What can premenopausal women at increased risk of breast cancer do to reduce their risk of breast cancer?
Tamoxifen has already been shown to reduce a premenopausal woman’s risk of developing breast cancer by half in the BCPT and the drug is approved by the FDA to reduce breast cancer risk in premenopausal women. In the BCPT, women under age 50 did not have an increased risk of the most serious side effects seen with tamoxifen use: uterine cancer, blood clots, strokes, and cataracts. Premenopausal women at increased risk of breast cancer can discuss tamoxifen therapy as an option with their physicians. Raloxifene is not FDA-approved for use in premenopausal women. 23. Are there women who should not take raloxifene? Raloxifene is not approved by the FDA for use in premenopausal women for any indication. It is approved for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, and postmenopausal women with a history of blood clots, hypertension, diabetes, and cigarette smoking must also consider that raloxifene increases the risk of serious blood clots. 24. How much did the study cost? To date, the N