Breast Cancer Expert Dr. Marisa Weiss Available for Comment on Initial Tamoxifen and Raloxifene (STAR) Study

Medical expert Marisa Weiss, M.D. is available to discuss initial results from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) study on Tamoxifen and Raloxifene (STAR), showing the drug raloxifene to be as effective as tamoxifen in reducing breast cancer risk for postmenopausal women at increased risk of the disease.

"Tamoxifen has been the treatment of choice to reduce the risk of breast cancer in high risk women before and after menopause," says Dr. Weiss. "But for these healthy women, the idea of taking a medicine to reduce the risk of one cancer (breast cancer) that also increased the risk of causing another cancer (uterine cancer)—didn't make sense. This study is important because now we know that raloxifene can lead to the same level of breast cancer risk reduction but with fewer serious side effects. As a result, more women will feel comfortable using medication to reduce their risk."

There remains no magic bullet, and medication is just one way women can reduce their risk, as well as lifestyle, diet, exercise and other therapeutic options. Dr. Weiss is available to discuss the study findings, putting them in context, and discuss how medication can be a useful tool in breast cancer treatment.

Dr. Marisa Weiss and Breastcancer.org:

Your one-stop source for breast cancer reporting

• Dr. Marisa Weiss, M.D. is a practicing breast cancer oncologist and president and founder of the nonprofit website, Breastcancer.org
• A leader in her field, Dr. Weiss has an appointed position on the National Cancer Institute Director's Consumer Liaison Group since April 2000.
• She is frequently consulted by television, print and radio media, and has been a frequent contributor on the Today Show.
• Philadelphia magazine honored Dr. Weiss with the 2005 cover story of their "Top Doc" issue for her pioneering work in the field and her new educational video, "Doctor, Doctor, Lend Me Your Ear: An Up-Close Look at the Patient-Doctor Relationship"
• Dr. Weiss has a longstanding commitment to informing and empowering women with breast cancer and is the author of the acclaimed book, Living Beyond Breast Cancer (Random House, 1997 and 1998)

Breastcancer.org is the premier Internet source for responsible, accurate medical information and visual images about breast cancer, and assists media in identifying breast cancer patients and survivors who want to share their story with the media.

• Breastcancer.org empowers women to become active participants in their care. The site helps women at every step along the way, including explaining medical terms in plain English, detailing treatment options, guiding possible questions for the next doctor's visit, providing suggestions for strengthening critical doctor-patient relationships, and describing more about new scientific discoveries.
• Each month, more than 500,000 people visit Breastcancer.org to access over 2000 pages of original, peer-reviewed medical content and illustrations on every aspect of breast cancer
• We operate chat boards 24 hours a day, seven days a week, where women can connect all over the world and share experiences with their "cybersisters"
• Professional Advisory Board of more than 50 doctors, nurses, and researchers reviews all site content

www.breastcancer.org
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