Breast Cancer Research

Much research is being done in the treatment of breast cancer.  Below are summaries of just two of the studies that have been published recently.

Advanced Breast Cancers, Higher Death Rate Seen in HRT Study

A 2010 study with findings about the link between breast cancer and combined hormone replacement therapy strengthen the argument that estrogen and progestin should be used only conservatively to treat symptoms of menopause.

The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and it reinforces earlier research from the Women’s Health Initiative that found women ages 50-79 who received estrogen and progestin face a higher risk of breast cancer.

For more information on this study, visit this American Cancer Society page:  Advanced Breast Cancers, Higher Death Rate Seen in HRT Study

Some Women May Not Need More Extensive Lymph Node Surgery for Breast Cancer

 Clinical trials have shown that surgeons can remove less tissue from women who have early-stage, lymph node-negative breast cancer without increasing their chances of the disease returning or affecting their overall survival.

 

A study, led by Dr. Armando Giuliano, was published in the February 9, 2011 Journal of the American Medical Association.  The study demonstrates that a surgical practice called axillary lymph node dissection isn’t necessary for some women with early-stage disease when cancer cells are found in the adjacent lymph nodes.

For more information on this study, visit Some Women May Not Need More Extensive Lymph Node Surgery for Breast Cancer (National Cancer Institute)

And for more information on breast cancer research, visit What's New in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment? (American Cancer Society)