Breaking Research News from sources other than Breastcancer.org

Lumpie · May 2020

Hypofractionated Breast Radiotherapy for 1 Week Noninferior to 3 Weeks

The authors report the 5-year efficacy data from a phase III trial designed to compare hypofractionated breast radiotherapy for 1 week versus 3 weeks for localized breast cancer. A radiotherapy schedule of 26 Gy in 5 fractions over 1 week was found to be noninferior to 40 Gy in 15 fractions over 3 weeks in terms of local tumor control. In addition, the 1-week schedule had similar tissue effects at 5 years compared with the 3-week schedule.

Patients prescribed adjuvant local radiotherapy following primary surgery for early-stage breast cancer may consider a 1-week hypofractionated radiotherapy schedule.

https://www.practiceupdate.com/C/100047/56?elsca1=emc_enews_topic-alert

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30932-6/fulltext

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30932-6

Lumpie · May 2020

Quality-of-Life Outcomes in Surgical vs Nonsurgical Treatment of Breast Cancer–Related Lymphedema

The authors of this systemic review found that health-related quality-of-life outcomes in patients with breast cancer–related lymphedema were associated with improvement following treatment with vascularized lymph node transfer in 2 studies. However, complex decongestive therapy studied in 14 trials had variable associations, and diverse outcome measures and varied protocols limited interpretation.

Additional studies comparing outcomes with surgical and nonsurgical management of breast cancer–related lymphedema are needed.

https://www.practiceupdate.com/C/100051/56

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/article-abstract/2764557

doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2020.0230

debbew · May 2020

Prediagnostic serum selenium levels in relation to breast cancer survival and tumor characteristics

...The Malmö Diet and Cancer Study, a population‐based cohort study of 17,035 women recruited between 1991 and 1996, was used for breast cancer cases and controls. After exclusion, they assessed 1,066 cases. Among breast cancer free women, they selected controls both from matching (n = 694) as well as randomization (n = 492). Analysis revealed no correlation between serum Se quartile and any tumor characteristic or intrinsic subtype. Women in the highest Se quartile had lower overall mortality than those in the lowest. They identified similar results for breast cancer‐specific mortality. Findings thereby support the association of Se with a lower mortality in breast cancer.

https://www.mdlinx.com/journal-summaries/breast-cancer-breast-cancer-diagnostics-testing/2020/05/08/7684914/?spec=obstetrics-gynecology

debbew · May 2020

Cancer screenings drop upward of 94% during pandemic, with concerns of lingering sluggishness

Routine cancer screenings have dropped precipitously during the COVID-19 pandemic's initial spread, a trend that has experts concerned about an explosion in more severe diagnoses in the coming months.

Epic recently made this discovering after analyzing data from about 2.7 million patients, treated at 190 hospitals across 23 states. The electronic health record vendor specifically targeted cervical, colon and breast cancer, and found a roughly 86%-94% drop in screening levels when compared to previous care volumes logged between 2017-2019.

https://www.radiologybusiness.com/topics/healthcare-economics/cancer-screenings-epic-ehr-covid-19-coronavirus

morrigan_2575 · May 2020

While I'm sure there are people who felt safer to skip, I know a lot of my friends had their Mammos canceled by the facility, they weren't happy

Lumpie · May 2020

I'm an ICU nurse. I know I need an end-of-life directive. So why can't I bring myself to write it?

{Not research but one of the best articles I have found on issues surrounding advanced directives. We all know, at some level, that we need them but the cookie-cutter approach just does not seem to fit. So we do nothing.}

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/im-an-icu-nu...

{Wa Po may allow access to a limited number of articles per month without subscription.}

Salamandra · May 2020

"Hypofractionated Breast Radiotherapy for 1 Week Noninferior to 3 Weeks"

Wow, this will make a big difference in the experience of treatment for many people, and I think make compliance much more feasible for women with less flexible work options.

