Nearly 20,000 women in a recent study took either tamoxifen, the only drug currently approved to reduce breast cancer incidence in high-risk women, or the osteoporosis drug raloxifene (Evista) daily for five years.
Result: Both drugs cut invasive breast cancer incidence by 50%. However, the raloxifene group developed 36% fewer uterine cancers and 29% fewer blood clots than the tamoxifen group.
Theory: Like tamoxifen, raloxifene helps moderate the hormone estrogen, but with fewer side effects. Raloxifene received FDA approval in September 2007 for breast cancer prevention.
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