| New breast cancer treatment shows promising results
There are significant differences in breast-cancer recurrence rates depending on the type of chemotherapy that women undergo, new research reveals.
The study, a head-to-head comparison of the two common chemotherapy regimens and an experimental treatment, is expected to prompt a reassessment of treatment, particularly in younger women who suffer from one of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer.
Almost three years after treatment, about 90 per cent of women remained cancer-free on two of the regimens compared to 85 per cent with the third.
"The information from this trial will be looked at closely by oncologists and by patients," Dr. Margot Burnell, an oncologist at Saint John Regional Hospital in New Brunswick, said in an interview. "The difference, 85 to 90, may not seem like a lot, but it's significant."
"It's going to have a big impact.
New Drug Fights Type of Aggressive Breast Cancer
THURSDAY, Dec. 14 (HealthDay News) -- An experimental drug called lapatinib shows promise as a treatment for inflammatory breast cancer, according to a study presented Thursday at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare (1 percent to 2 percent of all breast cancer cases), aggressive and often deadly form of breast cancer. Most breast cancers present as a lump, but symptoms of IBC include: redness; swelling; warmth in the breast; reddish, purple or bruised skin; or skin that has ridges and/or appears pitted like an orange. Women with IBC may also have burning, aching or tenderness, increased breast size, and/or an inverted nipple. In many cases, IBC is diagnosed after the disease has spread to other areas of the body. Only 40 percent of IBC patients survive five years, according to background information in the article.
Exercise and breast cancer recovery
CNN's Judy Fortin delivers a quick dose of healthy information in her daily Health Minute, which airs Monday through Friday between 1 and 6 p.m. on CNN Headline News. Exercise and breast cancer Doctors believe as little as 3 to 5 hours of walking a week can reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrance by 50 percent. (Watch to learn the link between fitness and the risk of cancer relapse. ) Tone like a Rockette When they're not on stage, Radio City Music Hall's Rockettes work to build tone and stamina. (Watch to learn a secret about the famous Rockette line. ) Holiday tips for blended families Divorced parents should make a special effort at the holidays to put their children's feelings first, says psychologist Nadine Kaslow. (Watch an expert's advice for getting your blended family through the season.
More Exercise is Linked to Reduced Risk of Breast Cancer
Women with higher levels of physical activity may have a reduced risk of breast cancer after menopause, according to a report in the December 11/25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. The association appears to be stronger for estrogen receptor positive/progesterone receptor negative tumors (which are typically more aggressive) than for other types of breast cancer tumors. Breast cancer may be biologically heterogeneous, meaning that not all cases have the same causes or disease processes, according to background information in the article. One way cancers differ is by hormone receptor status. Tumors are classified as estrogen- and progesterone-receptor (ER/PR) positive or negative based on whether these hormones bind to the surface of the tumor.
Are men getting shorted on health?
In recent years, women's health has been a national priority. Pink ribbons warn of breast cancer. Pins shaped like red dresses raise awareness about heart disease. Offices of women's health have sprung up at every level of government to offer information and free screenings, and one of the largest government studies on hormones and diet in aging focused entirely on older women. Yet statistics show that men are more likely than women to suffer an early death. Now some advocates and medical scientists are beginning to ask a question that in some circles might be considered politically incorrect: Is men's health getting short shrift? "We've got men dying at higher rates of just about every disease, and we don't know why," said Dr. Demetrius J. Porche, an associate dean at Louisiana State University's Health Sciences Center School of Nursing in New Orleans, and the editor of a new quarterly, American Journal of Men's Health, that will publish its first issue in March.
Cytokinetics Announces Initiation Of Phase II Clinical Trial In ...
Cytokinetics, Incorporated (Nasdaq: CYTK) announced today that the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has initiated a Phase II clinical trial to evaluate the potential efficacy of the kinesin spindle protein (KSP) inhibitor, ispinesib (SB-715992), as a second-line treatment for patients with renal cell cancer and a Phase I clinical trial to evaluate ispinesib as a monotherapy in pediatric patients with relapsed or refractory solid tumors. The NCI is sponsoring these trials as a part of a clinical development program to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ispinesib as monotherapy in multiple tumor types and in combination with other standard chemotherapeutics.
The Phase II clinical trial in renal cell patients is an open-label study to investigate the safety and efficacy of ispinesib, administered at 7mg/m2 as a one-hour infusion on days 1, 8 and 15 of a 28-day schedule.
Low-Fat Diet Helps Prevent Breast Cancer Recurrence
MONDAY, Dec. 18 (HealthDay News) -- By reducing the amount of fat in their diet, postmenopausal women who've been treated for early-stage breast cancer may lower their risk for cancer recurrence, U.S. researchers say. The study of more than 2,400 women, ages 48 to 79, found that the rate of cancer recurrence after five years was 9.8 percent among women who ate a low-fat diet (about 33 grams of fat per day) and 12.4 percent among those who ate a standard diet (about 52 grams of fat per day). That means that, compared to those on the standard diet, the women on the low-fat diet had a 24 percent reduction in the relative risk of breast cancer recurrence, the study said. The findings are reported in the December issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Breast Cancer Decline Tied to Decrease in HRT: Menopause & Living ...
CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, Dec. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- A stunning seven percent drop in breast cancer rates has been primarily attributed to fewer women using hormone therapy as reported in a recent analysis by researchers from the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center and reported at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. Lil' Drug Store Consumer Products anticipates that as a result, more women will be forgoing hormones and looking for other options to alleviate menopausal symptoms. Many will be relieved to learn that it is possible to manage the exasperating effects of menopause; including, hot flashes, feminine dryness, night sweats, sleeplessness, and irritability, without hormones. Here are some tips to help women live well with non-hormonal solutions for five of the most common menopause symptoms: 1) Hot Flashes More than two-thirds of women experience a flushing of the face and neck with the sensation of being hot, commonly called a "hot flash." Simple lifestyle changes may help to alleviate hot flashes, including proper diet and exercise.
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