June 2009 Research News

Metabolic Syndrome Linked to Breast Cancer Risk
June 30, 2009
Post-menopausal women with a condition called metabolic syndrome have an increased risk of breast cancer. Metabolic syndrome includes at least three of the following: abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, abnormal levels of fat in the blood, high blood sugar, and impaired blood sugar tolerance. Read more...

Breast Cancer Dip Linked to Locale, Income, HRT Decline
June 26, 2009
Women with higher incomes and women who live in urban areas have had larger drops in breast cancer rates since 2002 compared to women with lower incomes who live in suburban or rural areas. Read more...

PARP Inhibitor Shows Specificity for BRCA Tumors
June 24, 2009
Most people with an abnormal BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene being treated for advanced stage breast, ovarian, or prostate cancer got some benefit from olaparib, an experimental targeted therapy. Read more...

ENDO: ER Negative Breast CA Cells Turn Positive with Trastuzumab
June 18, 2009
A new study found that some HER2-positive, estrogen-receptor-negative breast cancer cells became estrogen-receptor-positive after being exposed to Herceptin (chemical name: trastuzumab). The study was done on groups of cells in a lab, not in people. Read more...

Breast Cancer Guide Calls for Personalized Therapy
June 18, 2009
A large group of cancer experts created new guidelines for treating early-stage breast cancer; the guidelines recommend that chemotherapy, targeted therapies, radiation therapy, and hormonal therapy should be based on the characteristics of each individual cancer being treated. Read more...

Antioxidants Widely Used Among Breast Cancer Patients
June 8, 2009
Many women being treated for breast cancer are taking at least one antioxidant supplement, often at levels much higher than recommended in a healthy diet. Read more...

ASCO: Off-Label Therapy Common in Breast Cancer
June 5, 2009
"Off-label therapy," or using a medication in a way that hasn't been officially approved by the FDA, is used in one-third of women with metastatic breast cancer. Read more...

ASCO: Action Needed in Early Breast CA with Isolated Cells in Lymph Nodes
June 4, 2009
When small groups of breast cancer cells are found in the sentinel lymph node during surgery to remove early-stage breast cancer, they need to be treated to reduce the risk of the cancer coming back. Read more...

ASCO: No Survival Loss with Partial-Breast Irradiation
June 4, 2009
Research comparing partial-breast irradiation to whole-breast irradiation found no differences in survival or the risk of the cancer spreading to other parts of the body; still, there was a difference in the risk of the cancer coming back in the same breast or the lymph nodes near the same breast. Read more...

ASCO: Fertility Preservation Not a Top Priority for Oncologists
June 2, 2009
A new survey has found that doctors don't give patients enough information about fertility problems that may happen because of cancer treatments. Most doctors also don't refer cancer patients to fertility specialists for counseling before treatment starts. Read more...

Halting Hormones Won't Lower Chances of Mammography Recall
June 1, 2009
Research has found that stopping hormone replacement therapy before a mammogram doesn't improve the accuracy of the mammogram reading. Read more...