Research News for May 2008
-
Taxol Added to Chemo Combination Improved Survival of Women Diagnosed with Early-Stage Breast Cancer
After surgery to treat early-stage breast cancer, women who got Taxol after the FEC (fluorouracil, Ellence, Cytoxan) chemotherapy combination were more likely to be alive and cancer-free 5 years after diagnosis than women who got only FEC.
-
Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy Can Mean Fewer Skin Issues
Women who received radiation therapy using a special technique known as intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), were 17% less likely to develop scaling or peeling skin in the area exposed to radiation compared to women who got radiation therapy using traditional techniques.
-
Link Between Coffee and Tea (Caffeinated and Decaffeinated) and Risk
A large, long-term study shows that coffee, tea, and other caffeinated beverages don't seem to affect breast cancer risk.
-
Follow-up Mammograms Not Reliable for About 2% of Women
A small percentage of follow-up mammograms continued to miss abnormalities that were truly breast cancer after an initial mammogram found a benign-looking abnormality.
-
Senate Bill Would Require at Least 48 Hours of Hospital Care After Breast Cancer Surgery
U.S. legislators are considering two bills -- one on minimum hospital stays after breast cancer surgery and one on federal funding for environmental links to breast cancer -- that may have a big effect on women diagnosed with the disease.
-
Results Saying Hormone Replacement Therapy OK to Use Don’t Agree with Results from Women’s Health Initiative
A new analysis disagrees with earlier conclusions about HRT and increased breast cancer risk; Breastcancer.org supports the earlier conclusions that point to an association between HRT and increased risk and urges women to approach HRT use with caution and thoroughly discuss the pros and cons with their doctors before making a decision.
-
Zometa May Lower Risk of Breast Cancer Spreading to Bones
Research suggests that Zometa, a bone-strengthening medicine, may slow the spread of breast cancer to bones.
-
Breast Cancer Detected by MRI More Likely to be Treated with Mastectomy
When breast cancer is diagnosed by MRI, women are more likely to have a mastectomy than a lumpectomy followed by radiation therapy.
-
Low Vitamin D Levels Linked to Breast Cancer Growth
Women diagnosed with breast cancer who also have lower-than-recommended vitamin D levels are more like to have the cancer spread.
-
Experimental Nerve Block Injections Ease Hot Flashes
A very small study shows that an experimental nerve blocking therapy can relieve hot flashes and sleep problems in women having these side effects because of breast cancer treatment.
