June 4, 2013
Among patients with early stage breast cancer, breast-conserving therapy with radiation appears to be associated with a better disease-specific survival (DSS) when compared with mastectomy. A large investigation revealed that DSS results were greater among women aged 50 and older with hormone receptor (HR)-positive disease than for younger women with HR-negative disease.…
April 24, 2013
For patients with early stage breast cancer, breast-conserving therapy with radiation appears to improve disease-specific survival (DSS) and overall survival when compared with mastectomy. The DSS benefit was greater among women aged 50 and older with hormone receptor (HR)-positive disease than those aged 50 or younger with HR-negative disease.…
March 13, 2013
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Lymphoseek (technetium Tc 99m tilmanocept) Injection, a radioactive diagnostic imaging agent that helps doctors locate lymph nodes in patients with breast cancer or melanoma who are undergoing surgery to remove tumor-draining lymph nodes.…
March 12, 2013
Antibiotic prophylaxis appears to significantly decrease the incidence of surgical site infections (SSIs) following elective surgery and is cost effective in obese patients with breast cancer. A trial found the following:…
February 28, 2013
The American Society of Breast Disease has released new guidelines to help physicians inform women on how breast density affects breast cancer screening and cancer risk. Available online at www.asbd.org, the guidelines emphasize the importance of primary care physicians and those in obstetrics and gynecology to collaborate when keeping women informed as they make breast health decisions.…
February 22, 2013
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Kadcyla (ado-trastuzumab emtansine), a new therapy for patients with HER2-positive, late-stage (metastatic) breast cancer.
HER2 is a protein involved in normal cell growth. It is found in increased amounts on some types of cancer cells (HER2-positive), including some breast cancers.…
February 21, 2013
The rate of immediate reconstruction (IR) use for women with breast cancer who undergo mastectomy appears to have increased significantly between 2000 and 2010, according to a large analysis. Several modifiable factors strongly predicted IR use, including insurance status, hospital size, hospital location, and physician volume.…
January 17, 2013
Post-mastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) to the chest wall and supraclavicular fossa is beneficial in breast cancer patients with four or more positive nodes, according to findings from the International Breast Cancer Study Group. The group also recommends that chest wall PMRT be considered in patients with one to three nodes who are aged 40 or younger and who have zero to seven uninvolved nodes or vascular invasion.…
October 1, 2012
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. A multitude of resources for patients are available on the websites listed below.
The National Breast Cancer website offers both web-based and mobile resources for information on the disease, including iPhone and iPad apps for breast cancer detection and education.…
September 18, 2012
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the first ultrasound device for use in combination with a standard mammography in women with dense breast tissue who have a negative mammogram and no symptoms of breast cancer.
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death among women.…
