Breast-cancer drug tamoxifen appears to boost risk of stroke.

Byline: John Fauber

MILWAUKEE _ The breast cancer drug tamoxifen appears to increase a woman's risk of having a stroke, although the overall risk is small, according to a systematic review of nearly 25 years worth of clinical trials of the drug.

Doctors say the finding should not stop breast cancer patients from taking tamoxifen. But it could be a factor for women who are considering the drug to prevent the disease, especially those who are at high risk for stroke.

For years, doctors have known that tamoxifen increases the risk of venous thromboembolism, a type of blood clot that often forms in the legs and can migrate to the lungs and other parts …