Citalopram does not reduce tamoxifen's effectiveness
Author Information
Author(s): Lash T L, Pedersen L, Cronin-Fenton D, Ahern T P, Rosenberg C L, Lunetta K L, Silliman R A, Hamilton-Dutoit S, Garne J P, Ewertz M, Sørensen H T
Primary Institution: Boston University School of Public Health
Hypothesis
Does concurrent use of citalopram reduce tamoxifen's effectiveness in preventing breast cancer recurrence?
Conclusion
The study found that concurrent use of citalopram does not reduce tamoxifen's prevention of breast cancer recurrence.
Supporting Evidence
- Seventeen cases (9%) and 21 controls (11%) received at least one prescription for citalopram while taking tamoxifen.
- The odds ratio for breast cancer recurrence among citalopram users was 0.85, indicating no significant reduction in tamoxifen effectiveness.
- Regular citalopram users showed no substantial difference in recurrence rates compared to non-users.
Takeaway
This study shows that taking citalopram while on tamoxifen doesn't make tamoxifen less effective at stopping breast cancer from coming back.
Methodology
The study compared 184 cases of breast cancer recurrence with 184 matched controls, analyzing prescription histories linked to a national database.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the majority of SSRI prescriptions being for citalopram, which may not represent the effects of stronger CYP2D6 inhibitors.
Limitations
The study did not collect genotype data for CYP2D6 variants and focused primarily on citalopram, which is a modest inhibitor of CYP2D6.
Participant Demographics
Female residents of Northern Denmark aged 35-69 diagnosed with stages I-III oestrogen-receptor-positive breast cancer.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.85
Confidence Interval
0.42, 1.7
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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