Chemoprevention: drug pricing and mortality: the case of tamoxifen.

Background: Tamoxifen is a prototypic cancer chemopreventive agent, yet clinical trials have not evaluated its effect on mortality or the impact of drug pricing on its cost-effectiveness.

Methods: A state-transition Markov model for a hypothetical cohort of women age 50 years was used to evaluate the effects of tamoxifen on mortality and tamoxifen price on cost-effectiveness. Incidence and mortality rates for breast and endometrial cancers were derived from Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results statistics, and noncancer outcomes were obtained from published studies.

Preferences of Women Evaluating Risks of Tamoxifen (POWER) study of preferences for tamoxifen for breast cancer risk reduction.

Background: The objective of this study was to understand the attitudes and preferences of risk-eligible women regarding use of tamoxifen for breast cancer risk reduction.

Methods: A cross-sectional, mixed-methods interview study was conducted at a university medical center and at community sites. Participants were women who had an estimated 5-year breast cancer risk > or = 1.

Walk a mile in my shoes: a chronic illness care workshop for first-year students.

Background And Objectives: A number of educators and recent medical school graduates have suggested a need to expand predoctoral training in chronic illness care. We developed a workshop to enhance first-year students' self-awareness regarding attitudes toward chronic illness care and to help them communicate effectively around patient self-care.

Methods: Students participated in a two-part workshop incorporating lectures, patient-centered interviewing role-plays, and an assignment requiring students to "have" a chronic illness and perform self-care tasks for 2 weeks.