Breaking Research News from Breastcancer.org

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Arimidex Reduces DCIS Recurrence Risk More Than Tamoxifen

June 3, 2015

A study has found that Arimidex was better than tamoxifen at reducing recurrence risk in postmenopausal women diagnosed with hormone-receptor-positive DCIS

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Ibrance Offers Benefits as Second-Line Treatment for Advanced-Stage Disease

June 3, 2015

A study has found that Ibrance combined with the hormonal therapy Faslodex (chemical name: fulvestrant) more than doubled progression-free survival compared to Faslodex alone in postmenopausal women diagnosed with hormone-receptor-positive, HER2-negative advanced-stage breast cancer that had grown while being treated with first-line hormonal therapy

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Avastin Helps Reduce Cancer Growth but Increases Side Effects and Doesn’t Improve Survival

June 3, 2015

A study found that combining Avastin with the hormonal therapy Femara (chemical name: letrozole) improved disease-free survival in women diagnosed with advanced-stage, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. Still, adding Avastin didn't improve overall survival and caused more side effects.

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All Bisphophonates Reduce Recurrence Risk the Same Amount
June 9, 2015
All bisphosphonates seem to offer the same recurrence risk reduction benefits. Read more...

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No Link Between Blood Pressure Medicine and Breast Cancer
June 10, 2015
Calcium-channel blockers have no effect on breast cancer risk. Read more...

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Prolia Dramatically Lowers Risk of Breaking Bones in Women Taking Aromatase Inhibitors
June 10, 2015
A study found that Prolia reduced the risk of breaking a bone by 50% in postmenopausal women diagnosed with early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer who were taking an aromatase inhibitor. Read more...

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International Agency for Research on Cancer Releases Breast Cancer Screening Special Report
June 12, 2015
A special report from the IARC questions the value of screening mammograms for women ages 40 to 49. Read more...

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Study Confirms Taxol Better Than Ixempra or Abraxane for Locally Advanced or Metastatic Disease
June 16, 2015
Taxol stops advanced-stage breast cancer from growing longer than Ixempra or Abraxane. Read more...

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Choice of Surgeon and Hospital Affects Type of Lymph Node Surgery in Women Diagnosed With DCIS
June 17, 2015
Surgeons who do fewer DCIS surgeries are more likely to remove lymph nodes during surgery. Read more...

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Study Suggests Link Between DDT Exposure in Womb and Higher Breast Cancer Risk
June 17, 2015
Research suggests that women exposed to higher levels of the pesticide DDT in the womb have a breast cancer risk 4 times higher than average. Read more...

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Lumpectomy Rates Up, but Barriers Still Exist
June 18, 2015
A study suggests that a number of factors, including access to radiation therapy after lumpectomy, affect the type of surgery a woman chooses for early-stage breast cancer. Read more...

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Freezing Embryos Helps Women Conceive After Breast Cancer Treatment
June 24, 2015
A study suggests that a number of factors, including access to radiation therapy after lumpectomy, affect the type of surgery a woman chooses for early-stage breast cancer. Read more...

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Certain Antidepressants Taken for Hot Flashes Linked to Higher Risk of Breaking a Bone
June 29, 2015
SSRIs are linked to a higher fracture risk, but the actual number of women who broke a bone is low. Read more...

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Partial-Breast Radiation Offers Survival, Recurrence Rates Similar to Whole-Breast Radiation After Lumpectomy
July 7, 2015
One of the largest studies done so far on the outcomes of brachytherapy suggests that brachytherapy after lumpectomy results in survival rates and recurrence rates that are similar to whole-breast radiation. Read more...

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Urea Cream Prevents Hand-Foot Syndrome Better Than New Mapisal Ointment
July 7, 2015
A study has found that a 10% urea cream helps prevent hand-foot syndrome better than Mapisal, an antioxidant ointment, in people who've been treated with Xeloda. Read more...

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Women Who've Been Diagnosed With Breast Cancer More Likely to Gain Weight Than Women Who Haven't Been Diagnosed
July 16, 2015
Diagnosed women gained an average of about 4 pounds more than women who hadn't been diagnosed. Read more...

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Support Tool Helps Women Emotionally Adjust After Being Diagnosed With Early-Stage Disease
July 16, 2015
A study found that a web-based tool can help women feel less stressed and anxious after breast cancer treatment ends, but the effect only lasted as long as the program. Read more...

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ASCO Issues Guidelines on Using Biomarkers to Make Treatment Decisions in Women Diagnosed With Metastatic Disease
July 22, 2015
The American Society of Clinical Oncology has issued new recommendations on using biomarkers to make metastatic breast cancer treatment decisions. Read more...

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New Technique Allows More Women to Have Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy
July 23, 2015
Doing a full breast lift after autologous reconstruction may allow women with large or sagging breasts to have nipple-sparing mastectomy. Read more...

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Exercising 300 Minutes Per Week Leads to More Fat Loss in Postmenopausal Women
July 24, 2015
Exercising twice the recommended amount -- for a total of 300 minutes per week -- is better for shedding fat, especially in postmenopausal women. Read more...

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Another Study Confirms Oncotype DX DCIS Recurrence Score Predicts Recurrence
July 24, 2015
Another study has confirmed that the Oncotype DX DCIS test helped predict the risk of recurrence in women diagnosed with DCIS and treated only with lumpectomy. Read more...

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Does End-Stage Chemotherapy Improve Quality of Life?
July 28, 2015
A study suggests that few people benefit from end-of-life chemotherapy and many people have worse quality of life after receiving it. Read more...

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Common Chemicals May Act Together to Increase Cancer Risk
July 28, 2015
A study suggests that common chemicals in the environment considered safe at low doses may act together to increase cancer risk. Read more...

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Lidocaine May Help Ease Painful Intercourse After Breast Cancer Treatment
July 30, 2015
A small study has found that applying a lidocaine compress to the area where the vulva meets with the vagina can make intercourse comfortable again for women who've been treated for breast cancer. Read more...

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Starting Mammograms at Age 40 Instead of 50 Saves Lives
July 30, 2015
When mammograms started at age 40 instead of age 50, more lives were saved. Read more...

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Older and Heavier Women More Likely to Have Heart Problems When Treated With Anthracycline Chemotherapy
July 31, 2015
Older women and women with a higher body mass index are more likely to have anthracycline-related heart problems. Read more...

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Fewer Women Dying From Breast Cancer
August 4, 2015
Statistics from 2010 show that 76.5% of diagnosed women survive breast cancer. Read more...

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More Young Men Than Young Women Take Steps to Preserve Fertility Before Cancer Treatment
August 4, 2015
A study found that young men diagnosed with cancer were 4 to 5 times more likely to take steps to preserve fertility than young women diagnosed with cancer. Read more...

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Radiation to Regional Lymph Nodes Reduces Recurrence but Doesn't Improve Survival
August 7, 2015
Two studies suggest that regional lymph node radiation after surgery to remove early-stage breast cancer reduces the risk of the cancer coming back (recurrence) but doesn't improve overall survival. Read more...

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Shorter Radiation Regimen Causes Fewer Side Effects, Offers Better Quality of Life Than Traditional Regimen
August 12, 2015
Hypofractionated radiation after lumpectomy offers better quality of life than conventional schedule. Read more...