Longer use of raloxifene important in continued protection from breast cancer
December 2, 2004
Reported by Susan Aldridge, PhD, medical journalist. A continuation study shows that raloxifene, which can block the
harmful effects of estrogen, is linked to long-term protection from breast cancer.
Raloxifene is a new drug which is taken to treat osteoporosis and may also protect against breast cancer. In a trial of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, raloxifene has already been shown to reduce the incidence of breast cancer if taken for four years.
In a new study, reported by scientists from the Cancer Institute Medical Group, Santa Monica, California, women who carried on taking raloxifene for another four years are found to have continuing protection from breast cancer. Incidence of invasive breast cancer was down 59 per cent for those on raloxifene compared to those placebo. For estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer, reduction in risk was 66 per cent. There was, however, no difference between the two groups in non-invasive breast cancer or in estrogen-negative breast cancer. This study sheds new light on ways forward in reducing cancer by chemoprevention.
Source: Journal of the National Cancer Institute 1st December 2004 Volume 96 pages 1751-1761
