SAN DIEGO -- Could a pill prevent breast cancer in healthy women without the risks of developing blood clots or uterine cancer?

University of California, San Diego researchers and San Diego women are hoping to prove it does.

"I am the oldest, Lynn's the middle and Pam's the youngest," said study patient Debbie Davis.

Davis is waging war against breast cancer for her sister Lynn.

"Four years ago my middle sister Lynn was diagnosed with metastasis breast cancer," said Davis.

Now Davis wants to protect herself.

"We do have drugs that prevent breast cancer -- Tamoxifen, Evista and Raloxifene," said Dr. Joanne Mortimer, with UCSD Moores Cancer Center Research.

Those drugs can prevent breast cancer in healthy women who are at risk, but they carry bigger risks.

"The problem with these drugs is they have side effects that may outweigh the benefits that you get by decreasing breast cancer," said Mortimer.

Those side effects include blood clots and cancer of the uterus.

But a tiny pill no bigger than a Tic Tac may be able to prevent breast cancer without serious side effects, 10News reported.

"We have every reason to expect this drug will prevent the development of breast cancer. The drug really doesn't have a lot of side effects. It doesn't cause hot flashes. It doesn't cause cancer of the uterus (and) it doesn't cause blood clots," said Mortimer.

Davis is taking part in a five-year study at UCSD to find out if Aromasin will prevent breast cancer in healthy women.

She takes Aromasin once a day, believing it may one day help all women from getting this devastating disease.

"It's amazing when I look at the pill -- it's so teeny. (And) that it might really save other women is exciting," said Davis.

Aromasin does carry a possible risk of bone thinning, so women are screened before and during the study for possible bone loss.

UCSD researchers are looking for more healthy women for this study.

Women must be over 60, post menopausal, and cancer free but at increased risk of developing breast cancer.

For more information, call (858) 822-3614.