In a nutshell This study aimed to investigate the safety and effectiveness of tucatinib in combination with trastuzumab and capecitabine in patients with HER2 positive metastatic breast cancer who have had disease progression with other treatments. This study concluded that this treatment combination was safe and...
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Can melatonin improve mental side effects of chemotherapy?
In a nutshell This study evaluated whether melatonin could improve the side effects of chemotherapy for women with breast cancer. It found that melatonin improved sleep, depression symptoms, and clear thinking during chemotherapy. Some background During treatment with chemotherapy, half of the patients with breast cancer have cognitive (related...
Read MorePreserving fertility of patients with early-stage breast cancer
In a nutshell This study looked at fertility preservation (FP) in patients with breast cancer. It found that many patients choose FP before chemotherapy and that most patients have a return of ovulation following treatment. Some background 12% of patients newly diagnosed with breast cancer are under 40 years of age. Preserving fertility is a concern...
Read MoreHow effective is hormonal therapy for patients with hormone receptor positive early breast cancer?
In a nutshell This study examined the effectiveness of hormonal therapy in premenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer with or without other treatments. The authors concluded that patients who received hormonal therapy had a higher chance of survival and without a return of cancer. Some background The hormone...
Read MoreDoes it matter how much healthy tissue is removed during surgery for patients with breast cancer who received chemotherapy first?
In a nutshell This study examined if there was a difference in patients with breast cancer first treated with chemotherapy that had a wide or narrow margin of healthy tissue removed during surgery. The results showed that the outcomes were similar regardless of how much healthy tissue was removed. Some background Traditionally, mastectomy (the...
Read MoreWhat gut-related side effects do immunotherapy drugs and chemotherapy cause patients with cancer?
In a nutshell This study examined if certain immunotherapy drugs increased the risk of developing side effects in the gut in patients with cancer also receiving chemotherapy. The results showed that immunotherapy drugs increased the risks of developing gut-related side effects compared to chemotherapy alone. Some background Immunotherapy drugs that...
Read MoreLong-term outcomes of pertuzumab added to trastuzumab and docetaxel treatment for patients with advanced HER2-positive breast cancer
In a nutshell This study looked at whether pertuzumab (Perjeta) benefits patients with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer when added to trastuzumab (Herceptin) and docetaxel (Taxotere) treatment. They found that adding pertuzumab improved long-term patient outcomes. Some background Breast cancer can now be tested for some of the signals involved...
Read MoreDoes immune cell boosting drug G-CSF reduce the effects of chemotherapy in different cancers?
In a nutshell This study examined the effects of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) given as a preventative measure in patients with high- and medium-risk cancer receiving chemotherapy. The results showed that preventative G-CSF allowed more patients to complete chemotherapy treatment and lowered patients’ chances of developing...
Read MoreCan adding capecitabine improve outcomes for patients with triple-negative breast cancer?
In a nutshell This study looked at adding capecitabine (Xeloda) to standard treatment for patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). It found that capecitabine improved outcomes for patients with TNBC. Some background Breast tissue growth responds to changing levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Some breast cancer can...
Read MoreDo vitamin and mineral supplements affect the outcomes of chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer?
In a nutshell This study examined if patients with breast cancer that took different vitamin supplements before or during chemotherapy had poorer results from treatment. The results showed that anti-oxidants vitamin A, C, E, carotenoids and coenzyme Q10, as well as vitamin B12 and iron, negatively impact the outcomes of patients. Some...
Read MoreImaging techniques to evaluate treatment of lymph node swelling in patients with breast cancer
In a nutshell This study wanted to find out if taking pictures of lymph nodes using medical imaging techniques helped in finding out if treatment for lymph node swelling was working. The study found that using lymphoscintigraphy helped in evaluating the treatment of lymph node swelling. Some background It is common for lymph nodes to be affected...
Read MoreBenefits of therapy for early stage breast cancer
In a nutshell This paper is a document that was developed at a breast cancer conference by a number of experts in the field. It outlines suggested treatment for early-stage breast cancer. The experts concluded that patients and doctors should work together and discuss the benefit of treating early-stage breast cancer in comparison with the potential...
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