That effect can result in endometrial cancer, but when it is diagnosed in the early stages, the cure rate is high. Preliminary studies indicate that raloxifene doesn't appear to increase the risk of endometrial cancer. Raloxifene has already been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of bone loss, a process called osteoporosis, leading to reduction in fractures of the hip, wrist and spine. It also appears to protect women from heart disease. STAR should give us those answers that are so important for protecting the health of women.
STAR begins today.
The study is sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, and will be conducted by research professionals who are members of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project . Researchers plan to enroll 22,000 postmenopausal women in the trial, which is expected to last five to 10 years. All women participating in STAR will take either raloxifene or tamoxifen. Women generally have a higher risk for developing breast cancer if they are over 60, have a family history of breast cancer, have had noninvasive breast cancer or pre-cancerous breast abnormalities, began to menstruate before age 12, and have not had any children or had their first child after age 30. There are more than 400 STAR research centers, including Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Iowa City.