Breast Cancer

Article : A cancer patient’s tumor is genetically profiled—how does that info help treatment?

Relevance: Medium

Quality of Writing: High

Most relevant for: People diagnosed with advanced cancer

Jessica Wapner's Scientific American article explores the difficulties of making the vast amount of information acquired from tumor gene tests useful to patients and physicians. (9/20/16). Update: THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN UPDATED. In late 2017, the FDA approved two separate tumor profiling tests to help guide treatment choices. The FoundationOne CDx (F1CDx) genomic test has been approved to test for 15 different targeted therapies used to treat five types of cancer, including ovarian, colorectal, lung, breast and melanoma. The FDA also approved the MSK-IMPACT and developed for use by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) to scan tumor samples for 468 different cancer-associated mutations or alterations.

Personal Story : Dogs: Companions, hunters, and cancer detectors?

Relevance: Medium-Low

Quality of Writing: Medium-Low

Most relevant for:

In August 2016, many news outlets published stories about how actress Shannen Doherty’s dog was able to sniff out her cancer before she was diagnosed. Is there scientific validity to that claim? (9/616)

Study : How beneficial is online communication after a new diagnosis of breast cancer?

Relevance: High

Strength of Science: Medium

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Newly diagnosed breast cancer patients often use online communication to find more information about their diagnoses and treatment options. But does online communication benefit these patients' decision-making process? (8/30/16)

Study : Does IVF increase a woman’s risk for breast cancer?

Relevance: Medium

Strength of Science: Medium-High

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Most relevant for: Woman at average risk for breast cancer who have or are considering undergoing In Vitro Fertilization

In vitro fertilization (IVF) wasn't commonly used until the 1980s, so its long-term effects are mostly unknown. A new study suggests that the treatment does not increase a woman's risk for developing breast cancer. (8/23/16)

Study : Can acupressure be used to treat cancer-related fatigue?

Relevance: Medium-High

Strength of Science: Medium-High

Research Timeline: Human Research

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Most relevant for: Breast cancer survivors and people in treatment who are experiencing fatigue

Breast cancer survivors commonly report experiencing considerable fatigue, which can lead to sleep problems and poor quality of life. Yet, there are no good therapies for these patients. This research study looks at whether self-administered acupressure can help breast cancer survivors with their fatigue. (8/9/16)

Study : Is there a link between exercise and memory in breast cancer survivors?

Relevance: Medium-High

Strength of Science: Medium

Research Timeline: Human Research

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Most relevant for: People diagnosed with early stage breast cancer

Exercise has many health benefits, but can it also help improve memory for breast cancer survivors? This research finds that breast cancer survivors who exercised more had less fatigue and distress (anxiety, depression, stress, and/or concern about recurrence) and scored better on memory tests. (8/2/16)

Study : Extending aromatase inhibitor duration to 10 years lowers recurrence for ER/PR+ breast cancer patients

Relevance: Medium-High

Strength of Science: High

Research Timeline: Post Approval

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Hormonal therapy reduces the risk of recurrence for women with early-stage breast cancer that is ER-and/or PR-positive. Standard therapy lasts 5 years. A new study looks at whether extending one type of hormonal therapy, known as aromatase inhibitor therapy, to 10 years lowers recurrence rates even more for these women. (7/26/16)

Study : Racial disparities in BRCA testing: Why?

Relevance: Medium-High

Strength of Science: Medium-High

Research Timeline: Post Approval

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Most relevant for: African American women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer

Black women receive BRCA testing less frequently than white women. Why is that? Researchers thought the reason might be that black and white women see different health care providers. However, new research suggests that disparities in physician recommendations for testing are the cause: black women with breast cancer were less likely to receive physician recommendations for BRCA testing than white women with breast cancer. There is a need to ensure equity in physician testing recommendations for black women. (7/21/16)

Study : Early research on a drug to prevent breast cancer

Relevance: Medium

Strength of Science: Medium

Research Timeline: Human Research

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Most relevant for: Women with a BRCA1 mutation

Many researchers are interested in non-surgical options to reduce the higher-than-average risk of developing breast cancer in BRCA mutation carriers. This research study identified a type of drug, called a “RANK ligand inhibitor,” that may prevent breast cancer. Among mice that were genetically engineered to have no BRCA1 genes, those that were given the drug developed tumors less frequently than those that did not. While this is an exciting early study for BRCA mutation carriers, more work and human clinical trials need to be done before this can be used as a prevention therapy in humans. (7/12/16)

Update added 11/24/19: The RANK ligand inhibitor, denosumab is currently being studied as a possible breast and ovarian cancer preventive agent in human clinical trials.

Study : Breast cancer risk model updated for average risk women with genetic, lifestyle and environmental information

Relevance: Medium

Strength of Science: Medium

Research Timeline: Human Research

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Most relevant for: Women at average risk for breast cancer

A number of factors are known to increase breast cancer risk, but some of these factors have not been included in models to predict breast cancer risk. This study looks at an updated model that includes some of these factors, such as genetics, smoking, and drinking. The goal of the model is to give women a more individualized breast cancer risk assessment. (6/29/16)