Breast Cancer

Article : The right not to know when not knowing is dangerous

Relevance: High

Quality of Writing: High

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Most relevant for: People with Icelandic heritage

Healthcare providers are bound by the guiding principle of doing no harm. But how does this concept apply to their patients who have not consented to genetic testing or who do not want to know their results? In that case, is providing test results more harmful or not? Anna Clausen explores these issues in the context of breast cancer gene testing in her Global Health Now article “The Right Not to Know: When Ignorance is Bliss but Deadly.” (4/20/18)

Study : FDA updates report on risk of lymphoma from breast implants

Relevance: Medium-High

Research Timeline: Post Approval

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Most relevant for: Women who currently have textured implants or expanders or who have had them in the past

Note: On 07/25/19, the FDA announced a recall of Allergan BIOCELL textured implants and expanders, due to their association with BIA-ALCL. On October 27, 2021 the FDA announced stronger guidance on breast implant safety.

In March 2017, the Food and Drug Administration reported that patients with breast implants may be at increased risk for a rare type of lymphoma. This was covered in a previous XRAYS review. The FDA has continued to collect data since the first reported association in 2011. Recently, the agency released an update on the number of reported cases of breast implant-associated lymphoma and lifetime risk estimates for women with textured breast implants. (04/02/18)

Study : Take your time, follow your heart: strategies for communication about family planning

Relevance: Medium-High

Strength of Science: Medium

Most relevant for: Young high risk women

When a woman is newly diagnosed with a BRCA mutation, she faces many risk management decisions. Although many of these decisions impact family planning, little guidance is available on how to communicate this information. This study examines female previvors’ advice on effective strategies for discussing family planning decisions. (03/28/18)

Update : FDA approves at-home test kits for inherited cancer: how useful are they?

Relevance: Medium

Research Timeline: Post Approval

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Most relevant for: People who are considering or have had direct-to-consumer testing through 23andMe

Genetic testing for health conditions (such as risk for cancer) typically requires a prescription from a doctor. Until recently, direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing has focused on tests to learn your ancestry and find of unknown branches of family trees. A laboratory called 23andMe that provides direct-to-consumer genetic testing has been given FDA approval to report results for 3 mutations found in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. The FDA statement provides details about this approval and warns people about the limitations of the 23andMe test. (03/19/18)

Article : Insurance companies are more than curious about your genetic test results

Relevance: Medium-High

Quality of Writing: Medium

Most relevant for: People considering testing for an inherited gene mutation

An article on CBSNews.com addressed why insurance companies, particularly long-term insurance companies, might want to know which of their policy holders and potential policy holders have a gene that raises their risk for cancer. The article discusses genetic discrimination by insurance companies that provide long term care policies. Federal laws protect people with gene mutations from discrimination in health insurance. No such federal laws exist for life insurance, disability insurance or long term care. (3/13/18)

Study : Is asparagus linked to breast cancer metastasis?

Relevance: Low

Strength of Science: Medium

Research Timeline: Animal Studies

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Most relevant for: People diagnosed with breast cancer

A study published in the journal Nature shows that asparagine, a protein building block that takes its name from asparagus, promotes the spread of breast cancer in mice. The study by cancer experts from Britain, Canada and the U.S. investigated whether limiting the levels of asparagine in mice could reduce tumor metastasis. (3/2/18)

Study : Cancer “vaccine” injected directly into tumors works in mice

Relevance: Medium-Low

Strength of Science: Medium-Low

Research Timeline: Animal Studies

Most relevant for: People with advanced cancers

Immunotherapy is treatment that uses the immune system to fight cancer. Still in its infancy, it is a promising therapy that is changing how certain cancers are treated. A new study reports that tumors in lab mice were eliminated when they were injected with two immune system-enhancing agents. This new approach is called in situ (at the original site) vaccination because the injections are given directly into the tumors. It worked on several different types of mouse tumors, including lymphomas and breast tumors. This approach may be safer than conventional immunotherapy because it uses very low doses of the agents and it does not require tumors to have particular markers. (02/23/18)

Study : Survival and mutation status in breast cancer patients under age 40

Relevance: Medium-High

Strength of Science: High

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Most relevant for: Young breast cancer patients

Studies have found conflicting rates of survival for BRCA mutation carriers who develop breast cancer, reporting better, worse and similar outcomes compared to patients with sporadic breast cancer. New results of the large Prospective Outcomes in Sporadic versus Hereditary (POSH) breast cancer study found no difference in survival rates between the two groups. The study also concluded that among young triple-negative breast cancer patients during the first 2 years after diagnosis, BRCA mutation carriers had an initial survival advantage compared to women without a BRCA mutation. (02/15/18)

Article : Oncoplastic breast-conserving surgery with BioZorb® technology

Relevance: Medium

Quality of Writing: Medium-High

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Most relevant for: Women undergoing lumpectomy for breast cancer

The January 22, 2018 issue of The Columbian included an interview with Dr. Anne Peled in its online report, “Breast cancer surgeon diagnosed with breast cancer advocates oncoplastic surgery.”  Dr. Peled is a 37-year-old breast cancer surgeon and plastic surgeon from California who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent oncoplastic lumpectomy—a single surgery that removes the tumor and rearranges the remaining tissue to eliminate any resulting breast deformity. Peled’s procedure included a relatively new technology that she uses for her own patients: an implanted BioZorb® marker, a small device that improves precise targeting of radiation therapy and cosmetic outcome. (2/8/18) 

Update 08/02/2024 

On May 22, 2024, the FDA issued a safety notification on BioZorb Markers. This is due to reports of people having adverse reactions to BioZorb Markers placed in breast tissue.

These included infection, fluid buildup, movement of the marker, either through the skin or to another location in the breast, discomfort due to feeling the device in the breast and rash. This safety alert does not call for removal of BioZorb Markers. People should report any reactions to BioZorb to their doctor and the FDA. You can read more about this safety notification here.

Study : Should biannual MRIs replace annual mammograms in high-risk women?

Relevance: High

Strength of Science: High

Research Timeline: Post Approval

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Most relevant for: Women at increased risk for breast cancer due to an inherited mutation

The risk of breast cancer is exceptionally high in women who have a personal or family history of breast cancer or who carry a mutation in BRCA or certain other genes. More frequent screening is one strategy for early detection of breast cancer for these women. Study results presented at the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium suggest that MRI screening every 6 months may be more effective than the currently recommended annual breast MRI and annual mammogram in detecting early stage breast cancers-which are more treatable-in high-risk women. (2/1/18)