breast cancer in women •

Scientists suggest crucial loopholes in breast cancer research

October 1, 2013 By Janet Vasquez Leave a Comment

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Breast cancer is turning out to be one of the most recent battles women across the globe are facing. The need for better research and advancement in treatment has become a necessity.

Amid this a group of scientists have discovered key gaps in breast cancer research pertaining to understanding of genetic changes in the development of tumour.

In an article in BioMed Central’s open access journal Breast Cancer Research, leading scientists in the field reported on a gap analysis that critically assessed issues and new challenges emerging from recent breast cancer research, and proposed strategies for translating solutions into practice.

Over 100 specialist breast cancer scientists and healthcare professionals reviewed a wide range of issues and challenges involved in breast cancer research, prevention and treatment. Through rigorous discussions and consultation, including appraisal from experts and patients, they produced an account outlining ten major gaps and five strategic solutions.

The key gaps that were identified in the research paper included:

An understanding of the genetic and epigenetic changes in normal breast development and during cancer.
How to implement sustainable lifestyle changes through diet, exercise and weight management.
An understanding of how to optimize treatment for improved personalized therapy.

Breast cancer remains a significant challenge for the world.

A recent study says the majority of deaths occur in younger women who do not have regular mammograms in US. The study says there is a significant lack of mammography in US women under the age of 50.

Meanwhile, a survey suggested, the cancer of breasts will take lives of an estimated 6,080 black women in the United States in 2013. According to the American Cancer Society, one in three will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime in the US as an estimated 27,060 new cases of breast cancer are expected to occur in 2013.

It is estimated that around 570,000 people are living with, or after, a diagnosis of breast cancer in the UK, and this number is expected to double by 2030.

Follow these tips to reduce breast cancer risk

• Avoid weight gain and obesity

• Engage in regular physical activity

• Minimize alcohol intake

• Eat healthy

• Don’t smoke

Girls eating peanut butter less likely to develop breast cancer

September 27, 2013 By Janet Vasquez Leave a Comment

A new study on breast cancer has found a link between peanut butters and nuts to the disease.

According to the study, girls who eat more peanut butter and nuts substantially reduce their risk of developing breast cancer later in life.

The researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis and Harvard Medical School concluded the findings on the basis of the health histories of 9,039 US girls enrolled in The Growing Up Today Study from 1996 through 2001.

The study shows that girls aged 9 to 15 who regularly ate peanut butter or nuts were 39 percent less likely to develop benign breast disease by age 30.

“These findings suggest that peanut butter could help reduce the risk of breast cancer in women,” said senior author Graham Colditz.

Study

The researchers found that girls who ate peanut butter or nuts two times each week were 39 percent less likely to have developed benign breast disease than those who never ate them.

The researchers recommend girls to replace high-calorie junk foods and sugary beverages with peanut butter or nuts.

The study was published in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment.

Young women falling prey to Breast Cancer in absence of regular mammograms: Study

September 9, 2013 By Janet Vasquez 1 Comment

At a time when breast cancers are becoming a common diseases in women, a study says the majority of deaths occur in younger women who do not have regular mammograms.

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report says, there were more than 18.7 million mammograms ordered or provided in 2010. But contrarily the study brings a glaring exposure that there is a significant lack of mammography in women under the age of 50.

Study

Researchers from Harvard Medical School in Boston conducted an analysis of the value of mammography screening, using a technique called “failure analysis.”

This technique evaluates breast cancer cases backward from death, in order to determine correlations at diagnosis, rather than looking forward from the beginning of a study.

The breast cancer cases that were diagnosed at Partners HealthCare Hospitals in Boston between 1990 and 1999 were considered for the study. Following factors were analyzed by the researchers about the patients: Demographics, Mammography use, Surgical and pathology reports, and recurrence and death dates.

Findings

Out of 609 confirmed deaths from breast cancer, only 29% of the women had been screened with mammography, while a glaring 71% were unscreened. Shockingly, of all the deaths, 50% occurred in women under the age of 50 and 13% in women over the age of 70.

Dr. Blake Cady, professor of surgery (emeritus) of Harvard Medical School, says, “The biological nature of breast cancer in young women is more aggressive, while breast cancer in older women tends to be more indolent. This suggests that less frequent screening in older women, but more frequent screening in younger women, may be more biologically based, practical, and cost effective.”

The study was published in the journal Cancer.

Less than 10 percent women accurately estimate breast cancer risk: Survey

September 5, 2013 By Janet Vasquez Leave a Comment

Breast cancers are becoming common disease now-a-days. But in a glaring exposure, a survey says fewer than 10% of women accurately estimate their risk of breast cancer.

A survey of 10,000 women showed that women usually fail to accurately measure the symptoms as they are equally likely to overestimate or underestimate the risk of the disease.

Compared with estimates derived from validated risk formulas, 9.4% of the women provided estimates that were in line with the calculated risk. About 45% of the remaining participates underestimated their risk and 46% overestimated the risk.

The data showed divergence in estimated risk by racial/ethnic group, as minorities were more likely to underestimate their risk of breast cancer, whereas white women overestimated it. A similar proportion of each group accurately estimated their risk, Jonathan Herman, MD, said.

“Despite ongoing media attention, awareness campaigns, pink ribbons, breast cancer walks, and breast cancer month, most women lack accurate knowledge of their own breast cancer risk,” said Herman, of Hofstra North Shore-LIJ Medical School in New Hyde Park, N.Y.

“Patients must have a better understanding of their personal risk,” he added.

A woman’s understanding of her breast cancer risk may influence her interest and participation in cancer screening and prevention.

According to the American Cancer Society, about 232,340 new cases of invasive breast cancer is likely to be diagnosed in women in 2013, and about 39,620 women are estimated to die from the disease.

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