Diacor News and Opinion

Researchers have discovered that women who are at risk for breast cancer could also be at a higher risk for heart disease. Researchers have found that the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2, which mutated forms are found in women with breast and cervical cancer, also regulate heart functions. They discovered in mice that had the mutated gene also were at three to five times the risk of heart failure than in mice that did not have the mutated gene. Researchers believe that the mutated BRCA1 and BRCA2 prevent DNA repair after a heart attack, which is essential to recovery. To view the full article, please click here.

In a recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, men have later onset of breast cancer and more advanced stages of the disease than their female counterparts. Survival rates of men when their breast cancer is caught at the same stage as women are actually higher, but researchers believe that it is due to a lack of awareness of male breast cancer that men's cancer is being caught in later stages. To view the abstract and purchase the article, please click here.

In a statement from the White House, President Barack Obama has encouraged women and men to talk to their doctors about breast cancer, and to avoid risk factors for the disease such as diet and maintaining a healthy weight. President Obama offers his support to those diagnosed with this devastating disease. To view the complete release, please click here. To visit the National Cancer Institute's website, please click here.

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) organization is dedicated to increasing the awareness of the importance of early detection of breast cancer. Click here for a link to NBCAM's website. This website provides information on different types of breast cancer, and offers information and support for those diagnosed with breast cancer. This website also provides information on how to get involved with the organization. We encourage everyone to check it out!

 

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has issued new breast cancer screening guidelines, saying that women should start receiving yearly mammograms starting at age 40. The new guidelines have been put in place due to the high incidence of breast cancer in the U.S., and the potential to reduce deaths when caught early. The survival rate of women whose breast cancer is caught at the earliest stage is 98%. Previous screening guidelines said that women should receive mammograms every one to two years starting at age 40, and annually starting at age 50. For more information, please visit www.acog.org.

According to new research in the British Journal of Cancer, weight has the strongest effect on sex hormones that increase breast cancer risk in post menopausal women. Alcohol and cigarettes are the next factors that appear to have an effect on hormone levels. Women with high levels of oestrogen have more than double the risk of breast cancer than average women. For more information, please visit http://www.nature.com/bjc/index.html.

In a new study published in the ACS Journal Analytical Chemistry, researchers have found that the common PSA blood test for prostate cancer can also be used to detect breast cancer in women. Scientists have found that the prostate specific antigen measured in the test is also a biomarker for breast cancer in women. However, levels of PSA in health women are very small, so ultra-sensitive tests are needed. For more information, please visit the ACS Journal's website at pubs.acs.org.

In the National Cancer Intelligence Network's "All Breast Cancer Report", their findings have indicated that women who are poorer are less likely to survive breast cancer. In a five year span, women who were more deprived had a survival rate of 68%, while women who were less deprived had a survival rate of 83%. This could be accounted for by poorer women being diagnosed with more advanced stage tumors, which are too late for surgery or require more aggressive treatment. For more information, please see the "All Breast Cancer Report" on the NCIS website.

Adding radiation therapy to treatment with women with early breast cancer who have had breast conserving surgery lessens the chance of the cancer recurring. At the end of the five year study, patients having radiation therapy in addition to the breast lumpectomy had a 41% lower rate of recurrence in the breast and a 36% lower rate of recurrence in the rest of the body. The results of the study have been announced at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. For more information, please visit their website at asco.org.

Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center have discovered a new biomarker that can predict breast cancer patients' risk of cancer recurrence. Using tissue samples from breast cancer patients, researchers found that a specific, five-gene signature related to tumor infiltrating immune cells can accurately predict relapse-free survival. To see the full press release, please visit massey.vcu.edu.