Everolimus plus exemestane improves bone health in post-menopausal women with advanced breast cancer

Vienna, Austria: Results from a phase III clinical trial evaluating a new treatment for breast cancer in post-menopausal women show that the combination of two cancer drugs, everolimus and exemestane, significantly improves bone strength and reduces the chances of cancer spreading (metastasising) in the bone. Professor Michael Gnant told the eighth European Breast Cancer Conference […]

Overweight and obese women at greater risk of breast cancer recurrence even after chemotherapy dose adjustment

Vienna, Austria: Women who are overweight or obese when they are diagnosed with breast cancer are at higher risk of cancer recurrence or related death than are leaner women, according to a new study presented to the 8th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-8). This finding held true even though the study mandated that chemotherapy dosage […]

Understanding individual genetic variation can help predict chemotherapy side effects

Vienna, Austria: The largest study ever on the effect of genetic variability on the toxicity of chemotherapy in breast cancer shows that it is possible to predict which patients are most likely to suffer serious side effects, a researcher told the 8th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-8). Dr. Christof Vulsteke, from the Catholic University of […]

New genomic test spares patients chemotherapy with no adverse effect on survival

Vienna, Austria: Testing a breast cancer tumour for its genomic signature can help identify which patients will need adjuvant systemic therapy (additional chemotherapy) after surgery, and spare its use in those for whom it is not necessary, according to the results of a study presented to the 8th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-8). Dr. Sabine […]

Radiotherapy for DCIS still protects against recurrence after fifteen years

Vienna, Austria: Radiotherapy treatment (RT) after surgery for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) [1] still has a major protective effect against recurrence more than 15 years later, according to the results of an international trial. Researchers found that the use of RT in addition to surgery could reduce the chances of a local recurrence (the […]

Non-drug treatments help alleviate symptoms of treatment-induced menopause in breast cancer patients

Vienna, Austria: Researchers from The Netherlands have found that the menopausal symptoms caused by giving chemotherapy or hormonal therapy to younger women with breast cancer can be ameliorated considerably through the use of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)[1] and physical exercise (PE). These interventions can be effective in dealing with such distressing symptoms as hot flushes, […]

Cancer cells in blood predict chances of survival and can help target breast cancer treatment

Vienna, Austria: Detecting the presence of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) in the blood of women with early breast cancer after surgery but before the start of chemotherapy can provide useful information about their chances of surviving the disease. CTCs are cancer cells which are detectable in patients with a solid tumour and their value in […]

Screening debate: breast cancer screening and better treatment BOTH help to save significant numbers of lives

Vienna, Austria: A Dutch study of the effectiveness of breast cancer screening shows that, even with improved treatments for the disease, population-based mammography programmes still save a significant number of lives. The finding, presented at the eighth European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-8) in Vienna, will add further fuel to the debate about whether or not […]

MRI screening for women with a family history of breast cancer but no genetic predisposition is expensive but could be cost-effective for some

Vienna, Austria: Adding magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to standard breast cancer screening approaches is expensive, though it could be cost effective for a group of women who may not have inherited the breast cancer susceptibility genes, but who have a familial risk of developing the disease. This is the conclusion of research presented at the […]

Twenty-year results from national breast cancer screening programme show a significant drop in deaths, limited harm and reasonable costs

Vienna, Austria: Results from one of the longest-running national breast cancer screening programmes have shown that it has contributed to a drop in deaths from the disease, that any harm caused by the screening, such as false positives and over-diagnosis, has been limited, and that the costs have been reasonable. The Dutch population-based mammography breast […]