Study: Can the drug for osteoporosis treatment prevent breast cancer in high-risk group?
Evista has advantages for women of increased risk group during menopause. Results of a large, national studies have shown that Evista is equivalent to other well-recognized preventive means – tamoxifen in order to prevent breast cancer among women at increased risk during menopause. Moreover, Evista as it turned out, has less side effects in view of uterine cancer and clotting problems, comparing with women who administer tamoxifen. These results were shown during STAR research (Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene), which was attended by more than 20 000 women in menopause.
Good news
“This is a good news for women,” said Leslie Ford, to reporters during a teleconference. Leslie Ford is a Deputy Director of clinical research in the department of cancer prevention at the National Cancer Institute. “We wanted to show that Evista is a medication that is used to prevent and treat osteoporosis in women during menopause, that has additional advantages,” Ford said. “The medication Evista is effective in preventing breast cancer with fewer serious side effects than tamoxifen,” adds Ford.
“We think that this gives women a real choice, since every year around 150 000 women in the United States are diagnosed with breast cancer. “We feel that Evista has won these tests,” says Lawrence D. Vikerhem to reporters during a teleconference.
Comparison
STAR participants agreed to take 20 milligrams of tamoxifen or 60 milligrams of Evista daily for five years. Tamoxifen has been used for the treatment of breast cancer for a long time already. In 1998, the Commission for Drug Control and nutrients approved tamoxifen for preventive use in women at increased risk. Currently, Evista is used in about half a million women in the United States to prevent and treat osteoporosis or thinning of the bones. Researchers have previously observed a lower level of breast cancer in women taking this drug. “Thus, the question arose whether Evista has similar to tamoxifen advantages” says Vikerhem.
Research results
Within four years, women in the group administering tamoxifen have registered 163 cases of invasive breast cancer, compared with 167 in the group taking Evista. “We see that comparing with placebo, there is a 50% reduction of invasive breast cancer risk,” says Vikerhem. “Thus, we interpret these data to disclose such information: Evista, like tamoxifen, can reduce the risk of invasive breast cancer.” These results did not change among subgroups of participants, including ranking by age, genetic predisposition and previous noninvasive disease.
didnt know that