In a nutshell The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between survival outcomes and specific adverse events (AEs) in patients after menopause (postmenopausal) with breast cancer treated with hormone therapy. Some background Most breast cancers grow in response to estrogen, the main female sex hormone. Therefore, hormone therapy...
Read MoreConfined or spread disease-Confined only to the breast Posts on Medivizor
Does high-fat dairy consumption influence survival or risk of recurrence in breast cancer patients?
In a nutshell In this study, researchers investigated whether high-fat dairy products are linked to breast cancer recurrence (return of the cancer) in breast cancer patients. Some background High levels of estrogen (the main female sex hormone) represent one of the major causes of breast cancer. In Western cultures, most dairy cows have high...
Read MoreComparing survival after mastectomy and lumpectomy in patients with early-stage breast cancer
In a nutshell The study compared survival rates in patients with early stage breast cancer treated with mastectomy versus lumpectomy plus radiation therapy. Some background Most breast cancers grow in response to female hormones (estrogen or progesterone), via their receptor (a protein found on the surface of the cancer cells). These cancers are...
Read MoreCan breast tissue density change at mammography predict survival in patients with breast cancer treated with tamoxifen?
In a nutshell This article evaluated whether a reduction in tissue density at mammography after tamoxifen treatment can predict survival in breast cancer patients. Some background Mammography uses x-rays to look at the breasts for signs of cancer. This diagnostic method is generally used for women over the age of 50. Younger patients usually have...
Read MoreEvaluating outcomes for a new radiotherapy technique in patients with breast cancer
In a nutshell This study looks at survival rates and side effects after 5 years following a newer radiotherapy procedure in patients with breast cancer. This radiotherapy procedure is called accelerated partial breast irradiation (ABPI) delivered using 3-dimentional conformal external beam radiation therapy (3D-CRT). Some background Treatment for...
Read MorePhase 3 clinical trial of evaluating lapatinib in patients with HER2 positive breast cancer
In a nutshell This phase 3 clinical trial investigated the safety and efficacy of lapatinib (Tykerb) in women with HER2 positive early-stage breast cancer. Some background HER2-positive (HER2+) breast cancer is a type of cancer where a protein named human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is present on the surface of the breast...
Read MorePhase 3 clinical trial comparing the addition of anastrozole versus tamoxifen to goserelin therapy before surgery for patients with early-stage breast cancer
In a nutshell This phase 3 clinical trial compared the safety and efficacy of two different combination treatments in women with early stage breast cancer: anastrozole (Arimidex) plus goserelin (Zoladex) versus tamoxifen (Nolvadex) plus goserelin. Some background An estrogen-receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer requires estrogen (the primary...
Read MorePhase 3 clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of adding docetaxel to doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide chemotherapy in node positive breast cancer patients
In a nutshell In this phase 3 clinical trial, two types of adjuvant (a treatment given in addition to a main treatment) chemotherapy regimens were compared in women with node positive breast cancer after surgery to remove the cancer. These were the combination of docetaxel (Taxotere), doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (TDC) or the combination of...
Read MoreEvaluating survival benefits for adding zoledronic acid to chemotherapy in stage II and III breast cancer patients
In a nutshell This study evaluated whether zoledronic acid (Zometa) can help reduce recurrence (return of the cancer) and improve survival for patients with stage II/III breast cancer (BC). Some background Stage II and Stage III BC is cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes around the breast (under the armpit or above collarbone), but not...
Read MoreHealth behaviors in breast cancer survivors to lower the risk for breast cancer
In a nutshell This article evaluates lifestyle behaviors breast cancer survivors adopt in order to lower the risk of recurrence. Some background In the past years the number of breast cancer survivors has increased as a result of early detection and medical advances regarding cancer therapies. However, breast cancer survivors are at great risk of...
Read MoreUsing a scoring systerm to identify patients who will benefit from chemotherapy
In a nutshell This paper looks at the use of a system called EPclin that gives patients a risk score according to the clinical and genetic characteristics of their tumor. This score is used to predict if patients are at high or low risk of distant reccurrence of the tumor and if they would benefit from chemotherapy. Some background...
Read MoreThe association between insulin blood levels and risk of death in breast cancer patients
In a nutshell The present study evaluated the relationship between high insulin levels in the blood stream and the risk of cancer-related mortality. Its authors report that women with higher-than-normal insulin levels are at higher risk of death due to breast cancer. Some background Breast cancer has been shown to be more common in people who...
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