What it means
A selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM). It blocks estrogen in the breast, so it slows breast cancers that grow with estrogen, and it lowers the risk of breast cancer in high-risk people. It acts like estrogen in the uterus, raising the risk of uterine cancer, and it raises the risk of blood clots and stroke. Hot flashes are common. It is often taken for 5 to 10 years.
For the nurse
Teach the client to report any abnormal vaginal bleeding, leg pain or swelling, chest pain or shortness of breath, and to keep up gynecologic checkups. It can harm a fetus, so nonhormonal birth control is needed.
At a glance
| Drug class | antineoplastic hormone (selective estrogen receptor modulator) |
|---|---|
| Brand names | Soltamox (liquid) |
| Also written | Soltamox |
Related terms
deep vein thrombosis
A blood clot in a deep vein, most often in the leg or pelvis.
antineoplastic
A drug used to treat cancer by killing cancer cells or stopping them from growing and dividing.
estrogen
A female sex hormone, made mainly by the ovaries, and the group of drugs that act like it.
raloxifene
A drug that acts like estrogen on bone, used to prevent and treat osteoporosis after menopause.