SUNDAY, April 13, 2003 (HealthDayNews) --
Our Lady of Mercy Comprehensive Cancer Center in New York City is giving free breast cancer risk assessments and enrolling women who are at high risk for breast cancer in the STAR study.
The STAR (Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene) is trying to determine whether the osteoporosis drug raloxifene is more effective in reducing breast cancer development than tamoxifen.
Sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, STAR will enroll more than 22,000 postmenopausal women volunteers at more than 500 medical centers in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada.
Women who are selected for the study will be randomly assigned to take either 20 milligrams of tamoxifen or 60 milligrams of raloxifene daily for five years. They'll receive regular follow-up medical examinations, including clinical breast exams, mammograms and gynecologic exams.
To take part in the study, women must be 35 or older, postmenopausal and at increased risk of developing breast cancer. A woman's risk level is determined using an individualized, computerized assessment done at the participating medical centers.
Most women will not be at high enough risk of breast cancer to take part in the study.
STAR began in 1999 and has so far enrolled 14,000 women.
More information
Here's where you can learn more about the STAR study.
