Swamy AM, Sehrawat A, Sundriyal D. Unexpected thrombocytopenia of a rare tamoxifen-induced complication in breast cancer therapy: A case report. World J Clin Cases 2025; 13(31): 109772 [DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v13.i31.109772]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Amit Sehrawat, DrNB, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Medical Oncology Haematology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Virbhadra Road, Rishikesh 249203, Uttarakhand, India. dramitsehrawat@gmail.com
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Oncology
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Case Report
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This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Nov 6, 2025 (publication date) through Nov 8, 2025
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Publication Name
World Journal of Clinical Cases
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2307-8960
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Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
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Swamy AM, Sehrawat A, Sundriyal D. Unexpected thrombocytopenia of a rare tamoxifen-induced complication in breast cancer therapy: A case report. World J Clin Cases 2025; 13(31): 109772 [DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v13.i31.109772]
Unexpected thrombocytopenia of a rare tamoxifen-induced complication in breast cancer therapy: A case report
Anusha Mruthyunjaya Swamy, Amit Sehrawat, Deepak Sundriyal
Anusha Mruthyunjaya Swamy, Amit Sehrawat, Deepak Sundriyal, Department of Medical Oncology Haematology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh 249203, Uttarakhand, India
Author contributions: Swamy AM contributed to the data collection; Swamy AM and Sehrawat A contributed to the conceptualization; Swamy AM, Sehrawat A, and Sundriyal D contributed to the manuscript writing; All authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript.
Informed consent statement: Informed written consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this report and any accompanying images.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
CARE Checklist (2016) statement: The authors have read the CARE Checklist (2016), and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CARE Checklist (2016).
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Amit Sehrawat, DrNB, MD, Associate Professor, Department of Medical Oncology Haematology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Virbhadra Road, Rishikesh 249203, Uttarakhand, India. dramitsehrawat@gmail.com
Received: May 21, 2025 Revised: June 18, 2025 Accepted: September 1, 2025 Published online: November 6, 2025 Processing time: 162 Days and 13.5 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Tamoxifen, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, is pivotal in managing hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. While its common side effects are well-documented, tamoxifen-induced thrombocytopenia is a rare, serious adverse event requiring drug discontinuation.
CASE SUMMARY
We report a case of tamoxifen-induced thrombocytopenia in a 51-year-old premenopausal woman with breast cancer, occurring within 4 weeks of initiating adjuvant tamoxifen therapy. Platelet counts normalized after drug cessation, but thrombocytopenia recurred upon rechallenge, leading to permanent discontinuation.
CONCLUSION
This case underscores the need for regular complete blood count monitoring in patients on tamoxifen to detect rare hematologic adverse events promptly.
Core Tip: This case report describes a rare instance of tamoxifen-induced thrombocytopenia in a 51-year-old woman with breast cancer. Thrombocytopenia developed 4 weeks after starting tamoxifen and resolved upon discontinuation, only to recur after rechallenge, confirming causality. The case highlights the need for regular blood count monitoring during tamoxifen therapy to detect rare hematologic adverse effects early. As tamoxifen is not typically associated with thrombocytopenia, this case underscores the importance of clinician awareness and individualized risk-benefit evaluation in managing such patients.
