What's new in breast cancer news? Today we'll share the week's headlines and the studies behind them.
US News and World Report: "Some Older Breast Cancer Patients Can Skip Hormone Therapy: Study"
This headline sounds encouraging. For hormone receptor positive breast cancer, hormonal therapy is typically prescribed for five years and associated with unpleasant side effects. Who wouldn't want to skip it?
However, there is some fine print. (Links to the US News and World Report/HealthDay story, the underlying study and related Memo to the Media may be found on the Arimidex (anastrozole) page of our website.)
The August 31 Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI) study evaluated mortality (death) rates for women in Denmark with early-stage, node-negative, hormone-receptor positive breast cancer. Women over 60, with small tumors (up to 10mm), who received no hormonal therapy or chemotherapy were not at an increased risk of death compared with women the same age in the general population.
In an accompanying editorial, the authors noted that even if there is no benefit in terms of mortality, hormonal therapy reduces the risk of recurrence in the same or opposite breast, and many "will continue to take it for that reason." (See the JNCI Memo to the Media under the News tab.)
For women in this subset, this study is another factor to be considered in the decision on whether to take hormonal therapy. According to the Memo to the Media, "patient preferences regarding risks and benefits play a critical role" in the decision. In US News and World Report, Dr. Jennifer Griggs, a study co-author, suggested a three month trial of hormone therapy to gauge side effects before deciding whether to continue.
Reuters: "New breast cancer gene may help predict risk"
The gene at issue, known as CHEK2, is not really new. The CHEK2 genetic test is available, but not generally offered. Instead, BRCA 1/2 genetic tests are typically used to assess hereditary risk. (More on the test and links to the study and story below may be found on the CHEK 2 gene testing page of our website.)
The August 29 Journal of Clinical Oncology study from Poland estimated breast cancer risk in women with CHEK2 mutations and family histories of breast cancer. Baseline lifetime risk was assumed to be 6%. Women with a CHEK2 mutation and no family history had an estimated lifetime risk of 20%. Risk increased with family history. A second-degree relative with breast cancer raised the risk to 28%, one first-degree relative to 34% and both a first- and second-degree relative to 44%.
An August 29 story in Reuters noted that the study may not be "ready for prime time yet." According to Reuters, Dr. James P. Evans, editor-in-chief of Genetics in Medicine, called the study a "nice start," but said it would be "premature" to recommend CHEK2 testing for everyone with a family history now. Dr. Diana Petitti, of Arizona State University in Phoenix, said the study is "an important breakthrough," but more research is needed, noting that "this is a field where replication is critical."
One of the concerns is that the Polish women in the study may be different than Americans. In America, the lifetime risk of breast cancer is about 12% (1 in 8). According to the study authors, that number is only about 6 percent in Poland.
ScienceDaily.com: "Breast Cancer Risk Drops When Diet Includes Walnuts, Researchers Find"
A recent study in Nutrition and Cancer found that walnut consumption reduced breast cancer risk in mice. Study leader Elaine Hardman, Ph.D was quoted in ScienceDaily.com to say, "The results of this study indicate that increased consumption of walnut could be part of a healthy diet and reduce risk for cancer in future generations." (Link on the the Fruits, Vegetables and Nuts page of our website.)
Animals studies such as this one are often interesting, but the applicability in humans has not yet been proven in human trials.
Toronto Sun: "Smoking after menopause could increase risk for breast cancer: Study"
This week, the Toronto Sun, US News and World Report/HealthDay and WebMD covered an August 10 study in The Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism which found higher androgen and estrogen levels in smokers.
According to the study, because hormone levels dropped with smoking cessation, "hormone related disease risks could potentially be modified by changing smoking habits."
Next week, we'll share the latest research on soy for breast cancer survivors. Until then, all the latest news and research on any breast cancer test or treatment option may be found on the treatment pages of the LATESTBreastCancer.com website.
