June 2008 Research News
Molecular Breast Imaging Has Promise
June 26, 2008
A small study found that molecular breast imaging was similar to breast MRI in detecting breast cancer. Molecular breast imaging costs much less than breast MRI and is easier to interpret than breast MRI. Read more...
Bariatric Surgery Seems to Reduce Risk
June 19, 2008
A Canadian study found that people who had weight-loss surgery for severe obesity had a reduction in their overall cancer risk by 80% in the 5 years after the surgery. Read more...
Actonel Boosts Bone Health After Chemo
June 18, 2008
Actonel (chemical name: risendronate), a bone-strengthening medicine, can improve bone health after chemotherapy for breast cancer. Actonel can also lessen the bone weakening that sometimes happens when hormonal therapy is used after chemotherapy. Read more...
Scientists Discover Compound That Blocks Breast Cancer Growth Signals
June 17, 2008
Researchers have discovered a substance called TPBM that blocks the gene signals that tell an estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cell to grow once estrogen binds to the receptors. TPBM blocks those signals even in ER-positive cancer cells resistant to tamoxifen. Read more...
Mammography Centers Specializing in Screening Tend to Be More Accurate
June 11, 2008
Mammogram centers that focused on only screening mammograms and had only one doctor who specialized in breast imaging read the screening mammograms were more likely to have accurate screening mammogram readings, according to a new study. Read more...
Evista Reduces Risk of Hormone-Receptor-Positive Cancers in Postmenopausal Women
June 11, 2008
Results of the RUTH (Raloxifene Use for The Heart) study reinforce earlier research showing that Evista (chemical name: raloxifene) can reduce breast cancer risk in post-menopausal women. Read more...
Metformin Seems to Enhance Power of Chemotherapy
June 6, 2008
Women who were taking the medicine metformin to treat diabetes were more likely to respond to breast cancer chemotherapy before surgery than diabetic women not taking metformin. Read more...
Adding Tykerb to Herceptin Helps if Metastatic Breast Cancer Grows
June 3, 2008
Women diagnosed with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer that either came back or progressed while getting Herceptin (chemical name: tastuzumab) benefited from adding Tykerb (chemical name: lapatanib) to the treatment plan instead of switching from Herceptin to Tykerb. Read more...
Xeloda Less Effective Than Standard Chemo for Older Women
June 2, 2008
Xeloda (chemcial name capecitabine) isn't as good as traditional IV chemotherapy at reducing the risk of breast cancer coming back in women older than 65 diagnosed with early-stage or locally advanced breast cancer (cancer that hadn't metastasized). Read more...
Avastin Seems to Offer Benefits in Treating Metastatic Breast Cancer
June 2, 2008
Women diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer who got Avastin plus Taxotere were less likely to have the cancer progress compared to women who only got Taxotere. Cancers treated with Avastin also were more likely to shrink. Read more...
Zometa May Reduce Recurrence Risk
June 2, 2008
New research suggests that Zometa, a bone-strengthening medicine, may help lower the risk of breast cancer coming back in premenopausal women diagnosed with early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer who aren't being treated with chemotherapy. Read more...