June 2008 Research News
EOH: Molecular Breast Imaging Shows Potential as MRI Alternative
June 26, 2008
A small study found that molecular breast imaging was similar to breast MRI in detecting breast cancer. Molecular breast imaging costs much less than breast MRI and is easier to interpret than breast MRI. Read more...
Study finds weight-loss surgery cuts cancer risk
June 19, 2008
A Canadian study found that people who had weight-loss surgery for severe obesity had a reduction in their overall cancer risk by 80% in the 5 years after the surgery. Read more...
Bone drug works for breast cancer survivors
June 18, 2008
Actonel (chemical name: risendronate), a bone-strengthening medicine, can improve bone health after chemotherapy for breast cancer. Actonel can also lessen the bone weakening that sometimes happens when hormonal therapy is used after chemotherapy. Read more...
New inhibitors of breast cancer cells identified
June 17, 2008
Researchers have discovered a substance called TPBM that blocks the gene signals that tell an estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cell to grow once estrogen binds to the receptors. TPBM blocks those signals even in ER-positive cancer cells resistant to tamoxifen. Read more...
Facility Traits Affect Screening Mammography Accuracy
June 11, 2008
Mammogram centers that focused on only screening mammograms and had only one doctor who specialized in breast imaging read the screening mammograms were more likely to have accurate screening mammogram readings, according to a new study. Read more...
Raloxifene (Evista) Reduces Risk of ER-Positive Invasive Breast Cancer
June 11, 2008
Results of the RUTH (Raloxifene Use for The Heart) study reinforce earlier research showing that Evista (chemical name: raloxifene) can reduce breast cancer risk in post-menopausal women. Read more...
ASCO: Diabetes Drug Shows Potential as Breast Cancer Treatment Aid
June 6, 2008
Women who were taking the medicine metformin to treat diabetes were more likely to respond to breast cancer chemotherapy before surgery than diabetic women not taking metformin. Read more...
ASCO: Biologics Work Synergistically Against Metastatic Breast Cancer if Trastuzumab Regimens Fail
June 3, 2008
Women diagnosed with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer that either came back or progressed while getting Herceptin (chemical name: tastuzumab) benefited from adding Tykerb (chemical name: lapatanib) to the treatment plan instead of switching from Herceptin to Tykerb. Read more...
Roche breast cancer pill fails to help older women
June 2, 2008
Xeloda (chemcial name capecitabine) isn't as good as traditional IV chemotherapy at reducing the risk of breast cancer coming back in women older than 65 diagnosed with early-stage or locally advanced breast cancer (cancer that hadn't metastasized). Read more...
Avastin slows progress of breast cancer in trial
June 2, 2008
Women diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer who got Avastin plus Taxotere were less likely to have the cancer progress compared to women who only got Taxotere. Cancers treated with Avastin also were more likely to shrink. Read more...
Bone drug helped stave off breast cancer
June 2, 2008
New research suggests that Zometa, a bone-strengthening medicine, may help lower the risk of breast cancer coming back in premenopausal women diagnosed with early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer who aren't being treated with chemotherapy. Read more...