However, he said, if women choose to use herbal medicines, they should do so cautiously because the quality of these medicines varies, and the safety, especially with long-term use, is uncertain. He said that women should choose only high-quality products from reputable sources and to be sure to inform their health-care providers about their herbal medication use, because many herbal supplements can interact with other treatments.
The mission of the Cornell Program on Breast Cancer and Environmental Risk Factors is to lower the risk and incidence of cancer by promoting methods of sound decision-making at personal and public levels. Its staff of scientists and educators translate basic research into forms that can be used by the public, medical professionals, educators, activists, other scientists, the regulatory community and policy makers. The program offers more than 50 fact sheets on topics related to breast cancer risk, a free newsletter and numerous other resources. For more information, see BCERF's Web site, call (607) 254-2893 or e-mail breastcancer@cornell.edu .