Chemoprevention of Breast Cancer

Doctors should not prescribe chemopreventive agents routinely for women who are at low risk for breast cancer, but they should discuss chemoprevention with women who are at higher risk.

The third U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has been releasing new and updated guidelines during the past year (guidelines homepage; Journal Watch May 15 2001; Journal Watch Jun 4 2002).

USPSTF 3 concludes each of its guidelines with a recommendation, graded as follows:

A -- The intervention is strongly recommended.

B -- The intervention is recommended.

C -- The USPSTF makes no recommendation for or against the intervention.

D -- The intervention is not routinely recommended.

I -- Evidence is insufficient to recommend for or against the intervention.

Tamoxifen, when given as adjuvant therapy for breast cancer, reduces the risk for contralateral breast cancer. This observation led to the idea that tamoxifen might have value in primary pr…

Reviewing Author

Allan S. Brett, MD