title: Raloxifene hydrochloride for breast cancer risk reduction in postmenopausal women.
abstract: Raloxifene is an estrogen receptor modulator which competes with estrogens for binding to the estrogen receptor. Based on the results of the STAR (Study of Tamoxifen And Raloxifene) trial, raloxifene has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the reduction of breast cancer (BC) risk in postmenopausal women at increased risk. Areas covered: This analysis reviews the activity of raloxifene and the clinical trials for non-BC indications which led to investigate its use as BC preventive agent. We review the trial establishing its efficacy for BC prevention and the meta-analyses including different SERMs for BC prevention. Expert commentary: Compared with tamoxifen, raloxifene has shown a slightly lower efficacy in reducing BC risk and a better safety profile. Raloxifene also offers to postmenopausal women a benefit in terms of osteoporosis. Future research should investigate its use in premenopausal women and in association with other preventive agents.
authors: a Division of Medical Oncology , E.O. Ospedali Galliera , Genoa , Italy.
authors: Nicoletta
authors: N
authors: Provinciali
authors: b Division of Cancer Prevention , National Cancer Institute , Bethesda , USA.
authors: Chen
authors: C
authors: Suen
authors: b Division of Cancer Prevention , National Cancer Institute , Bethesda , USA.
authors: Barbara K
authors: BK
authors: Dunn
authors: a Division of Medical Oncology , E.O. Ospedali Galliera , Genoa , Italy.|c Division of Cancer Prevention and Genetics , European Institute of Oncology , Milan , Italy.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: DeCensi
keywords: Clinical trials; breast cancer risk; cancer prevention; pharmacology; raloxifene