Did every woman in the study receive tamoxifen?
No. Participants in the BCPT were randomized (selected by chance) to receive either tamoxifen or a placebo (an inactive pill that looked like tamoxifen). In a process known as “double blinding,” neither the participant nor her physician knew which pill she was receiving. Setting up a study in this way allowed the researchers to clearly see what the true benefits and side effects of tamoxifen are without the influence of other factors. According to the design, all women in the study were to take two pills a day for five years, either a 20-mg dose of tamoxifen (two 10-mg pills) or placebo pills. 6. Why were women 60 years of age or older eligible for the BCPT based on age alone? Many diseases, including breast cancer, occur more often in older persons. The risk of developing breast cancer increases with age, so breast cancer occurs more commonly in women over 60 years of age. The risk of developing heart disease or osteoporosis also increases with age, and those diseases are also being s
