Mastectomy News and Research

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Mastectomy is surgery to remove the breast (or as much of the breast tissue as possible).

A new approach to prevent breast and ovarian cancer

Surgery to remove the breasts of women at increased risk of developing breast cancer may not be necessary in the future, according to research published in EBioMedicine.

10 Sep 2015

UCLA study questions value of BRCA genetic testing in general population

Women who are carriers of mutated BRCA genes are known to have a significantly higher risk for developing breast and ovarian cancers than those who don't have the mutations.

4 Sep 2015

More men with breast cancer are opting for double mastectomy

The number of men with invasive cancer in one breast who undergo surgery to remove both breasts is on the rise, according to a new report published in JAMA Surgery.

3 Sep 2015

Double mastectomies on the rise in men with breast cancer, new report finds

The number of men with breast cancer who undergo surgery to remove the unaffected breast has risen sharply, according to a new report by American Cancer Society and Dana Farber Cancer Institute researchers. The report, appearing in JAMA Surgery, is the first to identify the trend, which mirrors a trend seen in U.S. women over the past two decades.

3 Sep 2015

Cornell study reveals how obesity changes consistency of breast tissue

Women who are obese have a higher risk and a worse prognosis for breast cancer, but the reasons why remain unclear. A Cornell study published this month in Science Translational Medicine explains how obesity changes the consistency of breast tissue in ways that are similar to tumors, thereby promoting disease.

27 Aug 2015

AirXpanders' pivotal XPAND trial meets primary endpoint in patients who have undergone mastectomy

AirXpanders Inc., a medical device company focused on the design, manufacture, sale and distribution of the AeroForm Tissue Expander, is pleased to report that its pivotal XPAND trial has met its primary endpoint in patients who have undergone a mastectomy.

26 Aug 2015

Low rate of mortality from breast cancer after DCIS diagnosis

Research published this week estimates that the risk of dying from early stage breast cancer within 20 years of diagnosis is very low (3.3%).

21 Aug 2015

Women diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ more likely to die from breast cancer

Women diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) are twice as likely to die from breast cancer compared to the general U.S. population, according to a new study led by Dr. Steven Narod.

21 Aug 2015

Researcher study potential biomarker to determine patients at risk for aggressive breast cancer

Biomarkers are an important part in detecting certain cancers such as the BRCA gene in breast cancer and the PSA antigen in prostate cancer. They are easy to identify in a blood test and can help in diagnosing and giving a prognosis.

12 Aug 2015

EORTC study: Irradiation of regional nodes in breast cancer patients has marginal effect on overall survival

At a median follow-up of 10.9 years, an EORTC study has shown that irradiation of regional nodes in patients with stage I, II, or III breast cancer has a marginal effect on overall survival, the primary endpoint (at 10 years, overall survival was 82.3 % for regional irradiation versus 80.7% for no regional irradiation, (HR=0.87 (95%CI: 0.76, 1.00), p=0.06).

4 Aug 2015

FAU pre-medical student and surgeon work together on revolutionary procedure alternative to radical mastectomy

Elizabeth Hopkins, an aspiring physician and pre-medical student in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science at Florida Atlantic University, has spent more than 640 hours shadowing Hilton Becker, M.D., a local plastic and reconstructive surgeon, and an affiliate professor in FAU's Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine. Together, with Jeffrey Lind II, M.D., they authored a publication in the current issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Journal, which describes a revolutionary procedure developed by Becker that is an alternative to radical mastectomy.

4 Aug 2015

BRCA gene mutations and ovarian cancer: an interview with Dr Matulonis, Harvard Medical School

The BRCA gene encodes for the BRCA proteins, BRCA1 and BRCA2. These proteins are very important in repairing DNA, which they do by correcting double-stranded breaks.

2 Aug 2015

Some breast cancer women can now undergo single-stage implant breast reconstruction

Some women with breast cancer can now undergo a "one and done" approach combining nipple-sparing mastectomy with immediate single-stage implant (SSI) breast reconstruction in a single procedure, according to a report in the July issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

31 Jul 2015

Additional radiation to surrounding lymph nodes provides added benefit to breast cancer patients

A study has found no increase in overall survival but a reduction in breast cancer recurrence when additional radiation is given to the lymph nodes as well as the standard treatment of whole-breast irradiation after breast-conserving surgery.

23 Jul 2015

Celebrity impact on breast cancer screening

Angelina Jolie received widespread media attention in 2013 when she told the public that she'd tested positive for BRCA1, a gene associated with an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancers, and subsequently had a double mastectomy. Now research shows that this publicity did influence some women's intentions to seek out similar genetic testing.

21 Jul 2015

OBP Medical introduces CLEAR-TRAC family of disposable surgical retractors

OBP Medical, the leading global developer of single-use, self-contained, illuminating medical devices, today announced the launch of its CLEAR-TRAC family of disposable surgical retractors. The line—which includes CLEAR-TRAC SP (surgical pocket), CLEAR-TRAC V (vaginal) and new CLEAR-TRAC B (breast)—is the first on the market to offer a built-in, single-use light source.

8 Jul 2015

New public guide addresses unrealistic expectations of screening tests

Misconceptions about how screening works, its limitations and possible harms are still being perpetuated by media stories and high profile cases, such as Angelina Jolie's double mastectomy and emotive tabloid case studies of women under 25 dying from cervical cancer.

7 Jul 2015

New Internet tool may help analyze genes based on their evolutionary profile

Two major revolutions, one genomic and one in informatics, are completely changing the face of biomedical research. Every day all over the world, millions of genetic sequences -- from disease-related genes to complete genomes of plants, animals, bacteria and viruses -- are resolved, identified and dissected.

26 Jun 2015

Selective use of biomarker testing for breast cancer patients can save millions of dollars in health care spending

A review of medical records for almost 200 patients with breast cancer suggests that more selective use of biomarker testing for such patients has the potential to save millions of dollars in health care spending without compromising care, according to Johns Hopkins researchers.

23 Jun 2015

Researchers highlight important factors that impact early-stage breast cancer patients' access to BCT

The first comprehensive national review of breast-conserving therapy (BCT) shows that over the last 13 years rates of this treatment modality for early-stage breast cancer have increased at a steady pace. However, the review also highlights important demographic factors that impact which patients have access to BCT.

18 Jun 2015