Showing posts with label Arimidex. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arimidex. Show all posts
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Breast Cancer News (8/24): Aromatase Inhibitors and Tamoxifen
Tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors? It's a treatment decision for postmenopausal women with hormone-receptor positive breast cancer. Three recent studies compared tamoxifen to aromatase inhibitors in terms of survival, toxicity and tumor activity. Links to all studies and media coverage may be found on the Arimidex page of the LATESTBreastCancer.com website.
Adjuvant therapy: Aromatase inhibitor toxicity and overall survival
When used as adjuvant therapy to prevent recurrence, aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are associated with improvements in disease-free survival, but not overall survival. A review in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, first published online July 8, examined whether differences in toxicity explain the difference in overall survival. Yesterday, Medical News Today and medpagetoday.com covered the results.
The review included 7 trials and 30,023 patients. Longer use of AIs was associated with increased odds of cardiovascular disease and bone fractures, but decreased odds of venous thrombosis and endometrial cancer. Five years of AIs was associated with an increase in the odds of death without breast cancer recurrence compared to 5 years of tamoxifen or 2-3 years of tamoxifen followed by AIs. However, the difference was not statistically significant.
The authors concluded that when used alone, "cumulative toxicity" of AIs may explain the lack of overall survival benefit despite improvement in disease-free survival. Switching from tamoxifen to AIs "reduces this toxicity and is likely the best balance between efficacy and toxicity."
Advanced breast cancer: Aromatase inhibitors vs. tamoxifen
A review in Clinical Breast Cancer, first published online July 7, compared aromatase inhibitors to tamoxifen as first-line therapy to treat advanced breast cancer. The review included 6 trials with 2,560 patients. Aromatase inhibitors had a significantly better overall response rate and clinical benefit. There was a trend towards improved overall survival, but it was not statistically significant. Toxicities did not differ significantly, except vaginal bleeding and thromboembolic events.
The authors concluded that AIs "appeared to be effective and feasible compared with tamoxifen as first-line hormonal therapy in postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer." They noted that further, randomized, controlled trials are necessary.
PET scanning reveals differences in anti-estrogen activity
How effective is hormonal therapy in blocking estrogen activity?
A July 15 Clinical Cancer Research study used PET scanning to monitor how tumors in metastatic patients responded to tamoxifen, Faslodex (fulvestrant) and aromatase inhibitors such as Arimidex, Aromasin or Femara. This week, DOTMed News and Medical News Today covered the study.
Thirty women with metastatic breast cancer underwent PET scan imaging. Uptake of an estrogen-containing contrast agent was used to assess estrogen binding. A decline in uptake meant less estrogen binding. Tumor uptake "declined more markedly" with tamoxifen and Faslodex than with aromatase inhibitors. Tamoxifen was more effective than Fulvestrant in complete tumor blockade of estrogen.
The authors concluded that PET scanning "can assess" the pharmacodynamics (what a drug does to a body) and "give insight" into the activity of estrogen-receptor targeted agents. "Imaging revealed significant differences between agents," including differences in blockade.
Dr. Hannah Linden, a study author, was quoted in both media stories to say, "What we're suggesting in the paper . . . is if estrogen is incompletely blocked you're not getting a good outcome for the patient."
We'll continue to follow hormone therapy research. We review medical journal abstracts and media sources daily. All the latest news and research on any breast cancer test or treatment option may be found on the treatment pages of the LATESTBreastCancer.com website anytime.
Adjuvant therapy: Aromatase inhibitor toxicity and overall survival
When used as adjuvant therapy to prevent recurrence, aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are associated with improvements in disease-free survival, but not overall survival. A review in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, first published online July 8, examined whether differences in toxicity explain the difference in overall survival. Yesterday, Medical News Today and medpagetoday.com covered the results.
The review included 7 trials and 30,023 patients. Longer use of AIs was associated with increased odds of cardiovascular disease and bone fractures, but decreased odds of venous thrombosis and endometrial cancer. Five years of AIs was associated with an increase in the odds of death without breast cancer recurrence compared to 5 years of tamoxifen or 2-3 years of tamoxifen followed by AIs. However, the difference was not statistically significant.
