Cancer News: Breast
7 in 10 women who have mastectomy for both breasts do not need it
About 70% of women who have both breasts removed following a breast cancer diagnosis do so despite a very low risk of facing cancer in the healthy breast.
Breast cancer recurrence improved by lifestyle changes
Two new studies show that lifestyle changes like healthy eating and regular exercise can decrease biomarkers related to breast cancer recurrence and mortality.
Trastuzumab remains the standard treatment against HER2 breast cancer
In the largest clinical trial for HER2-positive breast cancer, lapatinib did not add benefit to the standard trastuzumab therapy administered after surgery.
Breast cancer drug may reduce early menopause & infertility risk
Research finds that adding goserelin to breast cancer chemotherapy treatment may reduce the risk of early menopause and infertility, and even improve survival.
Procedure reduces risk of death for women with BRCA1 breast cancer
A bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (surgical removal of ovaries and fallopian tubes) reduced the risk of death for women with BRCA1-associated breast cancer.
Higher breast cancer risk for childhood cancer survivors
According to researchers, women who have survived a childhood cancer have 4x higher breast cancer risk, even if they were not exposed to chest radiation then.
Researchers reversed resistance to tamoxifen with inexpensive drug
An inexpensive drug against malaria was shown to reverse resistance to tamoxifen (widely used for breast cancer) in research conducted in mice.
Breast cancer screening reduces deaths by 28% in study
Inviting women to modern mammography screening may reduce deaths from breast cancer by about 28%, according to a study from Norway.
Breast cancer diagnosis more accurate if patient risk is considered
Researchers found that if radiologists know the patient's risk profile for breast cancer when examining their mammogram will lead to more accurate diagnoses.
3D mammograms detect more invasive cancers, reduce need for more scans
In a study of over 450,000 women, researchers found that 3-D mammography ("digital breast tomosynthesis") detects more invasive cancers and reduces call-back rates.
Risk for breast, prostate and colon cancer: dominated by genetics
Researchers studied individuals who had been adopted. They discovered that the risk for breast, prostate and colorectal cancer is highly dependent on genetics.
Single-dose breast cancer radiation treatment possible with surgery
Women with early-stage breast cancer may now receive a one-dose radiation treatment at the same time as lumpectomy surgery, instead of treatment after surgery.
Locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer drug approved in Europe
The European Commission has approved a drug for patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer, named eribulin.
Breast cancer and high cholesterol linked in a large study
High blood cholesterol and breast cancer were found to be associated in a study of more than 1 million patients over a 14 year time period in the UK.
Breast density, breast cancer and sugar: are they related?
Many studies look for any link between sugar consumption and the risk for breast cancer. Some have shown a positive correlation, but others found no link.
Breast cancer drug taken through the skin has fewer side effects
Delivering Endoxifen, a drug effective in prevention and treatment of breast cancer, through the skin (and not through the mouth), may reduce its side effects.
Breast cancer hormonal therapy in gel form has fewer side effects
Tamoxifen is a drug taken orally. Researchers say that if applied directly to the breast in gel form, it can be as effective, and produces fewer side effects.
Chemotherapy may affect heart function for some breast cancer patients
Breast cancer patients who are positive for the HER-2 gene may have higher risk of heart damage during chemotherapy, according to a recently published study.
HER2-positive breast cancer experimental drug improves survival in trial
Neratinib improved disease-free survival by 33% in women with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer in a trial, after their treatment with trastuzumab.
Acupuncture helps some breast cancer patients in trial
A specific form of acupuncture which uses a small electric current helped early stage breast cancer patients with joint pain induced by aromatase inhibitors.
Breast cancer risk raised by recent use of some birth control pills
Women who recently used birth control pills with high-dose estrogen and some formulations had increased risk for breast cancer, compared to other formulations.
Women over 75 can benefit from breast cancer diagnosis via mammograms
The value of mammography in older women has been discussed a lot recently. A study suggests that such earlier diagnosis can reduce advanced breast cancer cases.