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.
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Hereditary Cancer Risk
Study : Diet during teen years and early adulthood is linked to breast cancer risk
Most relevant for: Adolescent and young adult women
During teen years, breast tissue grows rapidly in young girls and is more likely to be harmed by substances that are known to cause cancer. Few studies have looked at the relationship between diet during puberty and breast cancer risk. This study looks at how a woman’s diet during their teenage years and early adulthood is associated with breast cancer development later in life. (6/30/17)
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Article : FDA busts myths of preventing and treating cancer by eating apricot kernels, herbs, and other ingredients
Most relevant for: People diagnosed with or concerned about their risk for cancer
Maggie Fox (NBC News) writes about a new FDA report that warns of 14 "fraudulent” cancer products claiming to either cure or treat cancer (1). The companies that sell these products claim that many of them also prevent cancer, but are they safe or effective? (6/26/17)
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Relevance: 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)
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Relevance: High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Study : Patient experiences with genetic testing
Relevance: High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Most 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)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Study : A step in the development of a new breast cancer risk assessment tool for Hispanic women
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Most relevant for: Hispanic women
Current tools used to calculate breast cancer risk make their estimations based on data from non-Hispanic white women and may not accurately predict breast cancer risk in women of other races and ethnicities. With further testing, a new risk assessment tool developed specifically for Hispanic women could more accurately predict breast cancer risk in women who do not have mutations in BRCA or other genes associated with hereditary breast cancer. (02/07/17)
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Study : Angelina Jolie spoke out on BRCA testing: Did genetic testing increase?
Most relevant for: People interested in genetic testing for an inherited mutation
Angelina Jolie published an editorial in the New York Times in 2013 about her choice to have a double mastectomy after finding out she was positive for a BRCA1 mutation. Researchers from a recent study claim that her celebrity endorsement of BRCA testing may have missed its target audience (previvors), due to the increase in BRCA testing following publication of the editorial but a decrease in the number of mastectomies performed. However, the study failed to take into account that many women without breast cancer do not pursue mastectomy in the months following genetic testing. (1/4/17)
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Article : After mastectomy: reconstruct or not?
Most relevant for: Woman who are facing mastectomy
Today, more women know they can have breast reconstruction after removing their breasts for cancer treatment or risk reduction. But what about choosing not to undergo reconstruction? Roni Caryn Rabin writes about the experiences of women who decide against reconstruction in her New York Times piece “‘Going Flat’ After Breast Cancer.” (12/14/16)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Quality of Writing: Medium
Personal Story : Men get breast cancer too
Relevance: Medium-High
Quality of Writing: Medium
Most relevant for: Men diagnosed with breast cancer
Cathy Free's piece for People, “Men Have Breasts Too: New York Man Who Survived Stage 2 Breast Cancer Spreads Message,” tells the stories of two men whose experiences with breast cancer inspired them to speak openly about breast cancer awareness for men. (11/29/16)
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Personal Story : Why one woman passed on genetic testing
Most relevant for: People considering genetic testing and people who are Ashkenazi Jewish
What are reasons to get or not get genetic testing? Cynthia Graber gives her thoughts on the matter in her Wired opinion piece, "Why I Won't Get the Genetic Test for Breast Cancer." (11/15/16)
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Study : Removing ovaries before age 50 may increase the risk of chronic conditions for some women
Most relevant for: Women under 50 years of age who have had or are considering removing their ovaries
Removal of ovaries and fallopian tubes prevents ovarian cancer, but it may come with other health risks. Experts recommend removal of ovaries and fallopian tubes in women at high risk for ovarian cancer due to inherited mutations in BRCA or other genes linked to ovarian cancer risk. For these high-risk women the benefit of ovarian cancer prevention outweighs the risk of long-term complications. Based on a recent study, some researchers feel that for women who are not at increased risk for cancer, the risk for some chronic conditions is too high to consider removal of both ovaries. (11/1/16)
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