The authors concluded that when used alone, "cumulative toxicity" of AIs may explain the lack of overall survival benefit despite improvement in disease-free survival. Switching from tamoxifen to AIs "reduces this toxicity and is likely the best balance between efficacy and toxicity."
Advanced breast cancer: Aromatase inhibitors vs. tamoxifen
A review in Clinical Breast Cancer, first published online July 7, compared aromatase inhibitors to tamoxifen as first-line therapy to treat advanced breast cancer. The review included 6 trials with 2,560 patients. Aromatase inhibitors had a significantly better overall response rate and clinical benefit. There was a trend towards improved overall survival, but it was not statistically significant. Toxicities did not differ significantly, except vaginal bleeding and thromboembolic events.
The authors concluded that AIs "appeared to be effective and feasible compared with tamoxifen as first-line hormonal therapy in postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer." They noted that further, randomized, controlled trials are necessary.
PET scanning reveals differences in anti-estrogen activity
How effective is hormonal therapy in blocking estrogen activity?
A July 15 Clinical Cancer Research study used PET scanning to monitor how tumors in metastatic patients responded to tamoxifen, Faslodex (fulvestrant) and aromatase inhibitors such as Arimidex, Aromasin or Femara. This week, DOTMed News and Medical News Today covered the study.
Thirty women with metastatic breast cancer underwent PET scan imaging. Uptake of an estrogen-containing contrast agent was used to assess estrogen binding. A decline in uptake meant less estrogen binding. Tumor uptake "declined more markedly" with tamoxifen and Faslodex than with aromatase inhibitors. Tamoxifen was more effective than Fulvestrant in complete tumor blockade of estrogen.
The authors concluded that PET scanning "can assess" the pharmacodynamics (what a drug does to a body) and "give insight" into the activity of estrogen-receptor targeted agents. "Imaging revealed significant differences between agents," including differences in blockade.
Dr. Hannah Linden, a study author, was quoted in both media stories to say, "What we're suggesting in the paper . . . is if estrogen is incompletely blocked you're not getting a good outcome for the patient."
We'll continue to follow hormone therapy research. We review medical journal abstracts and media sources daily. All the latest news and research on any breast cancer test or treatment option may be found on the treatment pages of the LATESTBreastCancer.com website anytime.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Breast Cancer News (8/15): 3D Mammography, Risk and Vision Side Effects
What's new in breast cancer news? This weekend, 3D mammography and a study on risk made headlines. From the research world, there were studies on the vision side effects of treatment and the use of breast cancer social media to identify treatment side effects. As always, links to the studies and stories below may be found on the treatment pages of the LATESTBreastCancer.com website.
Is 3D mammography a breakthrough in breast cancer?
On August 14, The Boston Globe asked if 3D mammography, which earned FDA approval in February, and is now available in at least 9 states, is really a breast cancer breakthrough. The comprehensive story addressed the history of the mammography debate, the benefits of 3D mammography in terms of sensitivity and specificity, the risk of increased radiation exposure and the financial cost. It noted that definitive research on overall survival is years away, meaning that 3D mammography may be outdated by the time we know if it improves breast cancer survival.
Aromatase and breast cancer risk
Researchers continue to explore the factors which increase a woman's risk of breast cancer. On August 12, Cancer Research UK covered a Cancer Research study which linked the overproduction of aromatase in breast tissue to breast cancer risk. Although it was an early animal study, the results suggest that aromatase inhibitors, such as Arimidex (anastrazole), may be "a better choice for cancer prevention in postmenopausal women" than tamoxifen. A Cancer Research UK study of Arimidex for breast cancer prevention in postmenopausal women at risk, called IBIS-II, is already underway.
How does breast cancer treatment affect vision and eye health?
A review in Current Eye Research analyzed how treatment for early breast cancer affects vision and eye health. Chemotherapy, hormonal therapy and drugs for side-effects were included. According to the review, Taxotere (docetaxel) can cause epiphora, an overflow of tears onto the face, due to duct narrowing. Tamoxifen can cause cataracts, affect the optic nerve, and alter the perceived color of flashed light. Arimidex may lead to vision reduction, and bisphosphonates for bone loss may cause inflammation within the eye. The authors note that doctors should be aware of these types of side effects and suggest avenues for future research.
