Category: Breast Cancer
‘I’m not going to be cured’. How breast cancer awareness and support sidelines people with metastatic disease
There have been incredible advances in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment in recent years. And stories about celebrities who have “beaten” breast cancer continue to be a source of inspiration for many people. However, this emphasis on fighting, beating and surviving cancer shuts out the voices of those who will not survive. That is, the many people diagnosed with incurable, life-limiting metastatic breast cancer.
What to Know About Metastatic Breast Cancer
When cancer cells break away from a tumor, they can travel to other parts of the body. Metastatic breast cancer happens when cancer that began in the breast spreads (metastasizes) to other parts of the body, such as nearby lymph nodes, bones, liver, and lungs. It is also different than other stages of breast cancer, as it means you will likely have breast cancer for the rest of your life.
Study Adds to Debate about Mammography in Older Women
Studies have shown that routine screening mammography does reduce breast cancer deaths in women aged 40 to 75. But screening also comes with downsides, which include the risk of overdiagnosis and overtreatment. A new study suggests that the risk of overdiagnosis with routine screening mammography is substantial for women in their 70s and older.
Women treated for breast cancer may age faster than cancer-free women
Among women diagnosed with breast cancer, the association with faster biological aging was most pronounced for those who received radiation therapy, while surgery showed no association with biological aging.
The FDA’s rule change requiring providers to inform women about breast density could lead to a flurry of questions
Breast density matters for two reasons. Most importantly, dense breast tissue can hide cancer on a mammogram. About 40% of breast cancers will go unseen on mammography in the densest breasts, labeled “extremely dense breasts,” and about 25% will go undetected in heterogeneously dense breasts.
Breast cancer: progestogen-only and combined birth control both increase risk – here’s what you need to know
Until now, it was thought that only the combined hormonal pill carried a greater risk of breast cancer. But a recent study suggests that the progestogen-only pill (also known as the mini pill) and other forms of hormonal contraception also carry the same increase in breast cancer risk as the combined pill.
After breast cancer: 5 changes you can make to stay healthy
So, what can you do to improve your chances of living a longer, healthier life after a breast cancer diagnosis?
Cancer death rates fall among Black Americans but remain higher than other groups
Black men and women had higher rates of cancer death, both overall and for most cancer types, than White, Asian or Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Hispanic/Latino men and women.
Gene Screenings Hold Disease Clues, but Unexplained Anomalies Often Raise Fears
Many genetic findings are ambiguous, leaving doctors uncertain about whether a particular variant is truly dangerous.
At-home screening for ovarian, breast cancers is effective, UW-led study finds
The results indicate that at-home testing is a viable option for women to find out whether they have a propensity for these cancers.
AI improves radiologists’ readings of mammograms, UW study finds
Machine-learning algorithms could help improve the accuracy of breast cancer screenings when used in combination with assessments from radiologists,
Compression Garments Can Ease Lymphedema. Covering Costs? Not So Easy.
Lymphedema is incurable, but compression stockings, sleeves and gloves help prevent complications such as swelling and infection. But they’re expensive.
A Million-Dollar Marketing Juggernaut Pushes 3D Mammograms
Manufacturers have spend millions to market 3D mammograms even though they haven’t been shown to be more effective than traditional mammograms.
Will eating chicken reduce your risk of breast cancer?
The association between eating chicken and a lowered breast cancer risk may because of eating less red meat — not some protective factor in chicken.
Black Women More Likely to Die of Breast Cancer — Especially in the South
Breast cancer survival rates among all U.S. women have improved, but the gap between white and black women has grown: Black women are 40% more likely to die.