Chances are you or someone you know has had breast cancer. While new treatments always get a lot of press, a new drug being tested in Seattle could prevent breast altogether.

Beth Reipas is no stranger to cancer. Six of her closest family members have fought it.

"I would sort of embrace any option that's out there to help increase my odds of preventing getting it," said Reipas.

Because breast cancer is especially prevalent in her family, Reipas joined a clinical trial on a new drug to prevent breast cancer in postmenopausal women. It's called the excel study.

"We're looking at the effects medicine called estamestane which blocks estrogen," said Anne McTiernan, MD, PhD, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.  "We want to see if that will decrease the risk of developing breast cancer."

Exemestane lowers estrogen levels by more than 95 percent.

"Women who have high levels of estrogen, or who make a lot of estrogen in their breast tissue have increased risk of breast cancer, so that's what we're trying to block," said McTiernan.

An earlier study in women who had already had breast cancer showed taking exemestane cut the risk of cancer in the other breast by 46 percent.

The women in the study will be followed for at least seven years. Reipas is optimistic about the research.

"I hope that this one is the new best thing. You have to go into this believing that this is going to be the drug that changes everything for so many women," said Reipas.

Reipas knows the drug doesn't guarantee she won't get breast cancer, but she says she'll do anything she can to lower the odds.

The Seattle study is open to post menopausal women who have a family history or other risk factors for breast cancer. For more information call (206) 667-1391 or go to the Fred Hutchison Cancer Research Center's ExCel study Web page.