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Tamoxifen use may be associated with cataract formation

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People with breast cancer and one particular genetic polymorphism may be at an increased risk of cataract formation after tamoxifen use, according to a Taiwanese study.

S.-M. Lee and colleagues at National Yang-Ming University in Taipei noted that the incidence of cataract increases significantly with increasing age only in women. Further, although estrogen receptors have been detected in ocular tissue, whether the receptor polymorphism is related to cataract is not currently known.

A gene polymorphism associated with estrogen metabolism, called COMT, is also involved in tamoxifen metabolism, the researchers said. This may further decrease the activity of COMT in breast cancer patients treated with the drug, they said. Patients with breast cancer who use tamoxifen are 4% to 7% more likely to have an increase in cataract formation than patients not on tamoxifen.

The study is published in Medical Hypotheses.