In a nutshell The authors aimed to give specific breast cancer treatment guidelines determined by medical experts. Some background The St. Gallen International Breast Cancer Conference is held every two years. Leading experts in breast cancer research meet at this conference to determine the most up-to-date guidelines for treatment. The 2015...
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A cancer diagnosis is overwhelming. So is the prospect of telling your children about a cancer diagnosis. Social media makes it possible for parents to share strategies and provide guidance to others facing this challenge. Here are some insights. Insight 1: Tell Your Children the News Parents protect. The natural inclination is to keep diagnoses of...
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“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.” ~Dalai Lama In 2008, Audrey Guth, mother and president of Diamond Personnel, a nanny placement agency in Toronto Canada, arrived at the hospital for breast cancer chemotherapy. She saw mothers receiving chemotherapy infusions holding “really young...
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In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine whether or not there was a link between reproductive characteristics of women and their potential risk of cancer recurrence (the cancer returns) and survival. Some background Breast cancer survival is influenced by a range of risk factors. A woman’s reproductive history can often be associated, as...
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In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine whether or not vitamin D could protect women against breast cancer or if it could improve a patients chances of survival. Some background Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related death among women. Lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise may impact...
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In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine if acupuncture could reduce medication-induced hot flashes in patients with breast cancer. Some background Aromatase inhibitors are a form of hormone therapy used for women with hormone-receptor positive breast cancer (dependent on the hormones estrogen or progesterone for growth). Hot flashes are an...
Read MoreIn a nutshell The authors aimed to determine whether or not a hormone called melatonin could positively influence the quality of life of women with breast cancer. Some background Sleep disturbance is common among women with breast cancer. Melatonin is a hormone that induces sleepiness. This hormone is naturally found in our body but may decrease...
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“You’re reading the wrong chart, I don’t have breasts.”~Male Breast Cancer Survivor “Men Have Breasts Too” Trailer Men Have Breasts Peggy Miller thinks outside the box. So in 2003, when her family and many others in her community didn’t have health insurance, she helped start a ”physical night” at the local high school....
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In a nutshell The authors evaluated whether there was a difference in the treatment response rates between invasive lobular carcinoma and invasive ductal carcinoma. Some background Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) is characterized as cancer that begins in the milk-producing lobules that then spreads to surrounding breast tissue. Invasive...
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In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine whether testing circulating tumor cells for the presence of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) could aid in determining treatment options. Some background Circulating tumor cells (CTC’s) are cells from a primary tumor that have migrated into the blood stream. Their presence is...
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In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine whether psychological therapy could relieve patients with fatigue (extreme tiredness) who are undergoing breast cancer radiation (uses high energy radiation to kill cancer cells by damaging their DNA) treatment. Some background Radiation is a treatment that has been proven to increase a patient’s...
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In a nutshell The authors aimed to determine whether or not the breast cancer treatment trastuzumab (Herceptin) increased the risk of developing certain infections. Some background Human epidermal growth factor receptor positive (HER2+) breast cancers are dependent on the HER2 protein for growth. It is often targeted with a particular...
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