Breast Cancer Information Center

Breast Cancer News

Oncotype DX® and Clinical Characteristics Influence Chemotherapy Decisions in Early Breast Cancer (06/22/2009)
According to research conducted at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, among women with early breast cancer who underwent testing with Oncotype DX®, decisions about the need for chemotherapy were influenced by the Oncotype DX recurrence score as well as by the size and grade of the cancer. These results were presented at the 2009 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Denosumab Provides Bone Benefits in Prostate and Breast Cancer (06/15/2009)
Among prostate patients treated with androgen deprivation therapy, the investigational drug denosumab increases bone density and reduces the risk of fractures. Denosumab also improves bone density in breast cancer patients treated with aromatase inhibitors. These were the results of two studies presented at the 2009 annual meeting the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).

Partial Breast Irradiation Appears Safe and Feasible for Early Breast Cancer (06/10/2009)
Partial breast irradiation (PBI) appears to produce the same overall survival results as whole-breast radiation (WBRT) in women with early-stage breast cancer; however, more research will be necessary before this investigational treatment replaces WBRT as the standard of care in this patient group. The results of this study were presented at the 2009 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Orlando, Florida.

Sentinel Node Micrometastases Indicate Need for Additional Axillary Treatment in Patients with Early Breast Cancer (06/04/2009)
According to the results of a study presented at the 2009 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, breast cancer patients with small areas of cancer (“micrometastases”) in the sentinel lymph nodes should receive additional lymph node treatment (such as axillary lymph node dissection) in order to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence.

Some Antidepressants May Interfere with Tamoxifen Effectiveness (06/03/2009)
According to the results of a study conducted in the United States and presented at the 2009 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), certain types of antidepressants may interfere with tamoxifen (Nolvadex®) effectiveness. In contrast, a study conducted in the Netherlands and also presented at ASCO found no such effect.