A national study is under way to determine which breast-cancer medicine is most effective.

Anne Dery, who lost her mother to breast cancer 10 years ago, is enrolled in the STAR trial. The study is recruiting 19,000 women to determine whether tamoxifen or raloxifene is better in preventing breast cancer in high-risk women.

"Both are anti-estrogens, which is ideal for protecting your breast from exposure to estrogen. They're estrogen blockers," oncologist Dr. Sandhya Pruthi said.

Long-term exposure to estrogen, especially after menopause, may increase your risk of breast cancer because estrogen may cause breast tissue cells to multiply and eventually form tumors. Blocking the multiplying with anti-estrogen medications cuts the risk of developing the disease, doctors said.

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For details on the local STAR trial, visit Kansas City Clinical Oncology Program's Web site or call (816) 823-0555.