1,000 WOMEN NEEDED BREAST CANCER DRUG STUDIED.

Byline: Susan Abram Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - About 1,000 more women are needed to take part in a breast cancer prevention study that already has attracted about 18,000 participants nationwide.

Conducted by UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center, the study seeks to compare the proven cancer fighter tamoxifen against the osteoporosis drug raloxifene. Both drugs are approved by the Federal Drug Administration, but researchers will study whether raloxifene can also serve a dual role.

The study has been conducted nationwide for the past five years, said Dr. Patricia Ganz, director of the division of the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Prevention and Center at UCLA.

The university has established several study sites, including one in Santa Clarita.

``We've put quite a few women on the study,'' said Dr. John Barstis, medical director of the UCLA Cancer Center of the Santa Clarita Valley. ``Our population of women tends to be younger, because we have a pretty sophisticated community. We tend to find cancers very early and our cure rate is very high.''

But unlike areas where scientists noted cancer clusters such as in California's Marin County and Boston, no clusters have been found in Santa Clarita, Barstis said.

``We used to be concerned about the water, but there are no bad trends here,'' he said.

Women who take part must be 35 or older, post-menopausal, not take any hormonal replacement therapy, or have a history of blood clots, diabetes or high blood pressure. Women who have a high risk such as those with prior breast biopsies or those with a mother, sister or daughter who had breast cancer are preferred.

Those who qualify are guaranteed a free physical examination, including blood work and mammograms throughout the duration of the study.

``This is the final push for this study,'' Ganz said. ``This is the second breast cancer trial that has been conducted. We have a lot of evidence that cancer takes 10 to 15 years to develop. This will help women who may take this knowledge and pass it on to their daughters.''

According to Ganz, who has been in the field of breast cancer for more than 20 years, women in upper socioeconomic brackets are more likely to develop breast cancer because of several factors, including having children at an older age and higher levels of alcohol consumption.

Participants will take either 20 mg of tamoxifen or 60 mg of raloxifene daily for five years to determine which is best in preventing breast cancer. One side effect could be blood clots, but Ganz said independent researchers have determined no other startling information against the medication.

Results of the study are expected in 2006.

``It's complicated but every woman is at risk,'' Ganz said. ``My passion is to not have to say, You have cancer.''

Women who would like to volunteer in the Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene, or STAR research, can call [phone].

Susan Abram, [phone]

susan.abram(at)dailynews.com