Letter: Nolvadex effective cancer therapy

We at AstraZeneca applaud your publication for covering the STAR (Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene) trial, certainly one of the most important breast cancer clinical trials to date.

I would like to clarify for you that the STAR trial's purpose is to determine if raloxifene has a significant effect on breast cancer risk reduction when compared to the proven therapy, Nolvadex (tamoxifen).

As mentioned in your article, results of a landmark study last year showed that high-risk women taking Nolvadex were 44 percent less likely to develop breast cancer than those who were not taking the drug.

I was surprised to see the side effects of Nolvadex overemphasized in comparison to the benefits of this treatment. The risks of therapy, while serious, occur in less than 1 percent of women on Nolvadex.

Only a woman and her doctor, with accurate information and a complete understanding of the benefits and potential side effects of Nolvadex therapy, can decide what is best for her.

JERRY P. LEWIS

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