Benefits of Evista Instead of Tamoxifen
Evista (also known as raloxifene) is a drug marketed by Eli Lilly. Similar to tamoxifen, Evista has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for chemoprevention of breast cancer.
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Benefits
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According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Evista is equivalent to tamoxifen in reducing the risk of invasive breast cancer. Taking either tamoxifen or Evista can reduce incidence of breast cancer up to 30 to 50 percent.
Side Effects
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According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Evista has significantly lower rates of adverse effects than tamoxifen. The incidence of uterine cancer is 38 percent lower when taking Evista. There are also fewer cases of thromboembolism, cataracts, hysterectomy, incidences of hot flashes, and leg cramps reported among women taking Evista compared with those taking tamoxifen.
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Cost
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Tamoxifen typically costs roughly $100 a month. The cost of Evista is in general much higher, ranging from $200 a month to $400 a month.
History
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Evista was originally approved by the FDA for the prevention of osteoporosis (bone loss) in postmenopausal women.
Expert Insight
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According to an article published in Current Breast Cancer Reports, Evista is the better choice for postmenopausal women with a uterus.
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References
- Current Breast Cancer Reports: Is chemoprevention practical?, Fabian and Kilmer, Volume 1, Number 1 / March, 2009
- Journal of American Medical Association: Effects of tamoxifen vs raloxifene on the risk of developing invasive breast cancer and other disease outcomes: the NSABP Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene (STAR) P-2 trial,JAMA. 2006 Jun 21;295(23):2727-41. Epub 2006 Jun 5.
- American Cancer Society: Evista