Lumpie · May 2020

Salamandra: I agree. I had to read it twice (or more) to be sure I understood it correctly. Many women have foregone lumpectomy owing to the burdens of the follow up radiation schedule. Travel and transporation to care, time off work and numerous other complications can be issues. A dramatically shortened schedule would make this less invasive surgery a more feasible option for some.

debbew · May 2020

Carbohydrate quality index and breast cancer risk in a mediterranean cohort: The SUN project

(Summary of Clinical Nutrition — Romanos-Nanclares A, Gea A, Martínez-González MA, et al. | May 11, 2020, https://www.mdlinx.com/ct.cfm?cid=7686001&typ=js&rdr=https://www.clinicalnutritionjournal.com/article/S0261-5614(20)30211-9/fulltext?rss=yes&mor=1)

In this study, the relationship between an a priori defined carbohydrate quality index (CQI) and the incidence of BC were tested in a Mediterranean cohort study. A validated semi-quantitative 136-item food-frequency questionnaire was applied in a prospective follow-up study of 10,812 middle-aged women. Researchers assessed the CQI following 4 criteria at baseline: dietary fiber intake, glycemic index, whole grain:total grain ratio and the solid carbohydrate:total carbohydrate ratio. Subjects were classified into quartiles according to the final CQI score. This Mediterranean cohort exhibited a significant inverse association with the incidence of BC after a better quality of dietary carbohydrate intake, which imply that strategies for cancer prevention should demonstrate the quality of this macronutrient.

https://www.mdlinx.com/journal-summaries/breast-cancer-nutrition/2020/05/11/7686001/

mysticalcity · May 2020

Caution on prolonged wearing of masks for those with cancer:

People with cancer, especially if the cancer has spread, will be at a further risk from prolonged hypoxia as the cancer grows best in a microenvironment that is low in oxygen. Low oxygen also promotes inflammation which can promote the growth, invasion and spread of cancers.^8,9 Repeated episodes of hypoxia has been proposed as a significant factor in atherosclerosis and hence increases all cardiovascular (heart attacks) and cerebrovascular (strokes) diseases.

https://www.technocracy.news/blaylock-face-masks-pose-serious-risks-to-the-healthy/

2019whatayear · May 2020

That website- technocracy.news is not an credible news site and the article doesn't contain accurate scientific information.

ShetlandPony · May 2020

The writing has some real slips of logic.

Moderators · May 2020

Hi All, We are wondering how many of you read our research news articles. We're thinking of getting a group together to get some feedback. Would you PM us Mods to let us know if you do? Thank you!

Kanga_Roo · May 2020

would be good if you put it in a thread so we could mark it under favourites

MinusTwo · May 2020

Kanga - there is a thread. Here's the link. Interestingly I mostly read the articles, either here or there, that are relevant to my diagnosis & treatment.

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/73/topics...

Lumpie · May 2020

New Map Reveals Distrust in Health Expertise Is Winning Hearts and Minds Online

Researchers warn scientists are fighting health misinformation in the wrong place.

Communities on Facebook that distrust establishment health guidance are more effective than government health agencies and other reliable health groups at reaching and engaging "undecided" individuals, according to a first-of-its-kind study published today by researchers at George Washington University and other institutions in the journal Nature.

The researchers tracked the vaccine conversation among 100 million Facebook users during the height of the 2019 measles outbreak. The new study and its "battleground" map reveal how distrust in establishment health guidance could spread and dominate online conversations over the next decade, potentially jeopardizing public health efforts to protect populations from COVID-19 and future pandemics through vaccinations.

https://gwtoday.gwu.edu/new-map-reveals-distrust-health-expertise-winning-hearts-and-minds-online?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=New%20Map%20Reveals%20Distrust%20in%20Health%20Expertise%20Is%20Winning%20Hearts%20and%20Minds%20Online&utm_campaign=051320

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-020-2281-1

Johnson, N.F., Velásquez, N., Restrepo, N.J. et al. The online competition between pro- and anti-vaccination views. Nature (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2281-1

Lumpie · May 2020

Impact of Stopping Trastuzumab in Early Breast Cancer

Journal of the National Cancer Institute

BSandra · May 2020

A sincere and very interesting article: https://www.onclive.com/publications/Oncology-live/2020/vol-21-no-10/looking-forward-to-a-new-wave-of-breast-cancer-therapies

Bliss58 · May 2020

BSandra, thanks for sharing that very interesting article. My MO informed me that I am now HER2-low, so that trial especially piqued my interest.