What can researchers learn from breast cancer social media?
Finally, an interesting study in the Journal of Biomedical Informatics suggests that researchers monitor breast cancer online social media to learn more about breast cancer treatment side effects. The authors note that medical message boards contain a large number of posts, where patients share "opinions and experiences that would be potentially useful to clinicians and researchers." The authors monitored message boards for information on the side effects of tamoxifen, Arimidex, Aromasin and Femara. 75 to 80% of the side effects discussed were documented on the drug labels. Some side effects were "previously unidentified." The authors conclude that breast cancer chat rooms and message boards become a source of "medical hypothesis generation."
Please check back tomorrow for more breast cancer news and research updates from LATESTBreastCancer.com.
Is 3D mammography a breakthrough in breast cancer?
On August 14, The Boston Globe asked if 3D mammography, which earned FDA approval in February, and is now available in at least 9 states, is really a breast cancer breakthrough. The comprehensive story addressed the history of the mammography debate, the benefits of 3D mammography in terms of sensitivity and specificity, the risk of increased radiation exposure and the financial cost. It noted that definitive research on overall survival is years away, meaning that 3D mammography may be outdated by the time we know if it improves breast cancer survival.
Aromatase and breast cancer risk
Researchers continue to explore the factors which increase a woman's risk of breast cancer. On August 12, Cancer Research UK covered a Cancer Research study which linked the overproduction of aromatase in breast tissue to breast cancer risk. Although it was an early animal study, the results suggest that aromatase inhibitors, such as Arimidex (anastrazole), may be "a better choice for cancer prevention in postmenopausal women" than tamoxifen. A Cancer Research UK study of Arimidex for breast cancer prevention in postmenopausal women at risk, called IBIS-II, is already underway.
How does breast cancer treatment affect vision and eye health?
A review in Current Eye Research analyzed how treatment for early breast cancer affects vision and eye health. Chemotherapy, hormonal therapy and drugs for side-effects were included. According to the review, Taxotere (docetaxel) can cause epiphora, an overflow of tears onto the face, due to duct narrowing. Tamoxifen can cause cataracts, affect the optic nerve, and alter the perceived color of flashed light. Arimidex may lead to vision reduction, and bisphosphonates for bone loss may cause inflammation within the eye. The authors note that doctors should be aware of these types of side effects and suggest avenues for future research.
What can researchers learn from breast cancer social media?
Finally, an interesting study in the Journal of Biomedical Informatics suggests that researchers monitor breast cancer online social media to learn more about breast cancer treatment side effects. The authors note that medical message boards contain a large number of posts, where patients share "opinions and experiences that would be potentially useful to clinicians and researchers." The authors monitored message boards for information on the side effects of tamoxifen, Arimidex, Aromasin and Femara. 75 to 80% of the side effects discussed were documented on the drug labels. Some side effects were "previously unidentified." The authors conclude that breast cancer chat rooms and message boards become a source of "medical hypothesis generation."
Please check back tomorrow for more breast cancer news and research updates from LATESTBreastCancer.com.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
How to Keep Track of Breast Cancer News and Research
Breast cancer is in the news just about every day. Stories trickle in from press releases, medical conferences and published research papers. Headlines flash on Google, Twitter and various websites all day long. How do you keep track of all of these developments? What if you want to refer to something later? What if you miss something important?
At LATESTBreastCancer.com, we read news reports and medical journals every day. We not only share the latest developments as they appear, we organize and store them for you. We can even personalize your research. You don't have to take notes, print stories or keep files. Everything you need can be found in three places.
For daily news highlights: The Breast Cancer News Update
Every weekday we highlight the latest breast cancer headlines here in our Breast Cancer News Daily Update. It's a place to check in to see the most recent breast cancer news all in one place. Think of it as a daily paper.
