Archive for the ‘breast cancer’ Category
Friday, March 5th, 2010
A new study in the March issue of Radiology reported that combining mammography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be a cost effective way to reduce the chances of dying for high risk breast cancer women. An increased lifetime risk of developing breast cancer occurs in women with mutations of the BRCA1 gene and using mammography for screening this group (the usual method) detects less than half of the breast cancers.
The researchers compared the cost and benefits of mammography and of MRI’s separately and in combination in a hypothetical group of 25 year old women with BRCA1 mutations. Using a statistical modeling technique to estimate the number of quality adjusted years added by screening and the lifetime costs they concluded that an annual combined screening was best at detecting early stage cancer and at providing the best relative reduction in deaths. Using the combination was most cost effective as the risk of breast cancer increased and least cost effective as it decreased. These findings support the current screening recommendations of the American Cancer Assn.
Tags: BRAC1 mutation, breast cancer, mammography, MRI, research
Posted in breast cancer, research | No Comments »
Friday, February 26th, 2010
A study in the Journal of Clinical Oncology reported that “aspirin can significantly reduce the risk of cancer spread and death in women who have been treated for early breast cancer.” Researchers at Harvard Medical School studied 4,164 female registered nurses taking part in the Nurses’ Health Study. Starting in 1976 they looked at who took aspirin, who developed breast cancer and all causes of death up until 2006. During this time 341 nurses died of breast cancer. Of this group women who took aspirin two to five days a week had a 60% reduced risk of their cancer spreading and a 71% lower risk of breast cancer death. Other non-steroidal inflammatory drugs (NSAID’s) in the same class as aspirin had the same effect and included ibuprofen and naproxen but not acetaminophen. This relationship was not as clear because of limited data. Although aspirin is relatively benign compared with chemotherapy drugs it can cause bleeding and should not be taken without medical supervision. It also should not be taken while undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy because of the possible side effects.
Tags: aspirin, breast cancer, cancer spread, death rates, Harvard Medical School, research
Posted in breast cancer, drugs, research | 1 Comment »
Friday, January 29th, 2010
Forthcoming research carried out at the University of Oklahoma to be published in the Annals of Surgical Oncology concluded that a new treatment not only killed large cancer tumors but also reduced the need for mastectomies by almost 90%. Dr William Dooley is leading a group of researchers from The University of Oklahoma and 4 other research sites who are working on a treatment called Focused Microwave Thermotherapy.
In their current research, they tested the therapy on tumors that were from one inch to one and a half inches in size that usually require mastectomies. Using the heating therapy within two hours of giving chemotherapy, tumors were more suceptible to chemotherapy and shrunk rapidly. The percentage of patients needing mastectomies were reduced from 75% to 7%. The researchers plan to repeat the trials to see if the therapy is effective on tumors larger that 1 1/2 inches but smaller than 5 inches.
Posted in breast cancer, cancer | 1 Comment »
Friday, January 22nd, 2010
A study reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology noted that a 21-gene test that predicts whether early breast cancer patients will benefit from chemotherapy is influencing the decision for type of treatment ordered by physicians and patients. In their study the researchers reported that as a result of the test the physicians changed their treatment plan for 31.5 % of the cases, and patients changed their treatment plan 31.5% of the time.
The multigenetic test, Oncotype DX, examines 21 genes from a tumor sample to determine how active they are. A test score between 0 and 100 predicts the likelihood of the cancer recurring. If women have a low score, chemotherapy is not recommended. Since the test became available in 2004 (for patients with estrogen recepton-positive breast cancer that has not spread to the lymph nodes) , over 120,000 breast cancer patients have undergone the test. There are about 100,000 cases of breast cancer that fall within this category yearly.
This study looked at 89 breast cancer patients who received the gene test. They were treated by 17 medical oncologists. Doctors changed decisions for 28 patients and in 20 of these they changed from hormone therapy plus chemotherapy to hormone therapy alone. Twenty-four patients changed their decisions including 9 who dropped chemotherapy. Doctors reported the test increased their confidence in their treatment decision in 76% of the patients. The cost of the test is $3,910 and most insurance plans will cover it.
Tags: 21-gene test, breast cancer, chemotherapy, hormone therapy
Posted in Uncategorized, breast cancer, cancer | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 13th, 2010
A research study in a recent issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry reported that Calcitrol, an active form of Vitamin D, was found to induce a tumor suppressing protein that could inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells. In the study at the UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School, the researchers built upon previous research that concluded that increased serum levels of Vitamin D were associated with an improved prognosis in breast cancer patients. This study looked at the factors that determine the effect of calcitrol on inhibiting breast cancer growth and looked specifically at the protein involved in this process. They concluded that the results provide an important process in which vitamin D may work to reduce the growth of the breast cancer cells and form a basis for a design of new anticancer agents that can target the protein.
Tags: breast cancer, Calcitrol. vitamin D, research
Posted in Uncategorized, Vitamin and Minerals, breast cancer, research | No Comments »
Friday, December 25th, 2009
A study in the December 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Associan reported that soy foods which are popular in the United States can help reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence and subsequent death when eaten in moderate amounts. They also claim that it may reduce the risk of death in women with estrogen receptor-positive cancers and women taking tamoxifen.
