Good news – according to a report at Reuters, scientists at the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project network have found that the drug tamoxifen, which is currently used to reduce the chances of recurrence after breast cancer treatment, is also effective at protecting women who have never had the disease but who are at high risk of developing it. The research showed that women treated with tamoxifen for up to five years reduced their risk by 43% when compared to women on a placebo.

A few other positive findings? tamoxifen worked in women who were both pre- and post-menopausal, and it seemed to offer protection from breast cancer that extended beyond the time that the participants were actually taking the drug. According to Reuters–

Out of 6,681 women taking the drug, 145 have developed cancer since the study began in 1992, compared with 250 cases in 6,707 women assigned to placebo…

Some women took the drug for up to five years, others for less time before researchers told participants in 1998 if they were taking tamoxifen and allowed them to opt for the drug. At that time, findings showed it could reduce cancer risk by 49 percent, and researchers have continued to follow the patients.

“There is proof of a benefit from tamoxifen beyond the time a woman is taking the pills,” said Dr. Leslie Ford, co-author of the study and associate director for NCI’s Division of Cancer Prevention.

This seems like really positive news for breast cancer prevention, and I’m particularly impressed that this kind of benefit was found in a drug that should be comparatively cheap, since it’s already available in generic form, and whose safety profile should be fairly well understood considering how many breast cancer patients have already taken the drug. That said, it should be noted that both of these studies found an increased risk of cancer of the uterus lining, and also of blood clots in women taking tamoxifen, along with other side effects, including stroke and cataracts.

SOURCE: Reuters – Study shows tamoxifen can prevent cancer for years

Technorati Tags: Breast Cancer, Cancer Prevention, Tamoxifen