CLEVELAND -- There are many different ways to treat breast cancer, but doctors still don't know a lot about how to prevent it.

In this month's Loving Partners segment, NewsChannel5's Alicia Booth's reported that some groundbreaking research on breast cancer is under way right here in Cleveland.

Kathy Turner has been a Veterans Affairs cancer nurse for almost 30 years, but the experience wasn't enough to fully prepare her for the news that she had cancer.

"I know in my head what she was telling me, but in my heart, in my gut, I was having a hard time taking it in, and so I was a little scared," she said.

But Dr. Rosemary Leeming, of University Hospitals, also had good news for Turner: A mammogram caught her breast cancer about as early as it can possibly be caught. In addition, Turner would have a chance to help doctors learn how to keep breast cancer from coming back by volunteering for a trial to test a drug that may actually prevent breast cancer.

"No question, this is really where we need to go with this disease," Leeming said.

It's a direction doctors have been headed a long time, thanks to thousands of women who are volunteering for clinical trials.

It's known that a drug called tamoxifen can help prevent breast cancer, but now doctors all over the country are testing a new drug -- arimidex -- in hopes that it's just as good as tamoxifen or even better.

Turner has worked on drug trials before, and she hopes being a patient in one will make her an even better nurse.

"It's like, if you go in to take care of a patient and you can say, 'You know, I know what you're going through, because I've been there,'" she said.

The trial is looking for women who have very early stage breast cancer called ductal carcinoma in situ.

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 fifth of every month.