FORCE's eXamining the Relevance of Articles for You (XRAY) program looks behind the headlines of cancer news to help you understand what the research means for you.
XRAY is a reliable source of hereditary cancer research-related news and information.
Learn more about the XRAY program
Breast Cancer
Relevance: Medium-Low
Strength of Science: Medium-Low
Research Timeline: Animal Studies
Study : Common genetic change found in some tumors of patients who relapse after aromatase inhibitor treatment
Relevance: Medium-Low
Strength of Science: Medium-Low
Research Timeline: Animal Studies
Most relevant for: Patients with ER+ breast cancer
About one in five people diagnosed with estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer relapse within 10 years after treatment. Researchers and health care providers do not know why this happens. This early research aims to identify a genetic change in the tumor that may cause relapse, but more studies are needed to understand why patients relapse and who is at risk. (5/3/17)
Read MoreStudy : Does eating soy affect the risk of death in breast cancer survivors?
Most relevant for:
Is eating soy safe for people who have had breast cancer? This topic has been controversial among health care providers, patients, and survivors for many years because research has yielded mixed results. Some studies suggest people who have been diagnosed with breast cancer should eat more soy products, while other studies recommend they eat less or avoid it altogether. Which should it be? Adding to this research is a new study that asked breast cancer survivors about their soy consumption before and after diagnosis. (4/27/17)
Read MoreStudy : FDA report claims women with breast implants may be at risk for rare cancer
Most relevant for: Women who had or are consideration breast reconstruction with implants
THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN UPDATED. The FDA issued an update in March, 2018 about Breast Implant Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL). This was covered in a more recent XRAY review. On 07/25/19, the FDA announced a recall of Allergan BIOCELL textured implants and expanders, due to their association with BIA-ALCL. This was also covered in a more recent XRAY review.
Recent headlines highlighted an FDA report stating that patients with breast implants may be at increased risk for a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. What is the scientific evidence behind this claim? (4/21/17)
Read MoreStudy : Nearly half of breast cancer patients experience a severe side effect after treatment
Most relevant for: People diagnosed with early stage breast cancer
While clinical trials track treatment side effects, fewer studies look at the burden of side effects on women undergoing breast cancer treatment or compare the side effects of different treatments. This study looks at the severity of side effects experienced by women treated for early-stage breast cancer. (4/11/17)
Read MoreRelevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-Low
Study : Routine breast cancer screening leads to overdiagnosis
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-Low
Most relevant for: Women at average risk for breast cancer
Routine breast cancer screening for women of average risk has been controversial for many years because some believe that the benefits do not outweigh the risks. Recent headlines covering a study in Denmark suggests that routine breast cancer screening leads to “overdiagnosis” of breast cancer. (4/4/17)
Read MoreRelevance: Medium-Low
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Animal Studies
Article : Does metastasis happen earlier than previously thought?
Relevance: Medium-Low
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Animal Studies
Most relevant for:
Sharon Begley discusses an unconventional new idea about how cancer cells spread (a process known as metastasis) in her recent piece for the website STAT. She states that, “cancer cells spread way earlier than thought, seeding metastases that cause most deaths.” (3/28/17)
Read MoreRelevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Human Research
Study : Does working night shifts increase breast cancer risk?
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Human Research
Most relevant for: Women who work night shifts or have in the past
The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified night shift work as a possible risk factor for breast cancer in 2007, although the majority of the evidence for this claim came from studies of animals after their normal sleep-wake cycle was disrupted. The authors of this study surveyed women from three different cohorts to examine whether night shift work can increase a woman’s breast cancer risk. (3/24/17)
Read MoreStudy : Friends and family may help breast cancer survival
Most relevant for: People diagnosed with breast cancer
Does having a large social network help breast cancer survivors have better outcomes? Research from the current study found that socially isolated breast cancer survivors had an increased risk of recurrence and breast cancer-specific mortality. (3/16/17)
Read MoreRelevance: High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
View Related Clinical TrialsStudy : Patient experiences with genetic testing
Relevance: High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
View Related Clinical TrialsMost relevant for: Women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer
Patients can now find out if they have a mutation in more than 20 different genes that are associated with cancer risk, thanks to research advances and the decreasing cost of genetic testing. However, patients’ experiences and use of genetic counseling and testing with these changes are unknown. Do patients want genetic testing? Are they getting tested? (3/7/17)
Read MoreRelevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Human Research
View Related Clinical TrialsStudy : Research suggests exercise is safe for breast cancer patients at risk for lymphedema
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Human Research
View Related Clinical TrialsMost relevant for: People with, or at high risk for lymphedema after breast cancer
Patients and health care providers are often concerned about how exercise affects lymphedema (swelling in the arm or hand) in breast cancer survivors or other women who have had lymph node biopsy at the time of mastectomy. Research on this topic has been mixed. A new study suggests that exercise after breast cancer treatment does not lead to lymphedema or worsen existing lymphedema. However, because this study was small, more work needs to be done to understand the relationship between exercise and lymphedema in cancer survivors. (2/22/17)
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