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
Ovarian Cancer
Relevance: Medium


Quality of Writing: High


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.
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Relevance: Medium


Strength of Science: Medium


Research Timeline: Human Research


Study : Do BRCA mutations affect fertility?
Relevance: Medium


Strength of Science: Medium


Research Timeline: Human Research


Most relevant for: Women with a BRCA mutation who want to become pregnant
Age affects fertility. As women age, their ovaries release eggs that are not as healthy as those released in younger women. Fewer eggs are released each menstrual cycle as women age, making it harder for older women to become pregnant. Are women with BRCA mutations less fertile? Previous research suggested that BRCA mutations might affect women's fertility as she ages. A recent study found that BRCA1 mutation carriers may have slightly lower fertility than women without the same mutation, but more research is needed before this finding is useful for medical decision-making. (5/24/16)
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Study : Financial burden affects quality of life of cancer survivors
Most relevant for: People diagnosed with cancer
Cancer-related financial burden can keep survivors from getting the care that they need, yet how this burden affects mental and physical health is still unknown. A study found that almost one-third of cancer survivors report having financial burden; those most likely to be affected were under age 65, female, members of racial or ethnic minority groups, and people who lack access to adequate insurance. (5/17/16)
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Study : Factors that affect the ability to work in people with metastatic cancer
Most relevant for: People living with metastatic cancer
Some patients who live with metastatic cancer either want or need to continue working while coping with symptoms of their disease and treatment. A recent study that looked at over 600 people with metastatic breast, prostate, colon, or lung cancer found that about one-third of them continue working full or part time. People most likely to continue working were those undergoing hormonal treatment and those with less severe symptoms or side effects from treatment. (4/12/16)
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Article : New York Times report demonstrates need for genetic counseling, but doesn’t give the whole story
Most relevant for: People diagnosed with breast cancer
A New York Times report discussed how genetic testing could provide “grim data” without guidance for patients. While this is a valid concern, this report does not sufficiently emphasize certain important issues regarding genetic testing, particularly the need for genetic counseling by a health care provider with expertise in genetics before and after genetic testing. (4/5/16)
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Relevance: Medium


Strength of Science: Medium-High


Research Timeline: Post Approval


Study : What are the genetics underlying 12 different cancer types?
Relevance: Medium


Strength of Science: Medium-High


Research Timeline: Post Approval


Most relevant for: People diagnosed with cancer
As gene sequencing has become more affordable, researchers and health care providers are now looking for mutations in many genes beyond BRCA1, BRCA2 and others that are associated with known hereditary cancer syndromes. By sequencing thousands of genes rather than just one or two, researchers can better understand which inherited mutations affect cancer risk. In this study, researchers sequenced thousands of genes in patients with one of 12 cancers, including breast, and catalogued which gene mutations are most commonly found in each cancer. (03/01/16)
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Relevance: Medium


Strength of Science: Medium-High


Research Timeline: Human Research


Study : How many children with cancer have mutations in genes that increase cancer risk?
Relevance: Medium


Strength of Science: Medium-High


Research Timeline: Human Research


Most relevant for: Survivors of childhood cancer and people with a family history of relatives diagnosed with childhood cancers
Many genes are associated with increased cancer risk in adults, but it is unclear how common these mutations are in children with cancer. This study found that about 9% of children with cancer carry mutations in a gene that is known to increase cancer risk. Over half of the mutations were in the TP53 gene, which is associated with increased cancer risk at a young age and increased risk of breast cancer in adults. (12/15/2015)
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Study : Effects of cancer diagnosis and treatment during pregnancy on the health and development of the child
Most relevant for: Women who were diagnosed with breast cancer while pregnant
Very little work has studied how a woman's cancer diagnosis and treatment during pregnancy affects her child. This study of women who were diagnosed with cancer while pregnant looks at their children at ages 18 months and 3 years. The study found no difference in general, cognitive, and cardiac development when compared to children born to healthy mothers. (12/08/2015)
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Relevance: Low


Strength of Science: Medium


Research Timeline: Animal Studies


Study : Do antioxidants encourage the spread of cancer cells?
Relevance: Low


Strength of Science: Medium


Research Timeline: Animal Studies


Most relevant for: The clinical relevance of this study for people is not clear
Scientists do not yet know why some cancers spread to other parts of the body (a process called metastasis). A study in mice suggested that high doses of some antioxidants (chemicals that can protect cells from damage) might actually make it easier for cancer cells to spread. (12/01/2015)
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Relevance: Low


Quality of Writing: Low


Article : What “The Truth About Cancer” got wrong about BRCA mutations and cancer
Relevance: Low


Quality of Writing: Low


Most relevant for: Because this video is full of medical misinformation, it is not relevant for anyone making healthcare decisions
A website called thetruthaboutcancer.com, created a 9-part docu-series titled “The Truth About Cancer: A Global Quest” (TACGQ). The video states that Angelina Jolie’s decision to remove her breasts was one made out of fear; one commentator states that her decision was “barbaric." This video contains a lot of dangerous misinformation about BRCA mutations and inherited cancer. FORCE XRAYS provides the following point-by-point analysis on "The Truth About Cancer." (11/10/2015)
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