CLEVELAND -- Doctors have found that taking tamoxifen is good way to stop breast cancer from recurring in older women, but now there may be something to help the younger patients.

Because it's the 5th of the month -- Five On Your Side's time to remind you about breast cancer -- NewsChannel5's Alicia Booth reported that the promising new drug doesn't have a lot of side effects like tamoxifen does, and it appears to work especially well in younger breast cancer survivors.

Ann Ressel still enjoys doing everything she used to do before she was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer.

"I've living my life," she said. "Cancer is just something I do on the side."

Ressel's voice is affected by a tumor in her chest that has damaged her vocal chords.

Despite that and other challenges, Ressel and her husband are happily raising three very active boys, all while battling the unrelenting cancer.

Diagnosed 5 years ago, she's been through almost every treatment imaginable.

Then came fenretinide. The pills seem to be making a difference. One week before chemotherapy, Ressel takes 31 of the pills a day.

Fenretinide, which is related to vitamin A, appears to help stop cancer from coming back in patients who haven't been through menopause yet.

It helps the chemotherapy outsmart the resistant cancer cells.

Dr. Stan Gerson, of University Hospitals, looks at it as fighting a war against cancer cells that have gotten much smarter than the standard treatment.

"And so we've got to come at them at the same time with three or four different ways," he said. "Just like you would in a military exercise if you just come in with one flank, you'll never win."

Ressel's battle with cancer has not been easy, but she takes solace in the fact that her willingness to take part in the trial may one day help other women like her.

"I mean, you have your times when you know it's very scary and dark, but then you say a few prayers and you look into yourself and you know what you have to do," she said.

The fenretinide trial is just one of many going on at UH right now. There are many other breast cancer trials under way that are studying similar ways to attack cancer.

Those who have questions or want a free shower card that shows women how to perform self-exams should call the University Hospitals Ireland Cancer Center hot line at (800) 641-2422.

Women are urged to perform self-exams on the 5th of every month.