Breast Cancer
Relevance: Medium-High
Most relevant for: Anyone diagnosed with breast cancer
Guideline: Breast surgeons recommend genetic testing for all breast cancer patients
The American Society of Breast Surgeons published statement on genetic testing for hereditary breast cancer on February 10, 2019. It includes recommendations about who should be tested. Among these is the recommendation that all breast cancer patients get genetic testing, as well as women who do not have breast cancer but fit the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines. (3/25/19)
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Relevance: High
Most relevant for: African American women who are at high risk for breast cancer
Study: Gaps in information about breast cancer risk and prevention impact African American women
A study showed that African American women with increased breast cancer risk experienced greater burdens in obtaining information at each step compared to white women. Racial differences in preventive choices correlated with differences in information and provider access. (3/14/19)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Most relevant for: Bahamanian women
Study: Prevalence of BRCA founder mutations in Bahamian women
The Bahamas has the highest known frequency of BRCA mutations among people diagnosed with breast cancer. This study reviewed whether population-based BRCA testing (testing everyone regardless of family or personal history of cancer) would be an effective approach for finding mutation carriers in the Bahamas. (3/4/19)
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Relevance: Low
Most relevant for: People diagnosed with cancer
Article: Promise of a cure for cancer is too good to be true
The Jerusalem Post published an article titled, “A cure for cancer? Israeli scientists may have found one.” The story profiled a small Israeli company called Accelerated Evolution Biotechnologies that has been working on developing new cancer treatments since 2000. The article relied almost entirely on an interview with the company’s chairperson of the board who made a series of unsubstantiated claims that included that, in a year’s time, the company will offer a complete cure for cancer. (2/12/19)
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Relevance: High
Most relevant for: Anyone diagnosed with cancer
Article: The cost of cancer care and impact of financial hardship on treatment
Several recent studies on the cost of cancer care show the negative effects on cancer patients. We review an article by Kaiser Health News and associated studies about the financial impact of breast cancer treatment and cost of precision medicine. (2/8/19)
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Relevance: High
Most relevant for: People with metastatic, hormone-positive breast cancer
Study: The impact of palbociclib (Ibrance) on overall survival for metastatic breast cancer patients in the PALOMA-3 trial
The PALOMA-3 clinical trial showed that a new CDK4/6 inhibitor in combination therapy improved progression-free survival of women treated for hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer in women with prior disease progression after endocrine therapy. This XRAYS reviews a newly published study in the New England Journal of Medicine that looks at overall survival in the original PALOMA-3 study. (1/23/19)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Most relevant for: Women diagnosed with breast cancer at a young age
Study: Improving outcomes for young women with breast cancer: fertility and childbearing issues
Fertility issues and family planning decisions are prominent concerns for young women with breast cancer. This XRAYS looks at Dr. Ann Partridge’s presentation at the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer symposium. Her talk, “Breast cancer in young women: Understanding differences to improve outcomes," focused on initial findings from the Young Women's Breast Cancer Study. Dr. Partridge’s research continues in the currently enrolling POSITIVE trial which tests whether women can safely interrupt adjuvant endocrine therapy in order to get pregnant. (1/7/19)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Most relevant for: Women in their childbearing years
Study: Breast cancer risk increases modestly after childbirth
Does having children alter the risk of breast cancer? Women who give birth have a lower lifetime risk of breast cancer. However, newer data suggests that breast cancer risk increases immediately after childbirth. A study published in December 2018 examines data from the Premenopausal Breast Cancer Collective Group seeking to clarify this issue. (12/28/18)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Most relevant for: Nigerian women or women of Nigerian descent who have breast cancer
Study: Inherited breast cancer in Nigerian women
A new study shows that among Nigerian women, one in eight cases of breast cancer is due to an inherited mutation in BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2 or TP53. (12/5/18)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Most relevant for: People with an inherited mutation linked to cancer
Personal Story: Pamela Munster's story of cancer in the family
In her essay in The Washington Post, Dr. Pamela Munster recounts her family's history with cancer associated with a mutation in the BRCA2 gene. She details her father's extraordinary journey with pancreatic cancer, one of the most aggressive and deadly cancers. (11/27/18)
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