Research News
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Axillary Lymph Node Removal May Not Make Sense for Most Women
Research suggests that routinely removing multiple underarm (axillary) lymph nodes during early-stage breast cancer surgery may not make sense for most women.
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Two Mammograms Per Year Better Than One After Lumpectomy
New research suggests that having mammograms twice per year after lumpectomy finds a cancer recurrence (or a new cancer) earlier than only one mammogram per year after surgery.
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Research on Treatment Options for Diagnosed Women with Abnormal Breast Cancer Genes
A new study found that women with an abnormal breast cancer gene had the same survival rates whether they had mastectomy or lumpectomy plus radiation. Still, women who had lumpectomy plus radiation were between 4 and 5 times more likely to develop another breast cancer in the same breast compared to women who had mastectomy, unless lumpectomy plus radiation was followed by chemotherapy.
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Some Women Who Choose Contralateral Mastectomy Overestimate Risk
A very small study suggests that women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer in one breast who are considering removing the opposite healthy breast overestimated their risk of developing breast cancer in the healthy breast. Once the women took time to carefully consider their actual risk of developing a new breast cancer, they usually decided against removing the healthy breast.
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Can Cryotherapy Be Alternative to Surgery?
A very small study suggests that cryotherapy may be a safe and effective alternative to surgery to remove breast cancer.
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Can Removing Other, Healthy Breast Improve Survival?
A large study found that women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer who chose to have the opposite healthy breast removed were 16% less likely to die from breast cancer in the 4 years after diagnosis than women who didn't have the healthy breast removed, but it's unclear if removing the healthy breast is the reason for the better survival.
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Lymphedema Risk Seems to be Lowered by Physiotherapy
A small Spanish study found that physiotherapy can stop lymphedema from developing in some women after breast cancer surgery.
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About Half Have Pain Problems Years After Breast Cancer Surgery
Research shows that about half of women who have breast cancer surgery have continuing pain problems a year or more after surgery.
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Decongestive Therapy Helps Remove More Fluid from Arm with Lymphedema Than Compression Sleeve
New research shows that women with lymphedema who received decongestive therapy had slightly less excess fluid in their arms compared to women who only wore a compression sleeve; decongestive therapy seemed to offer more benefits for women who had had lymphedema for more than a year.
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Women Who Choose Mastectomy Have Good Reasons for Choice
While greater numbers of women are choosing mastectomy instead of lumpectomy followed by radiation therapy to treat early-stage breast cancer, research suggests that these women have good reasons for their choice.
