Relevant for: People with triple negative breast cancer, In portal: Breast Cancer

Personal Story : Improving the quality of life for people with metastatic breast cancer

Most relevant for: People diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer

A Washington Post article described the cancer experience of a young woman living with metastatic breast cancer. It also highlights how integrative medicine and palliative care, including acupuncture, massage, yoga, pain management, mental health therapy and nutrition can improve quality of life for people with metastatic cancer. (3/10/20)

Este artículo está disponible en español.

Study : Can taking dietary supplements during chemotherapy do more harm than good?

Most relevant for: People undergoing breast cancer treatment with chemotherapy

It's common for people to take dietary supplements after being diagnosed with cancer; however, they may reduce how well chemotherapy works. A new study suggests that some dietary supplements may cause more harm than benefit for breast cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy. (3/4/20)

Study : Racial and ethnic differences in genetic testing among young breast cancer survivors

Most relevant for: Women diagnosed with breast cancer at age 50 or younger

Genetic testing is recommended for most women who are diagnosed with breast cancer at age 50 or younger.  In this study of young women with breast cancer, while the rates of genetic testing  did not differ, the rates of women testing positive for an inherited mutation associated with breast cancer did vary between racial and ethnic groups. (2/27/20)

Este artículo está disponible en español.

Study : How does a breast cancer diagnosis affect employment of young women?

Most relevant for: Young women with breast cancer

Most young women who are diagnosed with breast cancer remain employed one year after their diagnosis. Among breast cancer patients who were unemployed a year later, half reported that their unemployment was due to health issues. The issues that were most associated with unemployment were stage of cancer and financial stress prior to diagnosis. (1/10/20)

Study : Research on the PARP inhibitor talazoparib (Talzenna) for early-stage breast cancer is promising

Most relevant for: People with early stage breast cancer who have an inherited BRCA mutation

The PARP inhibitor talazoparib (Talzenna) has been useful for treatment of advanced or metastatic breast cancer for patients with BRCA mutations. A preliminary study showed that the majority of patients who took talazoparib alone before surgery for early-stage breast cancer had effective treatment and manageable side effects. Expanded clinical trials are in progress to verify this result. (10/4/19)

Study : Inherited mutations in metastatic breast cancer patients

Most relevant for: People with metastatic breast cancer

Recent research shows that a significant portion of patients with metastatic breast cancer have harmful mutations in a gene associated with hereditary breast cancer and increased breast cancer risk. (9/26/19)

Study : Is it safe for BRCA mutation carriers to become pregnant following breast cancer?

Most relevant for: Women with a BRCA mutation who are considering pregnancy after breast cancer

New research shows that pregnancy after breast cancer is safe for women with BRCA mutations and their babies. (9/4/19)

Study : Supportive care can improve quality of life for people with metastatic breast cancer

Most relevant for: People diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer

Metastatic breast cancer patients have unique needs for treatment and care. Connecting patients to appropriate support services and palliative care is an area of need in health care. A recent study reported improvement in metastatic breast cancer patient quality of life and wellness with an intervention program called the Supportive, Education and Advocacy (MBC-SEA) program. (8/21/19)

Guideline : FDA asks Allergan to recall certain textured breast implants

Most relevant for: Women with, or considering breast reconstruction with implants

On July 25, 2019, the Food and Drug Administration requested that breast implant manufacturer Allergan recall its BIOCELL textured implants and expanders due to an association with a rare type of lymphoma called Breast Implant Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma or BIA-ALCL. The FDA does not recommend removing implants for people who do not have disease symptoms. This XRAYS review updates information about this FDA recall. (7/29/19)

Guideline : FDA approves an immunotherapy treatment for some patients with triple-negative breast cancer

Most relevant for: People with metastatic, triple-negative breast cancer

THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN UPDATED: In August 2021 Roche voluntarily withdrew their FDA accelerated approval for Tecentriq (atezolizumab) in combination with chemotherapy (Abraxane®, albumin-bound paclitaxel; nab-paclitaxel) for the treatment of adults with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC) whose tumours express PD-L1. 

The FDA approved the use of the immunotherapy drug atezolizumab (Tecentriq) in combination with the chemotherapy agent nab-paclitaxel (Abraxane) for certain patients with advanced triple-negative breast cancer. (5/26/19)