Research News for 2011
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Avastin Slows Growth of Metastatic Breast Cancer
Women diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer who got Avastin in combination with chemotherapy lived 1 to 3 months longer without the cancer growing compared to women who only got chemotherapy, but overall survival was the same for both groups.
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Smoking Increases Breast Risk in Postmenopausal Women
Cigarette smoking — either past or present — and exposure to second-hand smoke increase breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women.
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Halavan May Help Treat Metastatic Disease
Women diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer that didn't respond to other treatments who got Halavan lived 2 months longer than women who got supportive care or a standard metastatic cancer treatment.
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Herceptin After Surgery Reduces Recurrence Risk of HER2-Positive, Early-Stage Disease
New research shows women diagnosed with early-stage, HER2-positive breast cancer who were treated with adjuvant chemotherapy then Herceptin for 1 year were 24% less likely to have the cancer come back compared to women who got adjuvant chemotherapy but no Herceptin.
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Having More Children Linked to Triple-Negative Disease
Research has shown that a woman's risk for hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer goes down as she has more children. A study reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute supports that lin...
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Avastin Not Recommended to Treat Breast Cancer by British Agency
Echoing the FDA decision, the British National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence hasn't approved using Avastin to treat metastatic breast cancer.
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Long-Term Bisphosphonate Use Linked to Atypical Fracture Risk
Women who take bisphosphonates for more than 5 years have a higher risk of breaking a leg bone in an unusual spot.
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Mammograms Less Effective in Women with Personal History of Breast Cancer
Screening mammograms are less effective at finding cancer in women with a personal history of breast cancer.
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Three-Dimensional Mammogram System Approved by FDA
In February 2011, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a three-dimensional mammogram system (called the Selenia Dimensions System).
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Routinely Removing Axillary Lymph Nodes May Not Make Sense for Many Women
New research suggests that routinely removing the axillary lymph nodes during surgery to remove early-stage breast cancer may not make sense for many women.
