Raloxifene in breast cancer prevention

Background: Raloxifene is a benzothiophene, selective estrogen receptor modulator with estrogen-agonist effects in the skeleton and the cardiovascular system but estrogen-antagonist effects in the uterus and the mammary gland. This compound was first approved in different countries for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Objective/methods: We performed a literature search to review available preclinical and clinical data that has led to the recent FDA approval of raloxifene as a chemopreventive agent for breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Results/conclusions: Different placebo-controlled trials indicated that raloxifene is effective in reducing invasive breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women. In a recent comparative study, a similar efficacy between raloxifene and tamoxifen for breast cancer prevention was demonstrated, but raloxifene showed a more favorable safety profile. © 2008 Informa UK Ltd.