For 2 years of breast cancer news and research organized by topic: The LATESTBreastCancer.com website
We don't just read news and research. We code it, sort it and store it by treatment option for easy future reference. Basically we "clip" a link to the story and "file" it by test or treatment option.
For example, let's say you are interested in the aromatase inhibitor Arimidex. To see all the latest news and research, just visit the Arimidex (anastrozole) page of the LATESTBreastCancer.com website.
Under the News tab, you'll see 5 pages of news stories about Arimidex, organized in reverse chronological order. Over the last two months, you'll see a Washington University in St. Louis news report about how neoadjuvant Arimidex therapy reduces mastectomy rates, a TheDoctorsChannel.com video about the effect of body mass index on Arimidex therapy and a Reuters report on how co-pay amounts affect aromatase inhibitor use. There's a press release about a new study of entinostat and Arimidex for triple negative cancer and a Drugs.com story of how Zometa plus Arimidex reduces breast cancer recurrence rates.
Under the Medical Journal Abstracts tab, you'll find 10 pages of research paper abstracts about Arimidex. Often, you'll find the study that relates to a recent news item. For example, there's a link to the May 9, 2011 Journal of Clinical Oncology abstract about the effect of body mass index on Arimidex therapy.
In addition to news and research, you'll find several overviews of Arimidex under the Descriptions tab and the FDA product label under the FDA tab.
For personalized news and research: News and Journals for subscribers
Everything mentioned above is free on our website. Subscribers who create a personal profile have two additional benefits.
First, the test and treatment options and news and research are filtered so subscribers only see what's applicable to them. For example, if you will only see Arimidex as a treatment option if your cancer is hormone-receptor positive. If your cancer is early-stage, you will only see news and research relevant to early-stage cancer. Instead of 10 pages of research abstracts, you may see only one or two.
Also, subscribers have access to the News and Journals tab of our website, where information may be sorted by date and treatment category. For example, in the News and Journals section, you may search for all surgery news in the last month for patients with your diagnosis. For more on how to use the site as a subscriber, please visit our Quick Start Guide.
Our goal is to sort and store breast cancer news and research so you don't have to. We always welcome comments and suggestions. Please let us know what we can do to make breast cancer research easier for you.
At LATESTBreastCancer.com, we read news reports and medical journals every day. We not only share the latest developments as they appear, we organize and store them for you. We can even personalize your research. You don't have to take notes, print stories or keep files. Everything you need can be found in three places.
For daily news highlights: The Breast Cancer News Update
Every weekday we highlight the latest breast cancer headlines here in our Breast Cancer News Daily Update. It's a place to check in to see the most recent breast cancer news all in one place. Think of it as a daily paper.
For 2 years of breast cancer news and research organized by topic: The LATESTBreastCancer.com website
We don't just read news and research. We code it, sort it and store it by treatment option for easy future reference. Basically we "clip" a link to the story and "file" it by test or treatment option.
For example, let's say you are interested in the aromatase inhibitor Arimidex. To see all the latest news and research, just visit the Arimidex (anastrozole) page of the LATESTBreastCancer.com website.
Under the News tab, you'll see 5 pages of news stories about Arimidex, organized in reverse chronological order. Over the last two months, you'll see a Washington University in St. Louis news report about how neoadjuvant Arimidex therapy reduces mastectomy rates, a TheDoctorsChannel.com video about the effect of body mass index on Arimidex therapy and a Reuters report on how co-pay amounts affect aromatase inhibitor use. There's a press release about a new study of entinostat and Arimidex for triple negative cancer and a Drugs.com story of how Zometa plus Arimidex reduces breast cancer recurrence rates.
Under the Medical Journal Abstracts tab, you'll find 10 pages of research paper abstracts about Arimidex. Often, you'll find the study that relates to a recent news item. For example, there's a link to the May 9, 2011 Journal of Clinical Oncology abstract about the effect of body mass index on Arimidex therapy.
In addition to news and research, you'll find several overviews of Arimidex under the Descriptions tab and the FDA product label under the FDA tab.
For personalized news and research: News and Journals for subscribers
Everything mentioned above is free on our website. Subscribers who create a personal profile have two additional benefits.
