Research News for 2009
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Breastfeeding May Reduce Risk for Women at High Risk
Breastfeeding one baby -- even for as little as 3 months -- seems to reduce the risk of breast cancer before menopause in women with higher-than-average risk compared to high-risk women who never breastfed.
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Hispanics Living in U.S. Have Higher Cancer Risk Than Those in Native Countries
Hispanics living in the United States are more likely to develop any type of cancer compared to Hispanics living in their native countries.
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Adding Local Anesthetic to Tracer Liquid Injection Reduces Pain During Sentinel Lymph Node Surgery
Adding the local anesthetic lidocaine (a numbing medicine) to the tracer liquid used in sentinel lymph node biopsy can reduce pain during and after the injection. The lidocaine causes few side effects and doesn't interfere with the procedure's success.
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One Chemo Medicine at a Time Seems Best for Metastatic Breast Cancer
Treating metastatic breast cancer with one chemotherapy medicine at a time (monotherapy) is as effective as using two or more chemotherapy medicines at the same time (combination chemotherapy) and likely causes fewer and less severe side effects.
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Women Treated for Hormone-Receptor-Negative Cancers More Likely to be Diagnosed with New Cancer in Other Breast
Research shows that women treated for hormone-receptor-negative breast cancer are more than 3 times more likely to be diagnosed with a new cancer (either hormone-receptor-positive or -negative) in the other breast compared to women treated for hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer.
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Worse Cancer Prognosis in African Americans Linked to Genetic Factors, Not Access to Care
A new study showed that African Americans have worse prognoses from breast, prostate, and ovarian cancers than people of other ethnicities, despite identical medical care. This suggests that genetic factors, rather than quality of care or access to care, account for the worse prognoses.
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Migraines, Lower Risk Seem Linked
Women diagnosed with migraine headaches are 26% less likely to develop breast cancer than those who have never been diagnosed with migraines.
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Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Obesity Put Women at Higher Risk of Breast Cancer
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.
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Urban Women with Higher Incomes Have Larger Drops in Breast Cancer Rates
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.
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Experimental Olaparib May Help Treat People with Abnormal BRCA1 or BRCA2 Gene
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.
