Raloxifene and Goserelin in Preventing Breast Cancer in Women With a Family History of Breast Cancer

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

* High genetic risk of developing breast cancer defined as one or more of the following:

  * BRCA1 or BRCA2 germ-line mutation
  * First-degree relative of known BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carrier
  * Family with 4 or more relatives diagnosed with female or male breast cancer or ovarian cancer before the age of 60
  * Two first-degree relatives diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 40
  * p53 germ-line mutation (classical Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) only)
  * First-degree relative of a carrier in a family with classical LFS
  * Risk equivalent to any of the above confirmed by clinical geneticist
* No evidence of breast cancer by mammography

  * Suspicious lesions must be confirmed as non-malignant
* No prior breast cancer
* No prior prophylactic mastectomy
* No plan for alternative prevention measures within the next 12 months
* Hormone receptor status:

  * Not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Age:

* 30 to 45

Sex:

* Female

Menopausal status:

* Premenopausal (follicle-stimulating hormone in premenopausal range if not menstruating)

Performance status:

* Not specified

Life expectancy:

* More than 10 years (excluding breast cancer risk)

Hematopoietic:

* Not specified

Hepatic:

* Adequate liver function

Renal:

* Adequate renal function

Cardiovascular:

* No prior deep vein thrombosis

Pulmonary:

* No prior pulmonary embolism

Other:

* Not pregnant
* Fertile patients must use effective nonhormonal contraception
* No psychological disorder that would preclude study compliance
* No prior malignancy within the past 5 years except curatively treated nonmelanoma skin cancer or cervical cancer

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Biologic therapy:

* Not specified

Chemotherapy:

* Not specified

Endocrine therapy:

* No concurrent hormonal therapy (e.g., oral contraception or hormone replacement therapy)

Radiotherapy:

* Not specified

Surgery:

* See Disease Characteristics

Other:

* At least 30 days or 5 half-lives since prior investigational drugs
* No concurrent anticoagulants