Women's interest in chemoprevention for breast cancer

Background: Chemoprevention is the use of pharmacologic or natural agents t o inhibit the development of cancer. Tamoxifen citrate is the only approved chemopreventive agent for breast cancer. We sought to determine whether wo men are interested in taking a drug to prevent breast cancer and to assess the relationship between objective and subjective breast cancer risk and in terest in chemoprevention. Methods: We conducted telephone interviews (November 3, 1997, to May 6, 199 8) among a community sample of women aged 40 to 45 and 50 to 55 years enrol led in a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of a tailored mammography decision aid. Objective breast cancer risk was measured using the 5-year Gall score. Subjective breast cancer risk was measured using per ceptions of absolute risk, perceptions of comparative risk, and worry about getting breast cancer. At 12-month follow-up (November 2, 1998, to July 20 , 1999), we measured interest in taking a drug to prevent breast cancer. Results: Among the 1273 women surveyed, 23% were interested in taking a dru g to prevent breast cancer; 8% were potentially eligible for tamoxifen ther apy (5-year Gall score greater than or equal to1.66%). Eligibility for chem oprevention, based on the 5-year Call score, was not associated with intere st in taking a drug to prevent breast cancer. Women who were worried about breast cancer were 3 times more likely to be interested in taking a drug to prevent breast cancer than those who were not worried. Conclusion: Women's interest in chemoprevention might arise more from worri es about getting breast cancer than from their objective risk factors.