Tamoxifen is currently the most widely prescribed cancer drug in the world. Raloxifene received FDA approval in the United States in January 1998 and is also approved in several other countries for osteoporosis prevention. Of the 22,000 women in STAR, half will receive tamoxifen, while the other half will receive raloxifene. The trial is a double-blind study, meaning that neither the doctor nor the patient will know which drug is being administered. Only postmenopausal women at increased risk of developing breast cancer are eligible for the study.
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women in the United States.
Fox Chase Cancer Center is one of 35 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the nation. The Center's activities include basic and clinical research, prevention, detection and treatment of cancer and community outreach programs.