FORCE's eXaming 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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Update : FDA approves new imaging drug for detecting spread of prostate cancer
Most relevant for: Men with prostate cancer
On December 1, 2020 the FDA approved a new type of imaging technology to confirm the spread of newly diagnosed prostate cancer that is suspected to be metastatic. The approval also includes use for confirming suspected recurrence in men who have rising PSA after treatment. The approval is based on two clinical trials that showed this new technique to be safe and consistent in accurately detecting cancer that has spread beyond the prostate gland. (1/7/21)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Human Research
Study : Women support delayed removal of ovaries
Most relevant for: Women at high risk of ovarian cancer who are considering undergoing risk-reducing surgery.
Risk-reducing early removal of fallopian tubes followed by removal of ovaries at a later date was acceptable to women at high risk of ovarian cancer due to an inherited mutation in a recent study. This was especially true for women worried about sexual dysfunction associated with surgical menopause. (12/24/20)
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Relevance: High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Study : Immunotherapy drug Keytruda received FDA approval and showed benefit for treatment of colorectal cancer
Most relevant for: People with advanced colorectal cancer and a type of biomarker called MSI-High (MSI-H)
In June 2020, the FDA approved Keytruda (pembrolizumab) as an initial therapy for advanced colorectal cancer. This approval was based on the results from the KEYNOTE-177 study. In this study, Keytruda was more successful than chemotherapy in delaying progression of certain types of colorectal cancers. (11/25/20)
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Relevance: High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Study : Trodelvy clinical trial results likely practice-changing for people with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer
Most relevant for: People with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer
The ASCENT study confirmed an earlier study and showed that the smart drug sacituzumab govitecan-hizy (Trodelvy) improves outcomes for people with previously treated metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. These results further support the use of Trodelvy as a standard therapy for patients with pretreated metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. (11/20/20)
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Relevance: Medium-Low
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Animal Studies
Study : The buzz about honeybee venom: Promising early research to treat breast cancer
Most relevant for: People with breast cancer particularly those with HER2-positive or triple-negative breast cancer.
Early research showed that melittin, an ingredient in honeybee venom, may be used to treat HER2-positive and triple-negative breast cancers. This study found that melittin can kill cancer cells. The chemotherapy drug docetaxel more effectively killed breast cancer cells in mice when combined with melittin. It is not known whether melittin would be safe or affect cancer growth in people. While promising, more research must be done before melittin could be used to treat people. (11/10/20)
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Relevance: Medium
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Study : Inherited gene mutations found in pancreatic cancer families in Spain
Most relevant for: People with pancreatic cancer and a family history of pancreatic or other cancers
This study looked for inherited mutations in genes known to be linked to hereditary pancreatic cancer. The results provide additional evidence that most hereditary pancreatic cancer is due to inherited mutations in genes that were previously associated with other forms of cancer. (10/29/20)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Study : Knowing about an inherited BRCA mutation improves outcomes for women with breast cancer
Most relevant for: Young women with, or at high risk for an inherited BRCA mutation
Inherited mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are linked to a high lifetime risk of breast and other cancers. This study shows that women who know that they have a BRCA mutation before they are diagnosed with breast cancer have improved outcomes including diagnosis at earlier stages and improved overall survival. (10/26/20)
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Relevance: Medium
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Update : FDA updates reported harmful events linked to breast implants
Most relevant for: People who have or are considering breast implants.
The FDA has updated reported cases of breast implant-associated cancer and breast implant illness. Included in this update is approval of a questionnaire that asks about quality of life and satisfaction with breast implants. (10/20/20)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Human Research
Study : New imaging technology shows promise in detecting of spread of prostate cancer
Most relevant for: Men with high-risk prostate cancer
A new imaging technique is currently being tested to see if it can detect the spread of prostate cancer sooner than standard imaging. Two clinical trials show that the new technique can detect the spread of prostate cancer in men who are newly diagnosed and in men whose cancer returns after treatment. (10/16/20)
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Personal Story : Coping with chemotherapy-induced hair loss
Most relevant for: People who receive chemotherapy for cancer treatment
Ovarian cancer survivor Stephanie Hess shared her personal story about how she coped with hair loss. This XRAY review also includes treatments to reduce this common side effect of chemotherapy. (9/28/20)
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