Toremifene: An evaluation of its safety profile

Toremifene has been in clinical use for 8 years for the treatment of advanced hormone-sensitive breast cancer and the adjuvant treatment of early breast cancer. More than 350,000 patient treatment years have accumulated, sufficient to allow evaluation of its longer-term safety profile in comparison with tamoxifen and, where possible, with raloxifene and aromatase inhibitors. We reviewed all preclinical and clinical safety data from 1978 to 2004 and comparative clinical safety data between October 1995 and the end of 2004. Secondary endometrial cancer incidence was lower with toremifene than with tamoxifen and was similar to that with raloxifene. It is speculated that toremifene may unmask existing endometrial tumors rather than induce new events. The risk of stroke, pulmonary embolism, and cataract may be lower with toremifene than with tamoxifen and the risk of pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis lower than with raloxifene. Beneficial estrogen agonistic effects were equivalent to those of tamoxifen regarding bone mineral density and superior regarding lipid profiles.