The stylesheet have been removed. This year, more than 175,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer, more than any previous year. Atlanta medical centers in the fight against breast cancer by participating in a landmark breast cancer prevention study. The study will compare the effectiveness of the drugs tamoxifen, which has long been considered a valuable breast cancer treatment and prevention agent, and raloxifene, a drug previously linked with osteoporosis benefits. Side affects that are known to occur include an increased risk of uterine cancer, blood clots, cataracts and possibly strokes.
Blood clots are the most common side effects that are known.
Because raloxifene has not been studied as long as tamoxifen, not as much is known about its side effects after long-term use. STAR will use 22,000 postmenopausal women, ages 35 and older, who are at high risk of breast cancer based on age, family history and personal medical history. Participants include women of all races and ethnic groups, who will be randomly assigned to take tamoxifen or raloxifene daily for five years. DeKalb Medical Center began registering patients in July. DeKalb Medical Center is pleased to participate in this landmark prevention clinical trial, said Norma Jarmusch, R.N., a certified oncology nurse and clinical trials manager for DeKalb Medical Center.