Oklahoma plays role in breakthrough breast cancer study

Good news in the fight against breast cancer. Results of a new medical study are improving the odds for many women at risk.<br/><br/>Five years of nationwide clinical testing found a drug used to treat

Thursday, April 20th 2006, 5:34 pm

By: News On 6

Good news in the fight against breast cancer. Results of a new medical study are improving the odds for many women at risk.

Five years of nationwide clinical testing found a drug used to treat osteoporosis may be the safest choice to prevent breast cancer.

Oklahoma played a role in the findings. News on 6 reporter Heather Lewin says researchers estimate 9 to 10-million US women are past menopause and at an extra high risk of breast cancer.

The results of this study will likely change their lives and the future of others.

Jill Minihan's life is all about education. She's spent almost 20 years teaching children.

Now doctors are learning from her as well.

"I never thought of myself as getting cancer," says Minihan.

But after talking to her doctor, she knew there was a chance. Minihan has a clean bill of health but she decided to join the study for those who don't and to honor her family.

Minihan says, "I have a sister who's had breast cancer. I had a grandmother who had breast cancer and he said I was at a very high risk to have it."

Clinical trials compared the two osteoporosis drugs Tamoxifen and Raloxifene.

Minihan took one of the two drugs for five years, recorded her physical and emotional state and had frequent mammograms.

"I felt great the whole time, I was glad I was taking it cause I thought maybe I would help my own daughter, your daughters, you know," Minihan says.

Minihan is just one of more than 300 Oklahoma women who took part in the study, many of them at St. Francis in Tulsa where doctors are thrilled with the results.

Both drugs are effective in preventing the disease, but Raloxifene offered the same protection without dangerous side effects.

"If they have a higher than normal risk for breast cancer it's a pill you can take once a day for five years and essentially reduce your risk by half for developing breast cancer," says researcher Doctor James Lockhart.

Lockhart says there is still more work to be done. Another clinical trial is on the way as these findings only affect post-menopausal women.

Still he says, with every such study a little more ground is gained in the fight against cancer.

Something that for those who participated makes it all worthwhile.

Raloxifene - under the brand name Evista - will now go to the FDA for approval as breast cancer prevention.

Some important things to note about the study, it started with 19,000 cancer free women, some of whom did develop breast cancer.

Also doctors say there will still be reason for many patients to take Tamoxifen, the other drug, because this study didn't include pre-menopausal women.