Younger Breast Cancer Survivors Have Unique Concerns
Women's Health Summary and Comment
A systematic review focuses on quality of life, emotional health, and menopause- and fertility-related issues in survivors age 50 or younger.
By Andrew M. Kaunitz, MD
February 2, 2012
Covering:
Howard-Anderson J et al., J Natl Cancer Inst. 2012 Jan 23
New Insights into the Biology of Metastasis
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Cancer stem cells and endothelial signaling might point to novel therapies.
By Anthony L. Komaroff, MD
January 31, 2012
Covering:
Malanchi I et al., Nature 2012 Jan 5; 481:85
Png KJ et al., Nature 2012 Jan 12; 481:190
The 2011 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium
Highlights include adjuvant bisphosphonates, endocrine therapy, treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer, and genomic scores for predicting risk for recurrence of ductal carcinoma in situ.
Dual Antibodies Reap Benefits Against HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer
Adding pertuzumab to trastuzumab plus docetaxel prolonged progression-free survival without raising risk for cardiac events.
Adjuvant Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer Affects Coronary Arteries
Stenosis occurred in certain regions of the arterial tree, but contemporary RT has evolved to minimize this risk.
By William J. Gradishar, MD
January 24, 2012
Covering:
Nilsson G et al., J Clin Oncol 2011 Dec 27
Zagar TM and Marks LB., J Clin Oncol 2011 Dec 27
Biopsy of Recurrent Breast Cancer Can Tell an Important Story
Marker discordance between primary and metastatic tumors affects management decisions and patients' outcomes.
By William J. Gradishar, MD
January 10, 2012
Covering:
Amir E et al., J Clin Oncol 2011 Nov 28
Niikura N et al., J Clin Oncol 2011 Nov 28
Breast Cancer Prognosis and Management: Role of Gene Expression Profiling
Molecular signatures are increasingly important for guiding treatment recommendations.
By Virginia Kaklamani, MD, DSc
January 10, 2012
Covering:
Reis-Filho JS and Pusztai L., Lancet 2011 Nov 19; 378:1812
Another Taxane Doublet for Metastatic Breast Cancer?
Adding gemcitabine to docetaxel did not improve outcomes significantly.
By William J. Gradishar, MD
December 6, 2011
Covering:
Nielsen DL et al., J Clin Oncol 2011 Nov 14
Dees EC., J Clin Oncol 2011 Nov 14
Will Axillary Radiotherapy Replace Axillary Dissection in Women with Positive Sentinel Nodes?
For management of early breast cancer, sufficiency of local therapy must be balanced against risk for overtreatment.
Detection Rates Are Similar for Digital and Film Mammography
General Medicine Summary and Comment
Free
Digital mammography had better sensitivity when breast tissue was dense.
When BRCA Mutations Run in the Family, Should Noncarriers Worry?
Women's Health Summary and Comment
Free
Population-based study shows that noncarriers are not at excess risk for breast cancer attributable to familial mutations.
By Andrew M. Kaunitz, MD
November 17, 2011
Covering:
Kurian AW et al., J Clin Oncol 2011 Oct 31
Robson M., J Clin Oncol 2011 Oct 31
Adjuvant Letrozole Continues to Best Tamoxifen for Early Breast Cancer
Letrozole monotherapy was better than tamoxifen monotherapy; sequential letrozole and tamoxifen were not better than letrozole alone.
Improving Prediction of Breast Cancer Recurrence
Prediction models that included traditional pathologic and clinical information alongside the results of a genomic assay performed better than models that included only the results of the assay.
By William J. Gradishar, MD
November 15, 2011
Covering:
Tang G et al., J Clin Oncol 2011 Oct 17
Paik S et al., J Clin Oncol 2006 Aug 10; 24:3726
Benefits of Radiotherapy After Breast-Conserving Surgery
Long-term meta-analysis shows lower risks for recurrence and breast cancer death.
By Henry Mark Kuerer, MD, PhD, FACS
November 15, 2011
Covering:
Early Breast Cancer Trialists' Collaborative Group (EBCTCG)., Lancet 2011 Nov 12; 378:1707
Buchholz TA., Lancet 2011 Nov 12; 378:1680
BRCA1 Mutations and Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
In <$EMPH_O>BRCA1<$EMPH_C> carriers and noncarriers, TNBC had distinct clinical characteristics.
Odds of False-Positive Mammograms During 10 Years of Screenings
General Medicine Summary and Comment
The cumulative probabilities of false-positive mammography results were 60% and 40% for annual and biennial screening, respectively.
Revisiting the Bottle: Alcohol and Breast Cancer Risk
Women's Health Summary and Comment
Free
Low levels of alcohol consumption are associated with moderately elevated risk, but benefits of alcohol should also be considered.
Annual or Biennial Screening Mammography: Which Is Better?
Women's Health Summary and Comment
Large U.S. study suggests annual screens increase likelihood of unneeded recalls and biopsies without raising risk for late-stage cancer diagnosis; but debate continues.
By Andrew M. Kaunitz, MD
November 3, 2011
Covering:
Hubbard RA et al., Ann Intern Med 2011 Oct 18; 155:481
Autier P., Ann Intern Med 2011 Oct 18; 155:554
Revisiting the Sequence of Adjuvant Chemotherapy and Endocrine Therapy in Breast Cancer
Long-term results suggest that concurrent chemo-endocrine therapy should be reconsidered as an option.
Relieving Hot Flashes in Breast Cancer Survivors
Venlafaxine and clonidine were statistically superior to placebo.
By William J. Gradishar, MD
November 1, 2011
Covering:
Boekhout AH et al., J Clin Oncol 2011 Oct 10; 29:3862
Loprinzi CL et al., J Clin Oncol 2011 Oct 10; 29:3842
A Better Test for HER2 Status? Not Yet.
The false-negative rate of Onco<$EMPH_O>type<$EMPH_C> DX qRT-PCR was >50%.
By William J. Gradishar, MD
November 1, 2011
Covering:
Dabbs DJ et al., J Clin Oncol 2011 Oct 11
Bartlett JMS and Starczynski J., J Clin Oncol 2011 Oct 11
Avoiding Adjuvant Anthracylines for HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
Docetaxel and carboplatin plus trastuzumab might be a particularly appropriate choice for women with cardiac risk factors.
By William J. Gradishar, MD
October 18, 2011
Covering:
Slamon D et al., N Engl J Med 2011 Oct 6; 365:1273
Hayes DF., N Engl J Med 2011 Oct 6; 365:1336
Another Helping of Flaxseed for Breast Cancer?
High levels of serum enterolactone were associated with lower risk for death during follow-up in women with hormone receptor–negative tumors.
By William J. Gradishar, MD
October 11, 2011
Covering:
Buck K et al., J Clin Oncol 2011 Oct 1; 29:3730
Patterson RE., J Clin Oncol 2011 Oct 1; 29:3723
Markers of Risk for Bone Metastases in Breast Cancer
Higher serum beta C-terminal telopeptide levels predicted shorter relapse-free survival in women with bone-only metastases.
By William J. Gradishar, MD
October 11, 2011
Covering:
Lipton A et al., J Clin Oncol 2011 Sep 20; 29:3605
Korde LA and Gralow JR., J Clin Oncol 2011 Sep 20; 29:3600
Trastuzumab Keeps On Giving
Beneficial effects are long-lasting in patients with HER2-positive, early-stage breast cancer.