First, the test and treatment options and news and research are filtered so subscribers only see what's applicable to them. For example, if you will only see Arimidex as a treatment option if your cancer is hormone-receptor positive. If your cancer is early-stage, you will only see news and research relevant to early-stage cancer. Instead of 10 pages of research abstracts, you may see only one or two.
Also, subscribers have access to the News and Journals tab of our website, where information may be sorted by date and treatment category. For example, in the News and Journals section, you may search for all surgery news in the last month for patients with your diagnosis. For more on how to use the site as a subscriber, please visit our Quick Start Guide.
Our goal is to sort and store breast cancer news and research so you don't have to. We always welcome comments and suggestions. Please let us know what we can do to make breast cancer research easier for you.
Friday, May 20, 2011
The Breast Cancer News Update: May 20
It's the Friday breast cancer news weekly research wrap-up. Today we'll highlight some of the links to medical journal abstracts we added to the LATESTBreastCancer.com database this week.
Hormone therapy research: Fareston and Arimidex
A review from China, published in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, concluded that toremifene (Fareston) is "an effective and safe alternative to tamoxifen" for adjuvant endocrine therapy. The authors analyzed four randomized trials with over 3,700 patients.
There were two Journal of Clinical Oncology studies involving aromatase inhibitors this week. The first found that patients respond differently to anastrozole (Arimidex) therapy depending upon body mass index (BMI). The second found that aromatase inhibitor use before surgery can reduce mastectomy rates. Both stories attracted media attention. Links to the research abstracts and news stories can be found on the anastrozole (Arimidex) page of our website.
Chemotherapy research: Taxol
An MD Anderson study published in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment found that the addition of paclitaxel (Taxol) to the doxorubicin (Adriamycin)/cyclophosphamide (Cytoxen) chemotherapy combination (AC) had no impact on locoregional control (LRC) in patients with node-positive breast cancer. Researchers concluded that the historically inferior LRC without paclitaxel may have been due to "an inadequate duration of systemic therapy and not due to the absence of paclitaxel."
Complementary Therapies: Vitamin D
A study published in Breast Cancer Research found that blood plasma levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D "were not significantly associated with breast cancer risk" in a premenopausal population. Last month, the media reported that plasma levels of Vitamin D were associated with more aggressive tumors. This week's study and last month's news can be found on the Vitamin D page of our website.
Check back on Monday for a summary of the weekend breast cancer news. In the meantime, I'll send any important updates out on Twitter (@ann_latestbc).
Hormone therapy research: Fareston and Arimidex
A review from China, published in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, concluded that toremifene (Fareston) is "an effective and safe alternative to tamoxifen" for adjuvant endocrine therapy. The authors analyzed four randomized trials with over 3,700 patients.
There were two Journal of Clinical Oncology studies involving aromatase inhibitors this week. The first found that patients respond differently to anastrozole (Arimidex) therapy depending upon body mass index (BMI). The second found that aromatase inhibitor use before surgery can reduce mastectomy rates. Both stories attracted media attention. Links to the research abstracts and news stories can be found on the anastrozole (Arimidex) page of our website.
Chemotherapy research: Taxol
An MD Anderson study published in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment found that the addition of paclitaxel (Taxol) to the doxorubicin (Adriamycin)/cyclophosphamide (Cytoxen) chemotherapy combination (AC) had no impact on locoregional control (LRC) in patients with node-positive breast cancer. Researchers concluded that the historically inferior LRC without paclitaxel may have been due to "an inadequate duration of systemic therapy and not due to the absence of paclitaxel."
Complementary Therapies: Vitamin D
A study published in Breast Cancer Research found that blood plasma levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D "were not significantly associated with breast cancer risk" in a premenopausal population. Last month, the media reported that plasma levels of Vitamin D were associated with more aggressive tumors. This week's study and last month's news can be found on the Vitamin D page of our website.
Check back on Monday for a summary of the weekend breast cancer news. In the meantime, I'll send any important updates out on Twitter (@ann_latestbc).
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