Two Good Choices to Prevent Breast Cancer: Great Taste, Less Filling

An important report in this issue of the journal by Vogel et al. (beginning on p. 696) discloses long-term follow-up data of the Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene (STAR) showing persisting strong effects of both drugs in preventing invasive and noninvasive breast cancer after drugs were stopped in 2006. In addition, safety improved with longer follow-up (median of 81 months versus 47 months for the initial report). For 12 years, the public has avoided Food and Drug Administration–approved tamoxifen or raloxifene for breast cancer risk reduction; it is time to reemphasize the great preventive benefit of these agents to the public. Cancer Prev Res; 3(6); 681–5.