Study : Women can have safe pregnancies after breast cancer treatment

Most relevant for: Women who have had breast cancer who are considering pregnancy.

In a large analysis of all published studies to date, most women who become pregnant after breast cancer treatment had safe pregnancies, with no increase in their cancer recurrence risk. Infants of mothers treated for breast cancer were more likely to have low birth weight, preterm birth and small size at birth but there was no increase in birth defects. Breast cancer survivors who became pregnant had a similar risk of recurrence and survival as survivors who did not become pregnant. (posted 6/24/21)

Este artículo está disponible en español.

Study : Birth control pills may offer long-term protection against endometrial and ovarian cancer

Most relevant for: People concerned about endometrial, ovarian or breast cancer risk

A large study showed that birth control pills may protect against endometrial and ovarian cancers, even years after use was discontinued. (posted 6/1/21)

Este artículo está disponible en español.

Study : Breastfeeding may lower risk of ovarian cancer in women with BRCA mutations

Most relevant for: Women considering breastfeeding who have inherited BRCA mutations.

Data from a large-scale study suggests that breastfeeding may protect against ovarian cancer in women with inherited mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2. (1/28/21)

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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)

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 : 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 : Diagnosis and treatment delays in young women with breast cancer

Most relevant for: Young women who find a breast lump and young women newly-diagnosed with breast cancer

Young women are more likely to have delays in a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.  Factors that affect these delays include pregnancy, breastfeeding, financial concerns and having a family history of breast or ovarian cancer. (8/5/19)

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Study : FORCE online survey: What breast cancer information do young women want and where do they look for it?

Most relevant for: Young women and the health care providers who treat them

FORCE developed the CDC-funded Examining Relevance of Articles to Young Survivors or XRAYS program to help young breast cancer survivors and those at high-risk better understand media coverage about new breast cancer research. To ensure that the program would be responsive to users’ needs, FORCE designed a web-based survey to assess where young women look for information about breast cancer and to learn their unmet information needs.  The results of this survey were published in the journal Health Communications. (1/18/19)

Study : Improving outcomes for young women with breast cancer: fertility and childbearing issues

Most relevant for: Women diagnosed with breast cancer at a young age

Fertility issues and family planning decisions are prominent concerns for young women with breast cancer. This XRAYS looks at Dr. Ann Partridge’s presentation at the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer symposium. Her talk, “Breast cancer in young women: Understanding differences to improve outcomes," focused on initial findings from the Young Women's Breast Cancer Study. Dr. Partridge’s research continues in the currently enrolling POSITIVE trial which tests whether women can safely interrupt adjuvant endocrine therapy in order to get pregnant. (1/7/19)

Study : Breast cancer risk increases modestly after childbirth

Most relevant for: Women in their childbearing years

Does having children alter the risk of breast cancer? Women who give birth have a lower lifetime risk of breast cancer. However, newer data suggests that breast cancer risk increases immediately after childbirth. A study published in December 2018 examines data from the Premenopausal Breast Cancer Collective Group seeking to clarify this issue. (12/28/18)