BSandra · May 2020

Dear Bliss, dear ShetlandPonny, I htink you could well chat together about Her2low. ShetlandPonny just got a PhD in Her2low/Her2mut:>, and could really help with explaining how to use this situation to make you benefit. Might be you are eligible for the same clinical trial, if they still recruit? Saulius

Lumpie · May 2020

'They killed her': Why are breast implants still putting millions of women at risk?

Allergan's "medical aesthetics" products helped persuade AbbVie to buy the company. But what if the devices driving profit are also endangering women's health?

Press coverage of breast implant issue: "The causes of the various problems with breast implants are still poorly understood, which public health experts blame on a lack of testing or objective, long-term studies that do not rely on manufacturer-provided data or funding. Device makers also have yet to fully report the data the FDA required as a condition of allowing silicone implants back on the market in 2006."

https://fortune.com/longform/breast-implants-dangerous-allergan-abbvie-acquisition/?j16sc8

Simone80 · May 2020

I'm also low her2. Her2- by fish. I've been reading articles about how they are starting clinical trials for us using some of the her2 drugs. It's very promising as I know there are quite a few her2 women out there that have done well. Shetland, are you low her2 or did yours mutant to her2?

Lumpie · May 2020

An arm of the DS8201a/Enhertu trial was taking low HER2 patients.

Simone80 · May 2020

Thanks Lumpie. I'll pull up the trial and take a look at it.i've been on I\L for a year and a half and have been doing well. I also know that the combo has an avg of 27 months, so I know it's just a matter of time before my cancer wakes up again. I am interested trying a clinical trial so I'll check it out.

Lumpie · May 2020

Here's a link:

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03734029

Trastuzumab Deruxtecan (DS-8201a) Versus Investigator's Choice for HER2-low Breast Cancer That Has Spread or Cannot be Surgically Removed [DESTINY-Breast04]

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03734029?term=DS-8201a&cond=Breast+Cancer&draw=2&rank=4

BTW, It's for unresectable, and/or metastatic breast cancer.

PS: Simone80: Hope you don't need to change Tx for a long time. I was on a different branch of the Destiny trial. It was a great experience. The clinical trial staff and medical director at my site were fabulous. Good luck!

Karenfizedbo15 · May 2020

Interesting information as always. Lumpie thanks for the article on the PALVEN trial, that’s a hopeful one for those of us on I/L

Simone80 · May 2020

Thanks Lumpie. I hope to get another year out of I\L, but just in case.

ShetlandPony · May 2020

Simone, to answer your question, the cancer acquired a mutation in the HER2/ERBB2 gene. It is still HER2 negative (non-amplified).

BlueGirlRedState · May 2020

Wallygal posted this in Clinical trails/research. I am reposting it here. Interesting report on Genome Study (no the original study) in ScienceDaily, more DNA variations found that might be linked to BC. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/05/200518144849.htm . Has anyone else had a genetic profile done that insurance denied ? My DR ordered one Sept 2019 when 3rd BC found, specific to BC, looking at at over 20 markers (none found). Insurance sent me an official denial, the lab who did the work is fighting it,

Lumpie · May 2020

BlueGirl: denied after your 3rd BC? That is outrageous! It's standard of care! How can insurance get away with that? I hope that you will let your legislators, both state and federal, know about this. How insurers can get away with not covering standard of care is beyond me! It should not happen.