December 2009 Research News

MRI Often Rejected Over Fear, Inconvenience
December 22, 2009
A study found that many women at high risk for breast cancer refused to have a breast MRI, even though it was recommended as part of their screening plan. Read more...

SABCS: Novel Form of Trastuzumab Works in Refractory Metastatic Breast CA
December 15, 2009
An experimental treatment combining Herceptin and maytansine shows some promise for treating metastatic breast cancer. Read more...

SABCS: Risk of Vaginal Estrogens Not Known in Breast Cancer Patients
December 15, 2009
A very small study found that vaginal rings or tablets that contain estradiol (a hormone related to estrogen) can increase blood levels of estradiol in post-menopausal women being treated for early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. Read more...

SABCS: Benefits of Bevacizumab Modest in Metastatic Disease
December 15, 2009
Two studies suggest that treating metastatic breast cancer with Avastin and chemotherapy slightly increases the length of time women live without the cancer growing, but doesn't affect overall survival. Read more...

SABCS: Vitamin D Reduces Aromatase Inhibitor Pain
December 15, 2009
A small study suggests that very high doses of vitamin D taken each week may help ease muscle and joint pain associated with Arimidex. Read more...

SABCS: Nerve Block Relieves Hot Flashes in Breast CA
December 15, 2009
A very small study suggests that nerve blocking may ease hot flashes and night sweats in post-menopausal women being treated for hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. Read more...

SABCS: HER2 Combo Boosts Metastatic Breast Cancer Survival
December 15, 2009
HER2-positive, metastatic breast cancer that grows while being treated with Herceptin seems to benefit from adding Tykerb to the Herceptin rather than switching from Herceptin to Tykerb. Read more...

SABCS: Adjuvant Therapy for DCIS Reduces the Risk of Recurrence
December 15, 2009
After DCIS surgery, radiation therapy seems to be better at lowering the risk of cancer in the same breast while hormonal therapy seems to be better at lowering the risk of cancer in the opposite breast. Read more...

SABCS: Higher Dose of Fulvestrant Slows Breast Cancer
December 14, 2009
Advanced-stage, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancers treated with 500 mg of Faslodex (double the usual dose) had a slightly better response than cancers treated with 250 mg of Faslodex (the usual dose). Read more...

SABCS: Estrogen Again Implicated in Lung CA Prognosis
December 14, 2009
A large Swiss study suggests that estrogen plays a role in the development, growth, and spread of lung cancer. Read more...

SABCS: Mixed Results for Targeted Agents in Breast CA
December 13, 2009
Several small studies offer mixed results on the targeted therapies Nexavar, Sutent, and motesanib as treatments for advanced-stage breast cancer. Read more...

SABCS: Trastuzumab Dosing During Chemo Vindicated
December 13, 2009
Research suggests that giving Herceptin at the same time as chemotherapy, rather than after chemotherapy is done, can reduce the risk of recurrence of HER2-positive, early-stage breast cancer. Read more...

SABCS: Confirmation of Chemo Benefit in Breast Cancer
December 12, 2009
Research suggests that post-menopausal women diagnosed with early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer that had spread to the lymph nodes who got adjuvant chemotherapy AND adjuvant hormonal therapy had a lower risk of recurrence and were more likely to be alive than women who got only hormonal therapy. The study also showed that starting hormonal therapy after chemotherapy was done was better than giving hormonal therapy and chemotherapy at the same time and that a genetic test can help figure out if women diagnosed with early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes will benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy. Read more...

SABCS: Stem Cells a Promising Target in Breast CA
December 12, 2009
A very preliminary study found that gamma secretase inhibitors, a new type of targeted therapy medicine, may weaken or destroy breast cancer stem cells. Read more...

SABCS: Anthracycline Not Needed with Trastuzumab
December 12, 2009
The latest results from the BCIRG-006 trial found that Herceptin plus chemotherapy that didn't include an anthracycline was as effective as Herceptin plus chemotherapy that did include an anthracycline for women diagnosed with HER2-positive, early-stage breast cancer. Read more...

