Inclusion Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

- Estimated probability of carrying a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation ≥ 10% AND meets one of
the following criteria:

- Participants must have first-degree relatives (FDRs)* or second-degree relatives
(SDRs)* (with an intervening male relative) with breast or ovarian cancer who
satisfy one of the following criteria:

- High-risk breast/ovarian cancer (non-Jewish families)

- One FDR ≤ 40 years old** diagnosed with breast cancer

- At least two FDRs or SDRs diagnosed with breast cancer at ≤ 50 years
old OR had bilateral breast cancer

- One FDR or one SDR diagnosed with breast cancer at ≤ 50 years old OR
had bilateral breast cancer AND one FDR or SDR diagnosed with ovarian
cancer

- Three FDRs and/or SDRs diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer (at
least one in case of ovarian cancer)

- Two FDRs and/or SDRs diagnosed with ovarian cancer

- One male FDR or SDR diagnosed with breast cancer and one FDR or SDR
(male or female) diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer

- Moderate-risk breast /ovarian cancer (non-Jewish families)

- Two FDRs diagnosed with breast cancer with one ≤ 50 years old and/or
both < 60 years old

- One FDR and one SDR (mother or sister and maternal aunt or maternal
grandmother) diagnosed with breast cancer if the sum of their ages is
≥ 118 years

- One FDR and one SDR (mother or sister and paternal aunt or paternal
grandmother) diagnosed with breast cancer if the sum of their ages is
≥ 78 years

- Two SDRs (both maternal or both paternal) diagnosed with breast cancer
if the sum of their ages is ≤ 98 years

- One FDR with ovarian cancer

- High-risk breast/ovarian cancer (Jewish families )

- At least one FDR or SDR diagnosed with breast cancer at ≤ 50 years old

- At least one FDR or SDR diagnosed with ovarian cancer

- At least one FDR or SDR diagnosed with breast cancer at any age AND
one FDR or SDR diagnosed with breast and/or ovarian cancer

- At least one male FDR or SDR diagnosed with breast cancer NOTE: *FDRs
are parents, siblings, and children of the participant; SDRs are
aunts, uncles, grandparents, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or half
siblings of the participant

NOTE: **Age is approximated to the earliest age possible (e.g., a relative diagnosed in
their 40's should be considered 40)

- Patterns of cancer cases must all be on the maternal or paternal side of the family

- Participants not meeting any of the above FDR or SDR criteria may provide medical
documentation stating that they, a FDR, or a SDR carry BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations

- Participants with a prior history of breast cancer are eligible provided they
have a remaining breast that has not been irradiated, all therapy for breast
cancer was completed more than 2 years ago, and they are premenopausal

- No ovarian cyst during screening

- No more than 12 months since prior Pap smear with normal cytological results OR
human papilloma virus negative if atypical squamous cells of uncertain
significance (ASCUS) present

- No higher degrees of atypia beyond ASCUS on Pap smear

- No known history of osteoporosis (bone mineral density > 1.5 standard deviations
below young adult norms)

- Hormone receptor status

- Not specified

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

Menopausal status

- Premenopausal, as defined by 1 of the following:

- Last menstrual period < 6 months ago

- Less than 45 years old AND underwent partial hysterectomy OR
follicle-stimulating hormone within institutional pre-menopausal range within
the past 3 months

Sex

- Female

Performance status

- ECOG 0-1

Life expectancy

- More than 2 years

Hematopoietic

- WBC ≥ 3,000/mm^3

- Platelet count ≥ 125,000/mm^3

- Hemoglobin ≥ 10 g/dL

Hepatic

- Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 mg/dL

- AST < 2 times upper limit of normal (ULN)

- Albumin ≥ 3.0 g/dL

- PT/PTT ≤ 1.25 times ULN

Renal

- Creatinine ≤ 1.5 mg/dL OR

- Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min

Cardiovascular

- No history of deep venous thrombosis

Pulmonary

- No history of pulmonary embolism

Other

- Not pregnant or nursing

- Negative pregnancy test

- Fertile participants must use effective barrier-method contraception during and for 3
months after completion of study treatment

- No other malignancy within the past 2 years except curatively treated basal cell or
squamous cell skin cancer or cervical cancer ≤ stage I

- No known addiction

- Not undergoing treatment for an illicit drug addiction

- Willing and able to undergo required study procedures (e.g., research-related breast
biopsies)

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

Chemotherapy

- More than 2 years since prior chemotherapy

Endocrine Therapy

- At least 3 months since prior oral contraceptives or intramuscular progestational
agent

- At least 3 months since prior luteinizing-hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists
or antagonists if agent was administered daily or monthly

- At least 6 months since prior LHRH agonists or antagonists if agent was administered
every 3 months

- At least 6 months since prior antiestrogens (e.g., tamoxifen, toremifene, and
raloxifene)

- No concurrent progestational or contraceptive agents

Radiotherapy

- See Disease Characteristics

- More than 2 years since prior radiotherapy

Surgery

- No prior prophylactic bilateral mastectomy

Other

- No concurrent cholestyramine

- No concurrent routine warfarin, bromocriptine, or phenobarbital

- No other concurrent investigational agents