Study uncovers tamoxifen boost

HORMONE treatment with the drug tamoxifen significantly boosts chances of breast cancer patients surviving at least ten years, a study has found.

Trial data on more than 20,000 women with the disease showed that an early course of tamoxifen reduced the risk of dying by a third over a 15-year period.

Tamoxifen is usually given for five years following surgery, and only works against breast cancers that are fuelled by the female sex hormone oestrogen.

Dr Christina Davies, from Oxford University, said: "Breast cancer is a nasty disease because it can come back years later. This study now shows that tamoxifen produces really long-term protection."