This article discusses how tests such as the Oncotype DX or Mammaprint can be used to design individual treatment plans for patients with breast cancer. Patients with stage I and stage II breast cancer are treated similarly. Following surgical removal of a breast tumor, systemic (body-wide) treatment is often used. This secondary treatment is...
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In a nutshell This study compared the benefits of chemotherapy according to hormone receptor status. The main findings were: In cancers without hormone receptors, the benefits of adding chemotherapy were significant; In cancers with hormone receptors, chemotherapy only offered modest improvement. Some background Some...
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In a nutshell This study questioned the benefit of adding chemotherapy to postoperative hormonal treatment in the case of lobular breast cancer. Their findings were that chemotherapy seems to offer no additional beneficial effects in women with lobular breast cancer receiving hormonal therapy. Some background There are two main types of breast...
Read MoreIn a nutshell This study evaluated if strategies to prevent cancer recurrence are associated with prolonged survival 15 years after treatment. Their main findings were that postoperative radiation managed to prevent cancer recurrence and was associated with higher rates of long-term survival. Some background Early breast cancer is often treated...
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In a nutshell This article presents summarized data from two clinical trials. The trials evaluated the addition of Capecitabine to standard postoperative chemotherapy for patients with high risk early breast cancer. Some background Capecitabine is a chemotherapy drug that is taken orally and slows the growth of tumors. It can be...
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In a nutshell The present study evaluated survival rates in patients with prostate cancer (PC) treated with Low-dose-rate prostate brachytherapy (LDR-PB). The main findings were that LDR-PB alone or combined with hormone therapy offers excellent survival in PC patients. Some background Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer in men....
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In a nutshell This paper reviews available options for having children after cancer treatment. The main conclusion is that sperm, egg and embryo preservation techniques can help young women have children after breast cancer treatment. Alternative options, such as ovarian tissue preservation, are also being developed. Some background...
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In a nutshell This study compared survival rates for two surgical strategies in treating invasive breast cancer. The main finding was that the targeted Sentinel Lymph Node Dissection (SLND) procedure was just as effective as the traditional Axillary Lymph Node Dissection (ALND) surgery. Some background Lymph from the breast drains...
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In a nutshell In this study chemotherapy and Tamoxifen were compared to Tamoxifen alone as complementary treatments after surgery for breast cancer. The main finding was that better results are obtained by adding chemotherapy. Some background Tamoxifen is a drug used for tumors which require the female hormone estrogen to grow. It...
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In a nutshell This study evaluated whether focal Ultrasound-based therapy of individual cancer lesions can minimize the side effects associated with radical therapy that involves the whole prostate gland. Main findings: Focused therapy directed into cancer tissues significantly reduces genitourinary side effects like urine-leakage and impotence. Some...
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In a nutshell This study aimed to identify health-related decline in quality of life 4 to 8 years after prostate cancer (PC) treatment. Main finding: measures of quality of life vary based on therapy choice. Some background Treatments for localized PC (confined to the prostate gland) include radical prostatectomy (RP), brachytherapy (BT) and...
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This review article describes clinical evidence of the benefits and risks of a treatment combined of a short course of hormonal therapy (termed ‘androgen deprivation therapy’, ADT) and radiation given in escalated doses. Patients involved were those with localized prostate cancer but higher Gleason score or prostate-specific antigen (PSA)...
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