Fulvestrant or Tamoxifen in Treating Postmenopausal Women Who Are Undergoing Surgery for Ductal Carcinoma in Situ of the Breast

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Histologically confirmed ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast
• •* T0 disease
• •* Newly diagnosed disease by minimally invasive biopsy (e.g., a vacuum-assisted large core tool \[mammotome\] or an equivalent method)
• •Biopsy tissue available for molecular marker analysis
• •Baseline mammography performed within the past 8 weeks
• •Hormone receptor status:
• •* Not specified
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age
• •Postmenopausal
• •Sex
• •Female
• •Menopausal status
• •Postmenopausal, as defined by 1 of the following:
• •* Age ≥ 60
• •* Age ≥ 45 AND amenorrheic for \> 1 year with uterus intact
• •* Underwent bilateral oophorectomy
• •* Follicle-stimulating hormone and estradiol levels in postmenopausal range
• •Performance status
• •SWOG 0-1
• •Life expectancy
• •Not specified
• •Hematopoietic
• •Absolute granulocyte count ≥ 1,500/mm\^3
• •Platelet count ≥ 100,000/mm\^3
• •Hemoglobin ≥ 8.0 g/dL
• •Hepatic
• •SGOT and/or SGPT ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• •Alkaline phosphatase ≤ 2.5 times ULN
• •Bilirubin ≤ 2.0 times ULN
• •Renal
• •Creatinine ≤ 2.0 mg/dL
• •Cardiovascular
• •No history of deep vein thrombosis
• •Pulmonary
• •No history of pulmonary embolism
• •Other
• •Negative pregnancy test (if clinically indicated)
• •No peripheral neuropathy \> grade 1
• •No underlying medical, psychiatric, or social condition that would preclude study participation
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Biologic therapy
• •Not specified
• •Chemotherapy
• •Not specified
• •Endocrine therapy
• •More than 6 months since prior hormonal therapy, including any of the following:
• •* Antiestrogens
• •* Estrogen
• •* Selective estrogen-receptor modulators
• •* Progestins
• •* Aromatase inhibitors
• •Radiotherapy
• •Not specified
• •Surgery
• •Not specified
• •Other
• •No prior therapy for DCIS