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University Hospital's Barrett Cancer Center is likely to be a test site for a national study starting this fall that will compare the preventive effects of tamoxifin to a drug called raloxifene, which was originally designed to fight osteoporosis.
Early studies indicate that raloxifene -- sold by Eli Lilly & Co. as Evista -- may cut older women's risk of breast cancer by about two-thirds without raising the hazard of uterine cancer.
However, the studies were not focused on women at high risk of breast cancer, so many experts want to see more proof before touting the drug for preventing breast cancer.
The new study will seek women at high risk of breast cancer, which includes those whose mothers were diagnosed with breast cancer before reaching menopause, those with strong family histories of the disease and those with personal biopsy results indicating high risk.
Even if UC is not a site, staff will know where the closest test sites will be. For more information, call 558-2278.
