Prospective Study Confirms that MRI Detects More Breast Cancers in High-risk Women(11/20/2009) Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania have reported that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is superior to digital mammography or ultrasound for the detection of breast cancer in high-risk women. The details of this study appeared in an early online publication in the Journal of Clinical Oncology on November 2, 2009.
New U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations on Breast Cancer Screening(11/17/2009) The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has released new guidelines for breast cancer screening that increase the interval between screenings for most women. The details of these new guidelines were published in the November 17, 2009 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine and received prominent first page review in the November 17, 2009 issue of the New York Times.
Israeli Jewish Holocaust Survivors May Have Increased Risk of Cancer(11/12/2009) Researchers from Israel have reported that the incidence of all cancers, and especially breast and colorectal cancers, is higher among Israeli Jews who were potentially exposed to the Holocaust compared with those who were not. The details of this study were published in the November 4, 2009 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Breast Self-examination Detects New Breast Cancers in High-risk Women(10/22/2009) Researchers from Duke University have reported that breast self-examination (BSE) is a useful technique for detecting breast cancer in high-risk women. The details of this study were published in the October 2009 issue of the American Journal of Surgery.
Young Women with DCIS Have Higher Risk of Recurrence(10/14/2009) Researchers from Canada have reported that women age 44 or younger with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast have a higher rate of recurrence than older women following breast-conserving surgery and radiation therapy. These results were presented at the ASCO 2009 Breast Cancer Symposium in San Francisco, October 8-10, 2009.
Surgical Decision-making in Early-stage Breast Cancer(9/16/2009) Researchers from the University of Michigan and several other centers in the United States have reported that patients with early-stage breast cancer who take an active role in decision-making tend to opt for mastectomy over lumpectomy, despite the fact that the procedures have been shown to produce equivalent outcomes. The details of this study appeared early online in the Journal of the National Cancer Instituteon August 31, 2009.
Weight Lifting May Be Safe for Breast Cancer Survivors with Lymphedema(8/14/2009) Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania have reported that a program of twice-weekly, slowly progressive weight lifting increased strength and reduced lymphedema symptoms without affecting arm and hand swelling in breast cancer survivors with stable lymphedema. These results were published in the August 13, 2009 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Early Diagnosis of Second Breast Cancers Improves Survival(7/16/2009) Researchers from Italy have reported that early detection of second breast cancers leads to early-stage diagnosis and improved survival. The details of this study appeared in an early online publication in the Annals of Oncology on March 17, 2009.
Women Treated for Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) Fail to Get Yearly Screening Mammography(7/6/2009) Researchers from several U.S. medical centers have reported that women with DCIS treated with lumpectomy often fail to follow the guidelines for annual screening mammography. The details of this study appeared in the July 1, 2009 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Lyrica® Decreases Hot Flashes in Women with Breast Cancer(11/17/2009) Researchers from the Mayo Clinic have reported that Lyrica® (pregabalin, [S]-3-[aminomethyl]-5-methylhexanoic acid) is effective for the treatment of hot flashes in women with breast cancer. The details of this study appeared in an early online publication on November 9, 2009 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Persistent Pain Common After Breast Cancer Surgery(11/16/2009) Researchers from Denmark have reported that pain and sensory disturbances persist for two to three years after breast cancer surgery. The details of this study were published in the November 11, 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Small HER2-positive Breast Cancers Have a Higher Risk of Recurrence(11/6/2009) Researchers from the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and the University of Milan, Italy, have reported that women with Stage T1a,b, N0M0 HER2-positive breast cancers have a have a high recurrence rate without the administration of adjuvant chemotherapy or Herceptin® (trastuzumab). These data suggest that these women should be treated with Herceptin®-based adjuvant chemotherapy. The details of these two studies appeared in early online publications on November 2, 2009 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Understanding Cancer Video Series Documents SABCS 2009(10/20/2009) CancerConsultants.com and Women Magazine have partnered to produce compelling and educational video coverage of The San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) for the ongoing educational video series, Understanding Cancer. The SABCS videos will be podcast and syndicated to cancer centers and clinics nationally as well as www.cancerconsultants.com.
Vitamin D Deficiency Common in Breast Cancer(10/19/2009) Researchers from the University of Rochester have reported that 69% of women with localized breast cancer receiving adjuvant therapy were deficient in vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency was corrected with high-dose, as opposed to low-dose, vitamin D supplementation. The details of this study were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology breast cancer symposium on October 8, 2009 in San Francisco.
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