phosphatidylcholines and ceramides were correspondingly concentrated in HER2-positive patients, while lysophosphatidylcholines and polyunsaturated triglycerides were concentrated in the triple-negative breast cancer subtype. Lipid profiling of plasma-derived extracellular vesicles is a non-invasive and promising approach for diagnosing, staging, and subtyping breast cancer.     

Failure to detect early breast cancer using in vitro nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of plasma.

Water suppressed proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy of human plasma has been described as successful in detection of malignancy. We designed a prospective study to test the hypothesis that in vitro NMR spectroscopy has a high sensitivity for detecting early breast cancer. One hundred and thirty-five women were referred for breast biopsy due to abnormal mammograms. One hundred of these were recruited through a population-based mammography screening project. Sixty-nine of 135 women were found to have breast cancer and their average line width of the methyl and methylene resonance in the plasma were compared to those women who had a benign or normal histopathology in the biopsy and to the line width for 100 healthy subjects from the same population. The mean line width at a half-height of the methyl and methylene resonances of the serum lipoprotein lipids in the NMR spectrum did not differ appreciably between the groups. The line width correlated highly with the serum triglycerides, but correction for the level of triglycerides did not improve the diagnostic accuracy of the line width. Receiver-operating characteristic analysis revealed a sensitivity of 61% and a false positive rate of 43% at the most beneficial cut-off of line width (39.7 Hz). In vitro NMR spectroscopy in our hands was thus not a useful diagnostic tool in patients with early breast cancer.     

血清瘦素水平及体质指数与乳腺癌发生的相关性研究

  目的 探讨血清瘦素水平及体质指数与乳腺癌发生的相关性，为乳腺癌的防治寻找科学依据。方法 收集术前乳腺癌患者90例，乳腺良性疾病患者32例，健康对照103例血清，采用放射免疫分析法测定瘦素水平，并进行体质指数的测量与计算。采用SPSS软件包进行统计学处理。结果 乳腺癌组血清瘦素水平与体质指数明显高于乳腺良性疾病和健康对照组，差异均具有统计学意义（P＜0.01）；三组人群瘦素水平与体质指数均呈正相关，相关系数分别为0.327（P＜0.001），0.416（P＜0.001），0.525（P＜0.001）；Logistic回归分析，血清瘦素水平的升高是乳腺癌发生的危险因素，OR值为1.14（95 %CI：1.076 ~ 1.209）。结论 血清瘦素水平、体质指数升高可能与乳腺癌发生有关。     

A cognitive behavioral therapy intervention to promote weight loss improves body composition and blood lipid profiles among overweight breast cancer survivors

Overweight or obesity is an established negative prognostic factor in breast cancer. Co-morbidities associated with obesity, including cardiovascular disease (CVD), may negatively impact quality of life and survival in this population. Our purpose was to determine the effect of a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention for weight loss through exercise and diet modification on risk factors for recurrence of breast cancer, and risks for CVD associated with obesity. Eighty-five overweight or obese breast cancer survivors were randomly assigned to a once weekly, 16-week intervention or wait-list control group. The intervention incorporated elements of CBT for obesity, addressing a reduction in energy intake, as well exercise, with a goal of an average of 1 h a day of moderate to vigorous activity. Body weight, total and regional body fat (by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry), waist and hip circumference, and blood lipids were assessed at baseline and following 16 weeks of intervention. Results: Seventy six women (89.4%) completed the intervention. Independent t-test to evaluate group differences at 16 weeks showed significant differences in weight, body mass index, percent fat, trunk fat, leg fat, as well as waist and hip circumference between intervention and control groups (P ≤ 0.05). Furthermore, levels of triglycerides and total cholesterol/high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were also significantly reduced following the intervention. These results indicate that 16 weeks of a CBT program for weight management may reduce obesity and CVD risk in overweight breast cancer survivors.     

Technetium-99m methylene diphosphonate scintimammography for evaluation of palpable breast masses

Technetium-99m-methylene diphosphonate (Tc-99m MDP) scintimammography (SMB) was used to investigate palpable breast masses during routine presurgical bone scintigraphy, for women at high risk for cancer and who were candidates for surgery or excisional biopsy. Upright anterior and prone lateral views of the breasts were acquired from 65 women with palpable breast masses, 5-10 min after intravenous injection of 740 MBq of Tc-99m MDP. Breast cancer was histologically diagnosed in 50 women (77%) and benign disease was found in 15 women (23%). Of these 50 breast cancer patients, 44 (88%) showed abnormal MDP uptake in breasts. Among the 15 cases of benign lesions, only 1 (7%) showed abnormal MDP uptake in the breasts. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 88%, 93%, and 89%, respectively, for the differentiation of malignant and benign breast masses. Scintimammography with Tc-99m MDP is a useful and cost-effective tool for differentiating malignant breast masses from benign breast masses.     

乳腺癌患者血清PCSK9及血脂水平的检测及临床意义

目的:探讨PCSK9在乳腺癌患者血清中的水平及其与血脂水平的相关性。方法:选取从2018年01月至2019年12月在我院就诊的139例乳腺癌术后患者和125名健康体检者为对照组。测定PCSK9、总胆固醇(TC)、甘油三酯(TG)、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇(HDL-C)、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇(LDL-C)水平,分析在乳腺癌患者血清中的相关性。结果:PCSK9水平在乳腺癌患者中明显高于对照组(P＜0.05)。在乳腺癌患者中TC和LDL水平明显高于对照组,而HDL水平明显低于对照组(P＜0.05)。结论:PCSK9和血脂水平与乳腺癌相关,检测PCSK9和血脂水平可为乳腺癌的早期诊断、筛查及精准治疗提供依据。     

Tamoxifen treatment reverses the adverse effects of chemotherapy-induced ovarian failure on serum lipids

In all, 146 premenopausal women with early stage breast cancer were treated with adjuvant chemotherapy. In addition, 5-year tamoxifen treatment was started after chemotherapy to those 112 patients with hormone-receptor-positive tumours while those with hormone-receptor-negative tumours received no further therapy. The serum lipid levels were followed in both groups. The levels of serum total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol increased significantly after chemotherapy only in patients who developed ovarian dysfunction. Total cholesterol increased +9.5% and LDL cholesterol +16.6% in patients who developed amenorrhoea (P<0.00001 and 0.00001, respectively). The cholesterol levels did not change in patients who preserved regular menstruation after chemotherapy. After 6 months of tamoxifen therapy, the total cholesterol decreased -9.7% and the LDL cholesterol -16.7% from levels after the chemotherapy, while the cholesterol concentrations remained at increased levels in the control group (P=0.001 and P<0.0001, respectively). The high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels did not change significantly in either tamoxifen or control group. The effects of tamoxifen treatment on serum lipids after chemotherapy have not been studied before. Our current study suggests that adjuvant tamoxifen therapy reverses the adverse effects of chemotherapy-induced ovarian failure on total and LDL cholesterol and even lowers their serum levels below the baseline.