SABCS: Aromatase Inhibitor Good Upfront or in Sequence
December 12, 2009
The latest results from the TEAM trial show that women who took tamoxifen for 2.5 to 3 years and then switched to Aromasin for 2 to 2.5 years (for a total of 5 years of hormonal therapy) had the same risk of recurrence as women who took Aromasin for 5 years. Read more...

SABCS: Obesity Hampers Breast Cancer Therapy
December 11, 2009
A large Danish study found that overweight or obese women diagnosed with breast cancer had a worse prognosis than women at a healthy weight. Read more...

SABCS: Novel Biologic Beats Zoledronic Acid for Bone Mets
December 11, 2009
Denosumab, an experimental targeted therapy medicine, seems to be a little better than Zometa at preventing bone pain and slowing bone complications from breast cancer that has spread to the bones. Read more...

SABCS: PARP Inhibitor Data Called 'Spectacular'
December 11, 2009
A small study found that BSI-201, an experimental targeted therapy medicine, makes chemotherapy work better against aggressive forms of breast cancer. Read more...

SABCS: No Cancer Benefit for Pre-Op Bone Drug
December 11, 2009
Research shows that Zometa (chemical name: zoledronic acid) doesn't destroy or slow the growth of breast cancer cells when given before surgery to post-menopausal women diagnosed with early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. Read more...

SABCS: More Evidence that Bisphosphonates Prevent Breast Cancer
December 10, 2009
A new study found a strong association between taking oral bisphosphonates and a lower risk of breast cancer. Read more...

SABCS: Moderate Drinking Boosts Breast Cancer Recurrence
December 10, 2009
A new study suggests that drinking even a few glasses of alcohol per week increases the risk of breast cancer coming back (recurrence) in women who've been diagnosed with early-stage disease. Read more...

Soy Safe For Breast Cancer Survivors
December 8, 2009
A new study found that Chinese women diagnosed with breast cancer who ate a diet rich in soy foods had a lower risk of dying of breast cancer and a lower risk of breast cancer coming back compared to women diagnosed with breast cancer who didn't eat a lot of soy. Read more...

Cancer Report Card Reveals Decline in Disease and Death
December 8, 2009
The new Cancer Report Card shows that the decade-long decline in U.S. diagnosis and death rates from breast, colon, and ovarian cancer in women continues. Read more...

RSNA: Ultrasound, MRI Helpful Aids for Dense Breasts
December 4, 2009
An annual breast MRI or breast ultrasound along with an annual mammogram improves breast cancer detection in women with dense breasts. Read more...

RSNA: Ultrasound Accurate in Young Women with Lumpy Breasts
December 3, 2009
Two studies strongly suggest that breast ultrasound is very good at distinguishing between benign lumps and cancer in women younger than 40 and may help some women avoid unnecessary biopsies. Read more...

Second-Hand Smoke in Childhood Raises Adult Cancer Risk
December 3, 2009
Second-hand smoke seems to have the greatest effect on breast cancer risk in post-menopausal women with heavy second-hand smoke exposure as children. Read more...

Senate Affirms Screening Mammography for 40-Year-Olds
December 3, 2009
Breastcancer.org applauds the Senate for specifically addressing breast cancer screening in the healthcare reform bill. Read more...

RSNA: Radiation Increases Cancer Risk for Women Already at Risk
December 2, 2009
Research suggests that women with an abnormal breast cancer gene (BRCA1 or BRCA2) who had five or more x-rays before they were 20 years old were 2.5 times more likely to develop breast cancer compared to women with an abnormal breast cancer gene who didn't have that many x-rays before the age of 20. Read more...

RSNA: Elastography May Reduce Breast Biopsies
December 1, 2009
A small study suggests that adding a special analysis -- called elastography -- to breast ultrasound can help doctors decide if a breast mass is cancer and needs to be biopsied. Read more...