STAR is a study of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project and is supported by the U.S. National Cancer Institute. Because African-American women are more likely to die of breast cancer than any other racial or ethnic group, they particularly are encouraged to enroll. Past research has shown that this is because many black American women aren't diagnosed until the disease has reached more advanced stages. For this reason, all participants receive free parking for their STAR visits to the Texas Medical Center.
Financial aid is available to women who qualify to fulfill study requirements.
Recent analyses of tamoxifen use in women with breast cancer show that the drug works equally well in white and African-American women. Worta McCaskill-Stevens, MD, of the NCI's Division of Cancer Prevention, presented this research at the May 2000 meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. The benefits and risks of tamoxifen are the same in African-American and white women. This information is provided for educational purposes only. Please read the disclaimer .