Brief
June 19, 2003
The Public Health Science Division’s Wellness Study is looking at how herbs and certain foods change women’s hormone levels to help detemine useful strategies for breast-cancer-prevention. We know that hormone levels influence a woman’s breast-cancer risk. We also know some foods and dietary supplements can beneficially change hormone levels. What we don’t know is how well these interventions work when it comes to preventing breast cancer.
The study seeks women age 21 to 45 who have regular menstrual periods and are not taking any hormonally active medications. Participants cannot be pregnant, breast-feeding or plan on becoming pregnant during the four-month study.
Participants will be randomly assigned to take herbal or placebo pills or make dietary changes for three and a half months. They must be willing to make several trips to the center’s Prevention Clinic near downtown Seattle (parking is free), complete brief phone interviews and written questionnaires, chart their menstrual-cycle activity and provide blood and urine samples.
For more information, call the study’s 24-hour message line at 800-605-7053.
