Medication to prevent breast cancer — too much to swallow?

Selective oestrogen receptor modulators effectively reduce breast cancer in women at moderate to high risk, so why aren’t they being discussed routinely?

Using medication to prevent breast cancer in women at moderate and high risk is a cost-effective1 and immediately implementable strategy for reducing the burden of breast cancer in Australia. There is Level 1 (strong) evidence that selective oestrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) such as tamoxifen and raloxifene reduce breast cancer risk by up to 40% in these women.2 The absolute risk reduction depends on an individual’s risk factor profile.