The research, led by Dr Xiao Ou Shu, professor of medicine and cancer epidemiologist at Vanderbilt University, observed over 5,000 Chinese women between the ages of 20 and 75 who had been diagnosed with breast cancer during the 2002 to 2006 period. Information was collected on cancer diagnosis, treatment received, diet, and post-diagnosis progression. The researchers found that women with the highest soy consumption reported 32 percent lower risk of cancer recurrence and 29 percent reduced risk of death than those who consumed less than 5.3 grams of soy daily.
Tags: breast cancer, reduced deaths, reduced recurrence, research, soy, Tamoxifen
Posted in breast cancer, cancer, nutrition, research | 1 Comment »
Friday, November 20th, 2009
A recent report from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reported that although three drugs (tamoxifen, raloxifene, and tibolone) reduce a woman’s chances of getting breast cancer each has potential harmful effects for those using them. More specifically all three drugs significantly reduces invasive breast cancer in midlife and older women who have not previously had breast cancer but the benefits vary depending upon the drug and the woman.
The most common side effects for the drug tamoxifen are flushing, night sweats, hot flashes, vaginal discharge, itching and dryness, and for raloxifene are night sweats, hot flashes, and leg cramps, and for tibolone are vaginal bleeding. In addition, each drug carries a risk of adverse effects including increased risk of endometrial cancer, hysterectomies, and cataracts for tamoxifen compared to the other drugs; increased risk of stroke for tibolone; and increased risk of blood clots for both tamoxifen and raloxifene although it is greater with tamoxifen. More information is available at: www.effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov
Tags: adverse effects, breast cancer, drugs, Holistic Health Show, raloxifene, Tamoxifen, tibolone
Posted in breast cancer, cancer, drugs | No Comments »
Friday, November 13th, 2009
Research at the University of Chicago reported in Cancer Prevention Research in October that a ” socially isolated, stressful environment can speed up the growth of breast cancer” in animal models and can actually change the expression of genes involved in the growth of mammary gland tumors Their study followed other studies showing that stress can adversely affect cancer. In their study the researchers randomly assigned mice genetically suceptible for breast cancer to live in social isolation or with groups shortly after weaning. Three and a half weeks later they measured the gene expression in the mammary glands and found reproducible changes in the mice in isolation. These genes that were turned on and off by metabolism are known to contribute to increased breast cancer growth. The mice in isolation developed larger and more cancers than the mice living in groups and had a higher corticosterone stress hormone response than the group living mice. The researcher believes the findings may suggest molecular biomarkers that can be used in prevention in breast cancer and that perceived or actual environmental stressor can affect which genes get turned on or off. If this is proven in further research it may be possible to to find tumors in their formative stage and suppress them before they become tumors.
Tags: breast cancer, genes, group living, Holistic Health Show, isolation, stress
Posted in breast cancer, cancer | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009
My other guests on this Saturday’s show on BBS Radio (www.bbsradio.com) are Dr Adam Perlman, and Ms Caroline Gross. Both were previously on this cancer series.
Dr Perlman received his Medical Degree (M.D.) and a Masters of Public Health (MPH) from Boston University. He is currently Director of Integrative Medicine for the St Barnabas Health Care system and Medical Director for the Carol and Morton Siegler Center for Integrative Medicine in Livingston, New Jersey where he developed and oversees the Complementary and Alternative Programs. In 2002 he became the Executive Director of the Institute of Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey where he is an Assistant Professor. In 2004 he was named the Endowed Professor of Complementary and Alternative Medicine at this University and in 2000 he was recommended by his peer for the Excellence in Caring Award at St Barnabas. He will discuss his model of cancer care that includes a combination of traditional and alternative complementary cancer care.
He has numerous grants and publications including book chapters and 4 current funded grants. More information on his extensive activities can be found at: www.umdnj.edu/icam/about/perlman.htm
Ms Gross is a breast cancer survivor who was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer in 2003 and is a speaker, facilitator, patient advocate, and author of 2 books titled Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos and Treatable and Beatable: Healing Cancer Without Surgery She was a patient of Dr Rubio during her breast cancer experience. More information is available at www.treatableandbeatable.com
Tags: breast cancer, Dr Adam Perlman, Dr Carl O Helvie, integrative medicine, Ms Carolyn Gross, St Barnabas
Posted in alternative health, body-mind-spirit, breast cancer, cancer, cancer survivors, complementary | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009
In a study published in the Journal of the American medical Assn (JAMA) on August 19, 2009 researchers at Washington School of Medicine confirmed previous known kinowledge that estrogen can be used to treat metastatic hormone-dependent breast cancer in postmenopausal women. In their study Dr Matthew Ellis and colleagues studied 66 women with advanced stages of breast cancer and were being treated with Pfizer’s Aromasin, Novartis’s Femara, and AstraZeneca Pic’s Arimidex which are all new drugs for breast cancer. They had all experienced a relapse while on estrogen-lowering drugs, and their disease was progressing so they were faced with undergoing chemotherapy. The researchers found that estrogen treatment in the form of estradiol stopped the progression of the disease in many women and was much better tolerated than chemotherapy would have been.
Estradiol was given in both high and low doses and 30% showed signs of improvement. They found that giving low doses showed better recovery compared to high doses and there were fewer negative side effects. They concluded that low does of estrogen may help cure certain types of breast cancer and more research is planned.
More information is available in the August 19, Vol 302, No 7 issue of JAMA.
Tags: breast cancer, estrogen therapy
Posted in breast cancer | No Comments »
