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Current ResearchBreast Cancer Prevention The MMRF is currently involved in a breast cancer prevention study, the study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene (STAR). In STAR, two drugs, tamoxifen and raloxifene, will be compared for their effectiveness in reducing the occurrence of breast cancer in postmenopausal women age 35 or older who are at increased risk for the disease. Approximately 22,000 women nationwide will take part in this trial. They will be assigned by chance to receive either tamoxifen or raloxifene. Neither the women nor their doctors will know which drug they will be taking. Trained health professionals will closely monitor all participants through regularly schedule health examinations during the trial. Breast Cancer Treatment A current study is evaluating whether adding a newer chemotherapy, docetaxel (given either before or after surgery) to the standard chemotherapy (given only before surgerya0 will result in a decrease in the chance of developing a recurrence of breast cancer and will lead to longer survival. In addition, this study will test whether adding docetaxel before surgery would result in more tumor shrinkage and, whether by this approach, more lumpectomies and fewer mastectomies could be performed. Another study is comparing the effect of three combinations of commonly used chemotherapy drugs to see which combination is best for treating breast cancer which has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm. Investigators are looking to see if giving the drugs in different combinations will help prevent the cancer from coming back. They will also learn more about any side effects participants experience. A third study if trying to determine if it is necessary to remove all the lymph nodes in the axilla (armpit area) when these lymph nodes, and those around the breast, can’t be felt during a physical exam by the doctor. The standard surgical treatment for breast cancer involves removal of the tumor plus an axillary dissection. An axillary dissection means that all or most of the lymph nodes in the axilla are removed. With new surgical methods, it is now possible to find the first lymph nodes that receive drainage from the tumor. If these first lymph nodes, sentinel nodes, show no cancer cells when checked in a lab, it may not be necessary to remove all the other lymph nodes.
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