How does tamoxifen work?
The exact mechanism of how tamoxifen works is still unknown. What is known is that some breast cancer cells are sensitive to the hormone estrogen. These cells have estrogen receptors and need estrogen to grow and spread. However, in order to grow and divide, estrogen must bind to the breast cancer cell receptors. It’s thought that tamoxifen, an anti-estrogen, binds and blocks these estrogen receptors on the surface of cells. That, in turn, prevents estrogen from binding to and activating the cell. Blocking estrogen from the estrogen-sensitive cancer cells stops the growth and reproduction of these deadly cells.
