Breast Cancer News and Research

Latest Breast Cancer News and Research

Breast cancer patients still have risk of relapse after 5 years of systemic therapy

Breast cancer survivors continue to have a substantial risk of disease recurrence after five years of systemic therapy, according to a study published in the August 12 online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

12 Aug 2008

Precisely targeted radiation therapy can control limited cancer spread

Precisely targeted radiation therapy can eradicate all evidence of disease in selected patients with cancer that has spread to only a few sites, suggests the first published report from an ongoing clinical trial.

12 Aug 2008

Low vitamin D levels substantially increase risk of death

Researchers at Johns Hopkins are reporting what is believed to be the most conclusive evidence to date that inadequate levels of vitamin D, obtained from milk, fortified cereals and exposure to sunlight, lead to substantially increased risk of death.

11 Aug 2008

New research finds way to switch off breast cancer and leukaemia

Australian scientists have identified a way of switching off a molecule, which plays a key role in the process that triggers breast cancer and certain forms of leukaemia.

11 Aug 2008

Gab2 signalling protein switches off breast cancer and leukaemia

Australian scientists have identified a way to 'switch off' a molecule, a key player in the molecular processes that trigger breast cancer and certain forms of leukaemia.

10 Aug 2008

Genetic discovery may lead to new blood test for people at high risk for cancer

Research funded in part by the Canadian Cancer Society may lead to a genetic screening test that could help families who are at high risk for cancer.

4 Aug 2008

Disclosing a breast cancer diagnosis to family and friends

Women diagnosed with breast cancer shoulder the emotional burden of disclosing their diagnosis to loved ones, managing the feelings of others at precisely the time when they need support themselves, according to research to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association (ASA).

4 Aug 2008

Concerns about possible cancer cluster prompts investigation of Gold Coast private hospital

A possible cancer cluster at a private hospital at Benowa on the Gold Coast is causing some concern.

4 Aug 2008

Chronic exposure to estrogen impairs some cognitive functions

University of Illinois researchers report this week that chronic exposure to estradiol, the main estrogen in the body, diminishes some cognitive functions. Rats exposed to a steady dose of estradiol were impaired on tasks involving working memory and response inhibition, the researchers found.

3 Aug 2008

Stanford Medicine explores the complex world of clinical trials

Back just 100 years ago, the notion of testing treatments and drugs through randomized clinical trials was unheard of. Clinical trials began to proliferate only in 1800, placebos were first used in 1863 and randomization wasn't introduced until 1923.

30 Jul 2008

Minorities less likely to know about breast cancer treatment options

Nearly half of women treated for breast cancer did not know that their odds of being alive after five years are roughly the same whether they undergo mastectomy or breast conserving surgery. Minority women were even less likely to be aware of this important factor of their treatment decision, according to a study from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.

30 Jul 2008

Corn protein, zein being researched for drug delivery

The key to a better drug delivery method for cancer patients may be growing all across the Midwest, South Dakota State University research suggests.

29 Jul 2008

ISU researchers find possible alternative adjuvant for alum to boost the effectiveness of vaccines

On the rocky road of cancer research, Indiana State University scientists have made important discoveries.

29 Jul 2008

Estrogen treatments may sharpen mental performance in some women

Estrogen treatments may sharpen mental performance in women with certain medical conditions, but University of Florida researchers suggest that recharging a naturally occurring estrogen receptor in the brain may also clear cognitive cobwebs.

29 Jul 2008

Different breast cancer screening strategies shown to be equally effective

An organized population-based breast cancer screening program in Norway and an approach to screening that relies on physician- and self-referrals in Vermont are equally sensitive for detecting cancer, researchers report in the July 29 online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. But the recall rate for abnormal mammograms was lower in Norway.

29 Jul 2008

Lawmakers agree to ban use of phthalates in toys

Lawmakers charged with finalizing the Consumer Product Safety Commission Reform Act agreed yesterday to include a provision that will ban phthalates from children's toys and childcare articles. The legislative action validates the concerns of scientists and parents who have been urging a ban, and will bring federal regulation in line with several states and leading retailers that have already taken action to remove phthalates from toys.

29 Jul 2008

Laboratory and mouse studies show targeted drug blocks the growth of breast cancer cells that spread to the brain

Using laboratory and mouse models of human breast cancer, researchers have found that a small molecule capable of targeting specific proteins on the surface of breast cancer cells can inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells that migrate to the brain.

29 Jul 2008

Hip bone density predicts breast cancer risk independently of Gail score

Measuring a woman's bone mineral density can provide additional information that may help more accurately determine a woman's risk of developing breast cancer. That is the conclusion of a new study published in the September 1, 2008 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.

28 Jul 2008

Patient liaison is the focus of a new medical centre

"I was completely stunned. Nearly everything he was saying to me was going right over the top of my head. I could see his lips moving but I could not process or absorb his words"- a patient on hearing her doctor diagnose breast cancer.

28 Jul 2008

Clinical trials to examine mushrooms' cancer-fighting properties

The role of mushrooms in reducing the risk of breast and prostate cancers and in stunting the growth of these cancers will be tested shortly with the start of human clinical trials at the City of Hope research centre in California.

27 Jul 2008