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
All XRAYs
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Study : Inherited breast cancer in Nigerian women
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Most relevant for: Nigerian women or women of Nigerian descent who have breast cancer
A new study shows that among Nigerian women, one in eight cases of breast cancer is due to an inherited mutation in BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2 or TP53. (12/5/18)
Read MorePersonal Story : Pamela Munster's story of cancer in the family
Most relevant for: People with an inherited mutation linked to cancer
In her essay in The Washington Post, Dr. Pamela Munster recounts her family's history with cancer associated with a mutation in the BRCA2 gene. She details her father's extraordinary journey with pancreatic cancer, one of the most aggressive and deadly cancers. (11/27/18)
Read MoreRelevance: High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
View Related Clinical TrialsStudy : Can population-based DNA sequencing find more people at risk for hereditary cancers?
Relevance: High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
View Related Clinical TrialsMost relevant for: Women over age 30
It is well documented that many BRCA mutation carriers are missed using current family history-based screening approaches. As a result, experts are beginning to call for population-based BRCA genetic testing—an organized effort to screen all women like we do for breast and cervical cancer. A recent study looked at whether a population-based genetic testing approach would better identify mutation carriers compared with current practice. (11/17/18)
Read MoreArticle : The importance of racial diversity in clinical trials
Most relevant for: People who are a member of a racial or ethnic minority group
This article by journalists Caroline Chen and Riley Wong looks at racial disparities between participation in clinical trials and the population of people with cancer. (11/6/18)
Este artículo está disponible en español.
Read MoreRelevance: High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
View Related Clinical TrialsStudy : Surgeon attitude impacts rate of genetic testing after a breast cancer diagnosis
Relevance: High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
View Related Clinical TrialsMost relevant for: Young women diagnosed with breast cancer who have not yet had genetic testing
A study in JAMA Surgery this year examined the factors that impact genetic testing after a breast cancer diagnosis. This study suggests that the attitudes of attending surgeons about genetic testing have the most impact on whether patients receive testing. (10/6/18)
Read MoreRelevance: Medium-Low
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Human Research
View Related Clinical TrialsStudy : A new method for determining whether genetic variants in BRCA1 increase cancer risk
Relevance: Medium-Low
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Human Research
View Related Clinical TrialsMost relevant for: People who have a Variant of Uncertain Significance in a gene associated with cancer risk.
Ever since BRCA1 was discovered, researchers have been trying to understand which of the thousands of possible DNA changes in this gene increase cancer risk and which are harmless changes. A new study in Nature reports how a cutting-edge technology called “genome editing” may be used to classify changes—known as variants of uncertain significance-in BRCA1 as harmful or harmless. Once validated, this same technology may be used to classify variants in other genes. (9/29/18)
Read MoreRelevance: Medium-High
Quality of Writing: Medium-High
Article : Cancer experience in families affects decision making
Relevance: Medium-High
Quality of Writing: Medium-High
Most relevant for: Women with an inherited mutation linked to increased risk for cancer
Women with inherited mutations in genes that increase breast and ovarian cancer risk have an additional challenge: coping with how those mutations impact their families and how a family member’s cancer experience can shape their own perception. In a recent U.S. News and World Report article, Elaine Howley explores how a woman's decisions about healthcare, cancer prevention and treatment are affected by experience with cancer in the family. (9/25/18)
Read MoreRelevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
View Related Clinical TrialsStudy : Hormone therapy and breast cancer risk after ovary removal in women with a BRCA1 mutation
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
View Related Clinical TrialsMost relevant for: Women with BRCA1 mutations who have had risk-reducing ovary removal and have never been diagnosed with breast cancer
Does hormone therapy (HT) alter the risk of breast cancer for woman carrying a BRCA1 mutation who have never been diagnosed with cancer? In this study, researchers showed that among women with BRCA1 mutations, HT use did not increase breast cancer rates for 10 years after ovary removal. More women taking combined estrogen plus progesterone developed breast cancer compared to those taking estrogen only, though this difference was not statistically significant. (9/7/18)
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Human Research
View Related Clinical TrialsStudy : Gardening improves health outcomes for breast cancer patients
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Human Research
View Related Clinical TrialsMost relevant for: People diagnosed with breast cancer who would benefit from increased activity and from eating more vegetables
Research has shown that adopting a healthier lifestyle may improve overall health and outcomes for cancer survivors. This study looked at a 1-year home-based gardening intervention to increase activity and wellbeing among breast cancer survivors. (08/31/18)
Read MoreRelevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
View Related Clinical TrialsStudy : Study identifies genes associated with risk of triple-negative breast cancer
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
View Related Clinical TrialsMost relevant for: People diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer
Panel testing can identify women who are at increased risk for breast cancer. However, those at risk for triple-negative breast cancer cannot easily be identified because other than BRCA1, genes that increase the risk for triple-negative breast cancer are unknown. A new study uses panel testing to identify which genes increase the risk for triple-negative breast cancer. (8/23/18)
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