Breast cancer develops rarely in men, with men representing only around 0.7 percent of new breast cancer cases, Sharon Giordano, M.D. of the University of Texas reported in the October 2005 issue of "The Oncologist." Because 90 percent of male breast cancers have positive estrogen-receptors, according to Giordano, many men receive treatment with tamoxifen. Tamoxifen blocks estrogen use by the tumors, which shrinks them. Side effects for men taking tamoxifen are similar to those experienced by women, with few exceptions.
Sexual Effects
Decreased libido, or sex drive, occurs commonly in men taking tamoxifen, affecting as many as 30 percent, Cancer Research UK reports. Impotence may also occur in conjunction with decreased sex drive. Almost 21 percent of men stop taking tamoxifen due to side effects compared to 4 percent of women, mostly due to sexual side effects.
Hot Flashes
Hot flashes, also called hot flushes, often occur in both men and women taking tamoxifen. Around 21 percent of men taking tamoxifen in one small study were found to have hot flashes, Carolyn Vachani, RN of the Abrahamson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania reported. Because tamoxifen blocks estrogen effects, symptoms similar to those of menopause commonly occur, which in men includes hot flashes.
Mood Changes
Mood changes occurred in almost 21 percent of men taking tamoxifen in one study, Vachani reports. Around 12.5 percent experienced difficulty sleeping and more than 6 percent experienced depression.
Deep Vein Thrombosis
Deep vein thrombosis, one of the most serious complications of tamoxifen, affected about 4 percent of men in one study. Clots in the calf can break loose and lodge in the brain, causing stroke or in the lungs, causing pulmonary embolism. Pulmonary embolism can result in respiratory symptoms, coma and death.
Gastrointestinal Symptoms
Tamoxifen causes gastrointestinal symptoms, particularly when a person first begins taking the drug, Cancer Research UK states.
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