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
Keyword: ATM
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
Relevance: Medium-Low
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Animal Studies
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-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Study : Knowing about an inherited BRCA mutation improves outcomes for women with breast cancer
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
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-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Human Research
Study : New imaging technology shows promise in detecting of spread of prostate cancer
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Human Research
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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Guideline : FDA issues alert on a drug combination to treat triple-negative breast cancer
Most relevant for: People with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer
The immunotherapy drug Tecentriq (atezolizumab) is approved for use with Abraxane (nab-paclitaxel) to treat metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. Tecentriq is NOT approved for use with Taxol (paclitaxel). The Food and Drug Administration has issued an alert to doctors, researchers and patients warning that Tecentriq should not be used in combination with Taxol to treat patients with advanced triple-negative breast cancer. (09/18/20)
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Study : Among women with breast cancer, who should have genetic testing for an inherited mutation?
Most relevant for: Women diagnosed with breast cancer who do not know if they have an inherited mutation in a gene linked to breast cancer
Which breast cancer patients should consider genetic testing? Knowing whether you have an inherited mutation may inform the decisions you and your healthcare provider make about treatment. But it can also increase stress and anxiety. This XRAY reviews a study of how different guidelines affect genetic testing recommendations for people with breast cancer. (8/27/20)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Human Research
Study : Insulin resistance linked to differences in breast cancer survival between Black and White women
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Human Research
Most relevant for: Black women
Black women are more likely to die from breast cancer compared to White women. More Black women have a condition called insulin resistance than White women. This study found that insulin resistance might be one of the reasons that Black women are more likely than White women to die from breast cancer. Additional research is needed to see if lowering insulin levels will improve breast cancer survival in Black women. (07/30/20)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Human Research
Study : Healthy romantic relationships may decrease stress and inflammation for breast cancer survivors
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Human Research
Most relevant for: Women with breast cancer who have romantic partners
Satisfying romantic relationships may improve outcomes for women with breast cancer. In a new study, women who were more satisfied with their romantic relationships experienced less stress and lower inflammation. This study suggests that decreasing stress may be beneficial for breast cancer survivors. (7/25/20)
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Update : FDA approves the PARP inhibitor olaparib (Lynparza) in combination with bevacizumab (Avastin) as maintenance therapy for some women with advanced ovarian cancer
Most relevant for: Women with advanced ovarian cancer whose tumor has a BRCA mutation or a type of tumor marker called homologous recombination deficiency (HRD)
The FDA has approved the first drug combination to be used as a first-line maintenance therapy for some women with advanced ovarian cancer. (7/7/2020)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Human Research
Study : Promising research using a PARP inhibitor to treat metastatic breast cancer in people with an inherited PALB2 mutation or a tumor mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Human Research
Most relevant for: People with metastatic breast cancer with an inherited mutation in PALB2 or tumor with a BRCA mutation
Early results of a small study showed that women with metastatic breast cancer and an inherited mutation in PALB2 or an acquired tumor mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2 benefitted from the PARP inhibitor olaparib (Lynparza). (6/18/20)
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