When I think of vaccines, I think of the MMRV (measles, mumps, rubella and varicella) vaccines which help our bodies establish immunity against diseases that used to kill. Now, there are vaccines being created for cancer. The rise of cancer vaccines According to Dr. Nora Disis, an oncologist and researcher in cancer vaccines at the University of...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This study looked at analysing data from a number of other studies assessing the effects exercise has on quality of life of patients with breast cancer. The authors found that across all studies and all different kinds of exercise, quality of life was improved with exercise. Some background There have been several studies published that...
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In a nutshell This study looked at subtypes of breast cancer in women before chemotherapy and after chemotherapy to determine if the treatment can affect the subtype of the cancer. The authors found that the subtype changed in some patients after chemotherapy. Some background Breast cancer is classified into types based on the receptors that are...
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In a nutshell This study analysed if using radiation therapy after mastectomy increased the survival rates of patients with breast cancer over the age of 75 which had not spread to the lymph nodes. The authors found that overall, there was increased survival when radiation therapy was used in patients over 75 with breast cancer that had...
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In a nutshell This study analysed how well signs of cancer in the lymph nodes (immune glands) is at predicting outcomes for women who had breast cancer treatment. The authors found that women who had no signs of tumor in either the breast or lymph nodes had the best outcomes. Some background After treatment of breast cancer, a complete...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This study looked at the factors that affected functioning of the ovaries in women who were treated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone drugs during their breast cancer treatment. The authors found that pre-treating the patients with anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) was beneficial in recovering...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This study aimed to find out which type of radiation therapy was safest for the skin in the treatment of breast cancer. The authors found that Image-Guided Radiation Therapy treatment resulted in less severe skin damage compared to the intensity-modulated type. Some background Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) is the use of...
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In a nutshell This study aimed to look at the safety and effectiveness of fulvestrant (Faslodex) compared to aromatase inhibitors in post-menopausal women with hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer. The authors found that fulvestrant was a safe and effective treatment in these patients when compared to aromatase inhibitors. Some...
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Layman Title Effects of breast reconstruction compared to mastectomy only on survival and risk of recurrence of breast cancer In a nutshell This study aimed to find out if breast reconstruction using deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap reconstruction resulted in higher levels of recurrence compared to mastectomy alone. The authors found that...
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In a nutshell This study looked at the effectiveness and safety of a combination of two cancer drugs, everolimus (Afinitor) and exemestane (Aromasin), in women after menopause with advanced breast cancer. The authors found that these drugs were safe and effective in the treatment of these women. Some background Breast cancer is...
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In a nutshell This study examined if the presence of certain genes had an effect on endocrine (hormone) treatment alone compared to chemoendocrine (chemotherapy and hormone) treatment for breast cancer. The study concluded that endocrine and chemoendocrine had the same effectiveness in women with certain genetic factors. Some background Breast cancer...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This study looked at the impact of removing lymph nodes (immune glands) from the armpit (axillary nodes) in the treatment of patients with breast cancer. The study found that removing the axillary lymph nodes did not signifcantly improve survival in patients with early stage breast cancer. Some background Breast cancer has the...
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