Tamoxifen and Breast Cancer Update

Tamoxifen, raloxifene may reduce breast cancer risk.
ABC World News (4/19, story 8, 0:35, Sawyer) reported that two drugs, tamoxifen and raloxifene, may help prevent breast cancer, according to a study funded by the National Cancer Institute.
The Los Angeles Times (4/20, Maugh) reports that "the trial enrolled 19,747 post-menopausal women over the age of 35 who had an above-normal risk of breast cancer because they had breast cancer genes or a family history of the disease." Although "the average 60- to 64-year-old woman has about a 1.66% risk of developing breast cancer over a five-year period, the women in the study averaged twice that risk, and some had an even higher risk." Participants "were given either tamoxifen (brand name Nolvadex, also available generically) or raloxifene (brand name Evista) daily for five years."
The AP (4/20, Marchione) reports that "tamoxifen cut the chances of developing the most serious forms of breast cancer in half, the research shows, but with a higher risk of uterine cancer." Meanwhile, "Evista cut the cancer risk by 38 percent, with fewer uterine problems and other serious side effects."
USA Today (4/20, Szabo) reports that "Victor Vogel, main author of the study presented Monday at the American Association for Cancer Research meeting in Washington," said, "It's not a cure ... but it's an important protection for women who are at very high risk." The Wall Street Journal (4/20, Wang), the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (4/20, Fabregas), and HealthDay (4/19, Gardner) also covered the story.