Effect of Fluvastatin on Biomarkers in Women Who Are Undergoing Surgery for Ductal Carcinoma In Situ or Stage I Breast Cancer

OBJECTIVES: Primary * Determine differences between measures of cell proliferation (Ki-67) in women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) or stage I breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant fluvastatin sodium. Secondary * Determine whether statin use differentially affects specific types of DCIS/early-stage breast cancer (comedo, estrogen receptor \[ER\]-positive, ER-negative). * Compare differences between tissue staining of CD68, circulating macrophages, and regulatory T cells in these patients. * Assess the feasibility of using inherent susceptibility (mRNA polymerase chain reaction testing) to predict response to statins in these patients. OUTLINE: This is a randomized, controlled, single-blind, multicenter, pilot study. Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms (arms I or II). Patients accrued as control participants are assigned to arm III. * Arm I: Patients receive oral fluvastatin sodium once daily for 3-6 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. * Arm II: Patients receive oral fluvastatin sodium as in arm I at a higher dose. * Arm III (control): Patients do not receive fluvastatin sodium. All patients then undergo definitive surgery. Patients in arms I and II undergo blood collection at baseline and at the time of surgery for biomarker analysis. Patients in arm III undergo blood collection at baseline and then approximately 1 month later. Tissue is collected from patients in all arms at the time of surgery. Blood and tissue samples are examined for biological markers, including Ki-67, C-reactive protein, cleaved caspase 3, HER2, CD68 gene, and estrogen and progesterone receptors by immunohistochemistry. Markers of inflammation (e.g., comedo necrosis macrophages and CD25-positive T cells), low-density lipoprotein, and cholesterol are also analyzed. Serum mRNA is measured by polymerase chain reaction. PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 60 patients will be accrued for this study.