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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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 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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In a nutshell The risk of breast cancer is high (~80%) in women who inherit a damaged (mutated) gene called BRCA1 or BRCA 2 (‘BRCA carriers’). Following the first diagnosis, their risk of developing another tumor in the second breast within 10 years is 30%. Some background Some types of breast cancer need estrogen (female sex...
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In a nutshell The present study compared survivors of prostate cancer (PC) to patients of similar sexes and ages that have not had prostate cancer (non-cancer controls) based on the effects of prior treatments and treatment options on sexual, urinary, bowel and hormone functions. The main finding was that PC survivors had poorer sexual and urinary...
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In a nutshell This paper evaluated the long-term influence of prostate cancer treatment with prostatectomy or radiotherapy on urinary, bowel and sexual function. Prostatectomy was associated with a higher rate of urinary and erectile dysfunction, whereas radiotherapy caused more frequent bowel urgency at 2 and 5 years after diagnosis. Some background...
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In a nutshell The present study compared the risks of urinary incontinence (loss of bladder control) and sexual dysfunction following two techniques of radical prostatectomy (complete surgical removal of the prostate gland): traditional open procedure versus robotic-minimally invasive surgery. Main findings: the risks tested were comparably...
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