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
Categories Cancer Risk
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Study : Neighborhood affects prostate cancer risk in men of West African ancestry
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Most relevant for: Men with West African ancestry
Black men of West African genetic ancestry have a much higher risk of developing prostate cancer than men of other races. The risk is even greater when they live in deprived or disadvantaged neighborhoods. (Posted 2/26/25)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Study : Risk of peritoneal cancer is low for people with an inherited BRCA mutation after surgery
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Most relevant for: People with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation who have had risk-reducing surgery to remove their ovaries
The risk of peritoneal cancer is low in people with an inherited BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation after risk-reducing ovary removal (oophorectomy). The risk was even lower when risk-reducing surgery was done at a young age and after 2005 when removal of the fallopian tubes was included in the procedure. The findings of this research support the theory that like ovarian cancer, peritoneal cancer begins in the fallopian tubes and reinforces the age recommendation for surgery. (Posted 1/23/25)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Guideline : Hereditary cancer gene guidelines expand
Relevance: Medium-High
Most relevant for: People at high risk for hereditary cancer
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network regularly updates guidelines for several types of hereditary cancer. These recommendations often change when new research is published. Recently, the NCCN expanded its guidelines to include information on hereditary prostate and gastric cancers. (Posted 1/6/25)
Este artículo está disponible en español.
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Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Study : Lifetime cancer risks in people with an inherited mutation in CDH1
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Most relevant for: People with an inherited mutation in CDH1
This study looked at the lifetime risks of stomach and breast cancer in families with a known CDH1 mutation. Results from the study suggest that for some CDH1 mutation carriers lifetime stomach cancer risk is lower than previous research has shown. Additionally, study results show that the lifetime risk of breast cancer is similar to previous lifetime risk estimates in women with mutations in this gene. (Posted 12/10/24)
Este artículo está disponible en español.
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Relevance: Medium
Quality of Writing: High
Article : Life with a high-risk pancreatic and melanoma cancer mutation
Most relevant for: People with an inherited mutation in CDKN2A
One woman seeks genetic testing after her sister died of pancreatic cancer. Despite how her family’s mutation in the CDKN2A gene resulted in multiple cancer diagnoses and deaths and a suspicious finding during her own pancreatic cancer screening, Amarensia Spruitenburg shares a message of hope and gratitude. By telling her story, Amarensia highlights the impact that hereditary cancer can have on families. (Posted 11/22/24)
Este artículo está disponible en español.
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Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Study : Colorectal cancer in people with Lynch syndrome can include types of cancer found more typically in people without Lynch syndrome
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Most relevant for: People with Lynch syndrome and people with colorectal cancer who may have Lynch syndrome
When people with Lynch syndrome (LS) develop cancer, their tumors typically have a related set of features or biomarkers known as deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) and high microsatellite instability (MSI-High). However, occasionally people with Lynch syndrome have cancers that are proficient in mismatch repair (pMMR or MMR-P) and have microsatellite stability (MSS or MSI-Low) –more like the colorectal cancers found in people without Lynch syndrome. This study shows that 10 percent of people with Lynch syndrome may have these types of cancers. This can change treatment recommendations. (Posted 9/5/24)
Este artículo está disponible en español.
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Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Human Research
Study : Skin cancer among women with an inherited BRCA mutation
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Human Research
Most relevant for: People with an inherited BRCA mutation
Women with an inherited BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation have an increased risk of various cancers. Study results suggest that although the risk of non-melanoma skin cancer in these women is similar to the risk of the general population, the risk of melanoma skin cancer is slightly increased. (Posted 7/25/24)
Este artículo está disponible en español.
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Relevance: Medium
Personal Story : Living a full life with Li-Fraumeni syndrome
Relevance: Medium
Most relevant for: People with Li-Fraumeni syndrome
This XRAY review is about a five-time cancer survivor who has an inherited mutation in the TP53 gene. People with inherited mutations in TP53 have Li-Fraumeni syndrome, which is linked to a very high lifetime risk for many types of cancer. Here we share his inspiring story and provide more information on Li-Fraumeni syndrome. (Posted 4/16/24)
Este artículo está disponible en español.
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Relevance: High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Study : Genetic testing among people with cancer can find mutations that may affect treatment and prevention
Relevance: High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Most relevant for: People diagnosed with cancer who have not yet had genetic testing
Despite national guidelines recommending genetic testing, less than 10 percent of eligible patients had genetic testing within two years after their cancer diagnosis. Among those who had testing, 10-30 percent had an inherited mutation that could affect their medical care. (Posted 3/15/2024)
Este artículo está disponible en español.
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Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Study : Estrogen without progesterone for hormone replacement may lower breast cancer risk
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Most relevant for: Postmenopausal people on hormone replacement therapy
Women with average breast cancer risk who took estrogen without progesterone after menopause had lower rates of breast cancer than those who did not take any hormone replacement. This finding comes from studies looking at the safety of the use of estrogen alone as hormone replacement therapy. (Posted 2/13/24)
Este artículo está disponible en español.
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