Breast Cancer

Baylor-Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center and Physician Reliance Network (PRN) Research recently announced data demonstrating that one in five patients with hard-to-treat metastatic breast cancers responded to capecitabine (Xeloda) even

Some Medicare managed care organizations (MCOs) are telling beneficiaries that they need to get a referral from one of the plan physicians before they can get a mammogram. But that is not what the law says. A woman can get an annual, routine

ORLANDO-A series of clinical studies presented at the 52nd Annual Cancer Symposium of the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO) addressed various aspects of breast cancer diagnosis, staging, and treatment.

ORLANDO-Dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can identify women who have unsuspected multicen-tric/multifocal breast cancer and are therefore not candidates for breast conservation therapy, Michael J. Kerin, MD, reported in a plenary presentation at the 52nd Annual Cancer Symposium of the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO).

ASCO-Updated results of a phase III trial show that the addition of the anti-HER2/neu monoclonal antibody (MoAb) Herceptin (trastuzumab) to chemotherapy improves survival in patients with metastatic breast cancer, compared with chemotherapy alone.

Problem: Several million women worldwide have survived breast cancer but are currently advised against the use of estrogen for the management of menopausal symptoms and for the prevention of early cardiovascular death and osteoporosis.

Based on a keynote address given by Marie Overgaard, md, at the 1998 American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) meeting. Dr. Overgaard is consulting oncologist, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark, as

States would be allowed the option to provide Medicaid coverage for women with breast and cervical cancer through the

ORLANDO-Breast cancer patients whose tumors respond to induction chemotherapy and who have no clinical axillary node disease following induction may be safely treated with axillary irradiation rather than axillary lymph node dissection, Jeffrey Lenert, MD, said at the Society of Surgical Oncology’s Annual Cancer Symposium.

Zeneca Pharmaceuticals has launched a nationwide educational campaign about breast cancer risk assessment and the use

ALEXANDRIA, Va-Preliminary findings from four of five randomized studies show no survival advantage for high-dose chemotherapy/autologous bone marrow transplantation (HDC/ABMT) in breast cancer patients with metastatic or high-risk disease (10 or more positive axillary lymph nodes), researchers said at an ASCO teleconference.

ORLANDO-Large numbers of younger breast cancer survivors living with chemotherapy-induced menopause are at increasingly high risk for osteo-porosis and heart disease.

Fornier et al present an excellent summary of current treatment options and strategies for patients with metastatic breast cancer. This review summarizes currently available data (through the May 1998 American Society of Clinical Oncology

Drs. Fornier, Munster, and Seidman provide a comprehensive update of the management of metastatic breast cancer. They review the latest innovations in both chemotherapy and hormonal therapy for advanced disease, and demonstrate just how

There are several million breast cancer survivors worldwide. In the United States, 180,000 women were

Recent trials comparing single-agent vs combination therapy in metastatic breast cancer suggest that it may be time to reconsider the belief that combination chemotherapy is the gold standard of treatment. Based on the

WASHINGTON-Sales of the 40-cent Breast Cancer stamp generated $5.2 million for breast cancer research in the first 7 months following its release in July 1998. The US Postal Service plans a sales campaign tied to Mother’s Day, and it will promote the stamp in partnership with the Revlon Run/Walk for Women fund-raiser in Los Angeles and New York City

HAMILTON, Ontario-A meta-analysis of published clinical trials, presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, supports the concept that locoregional radiation therapy after mastectomy in breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant systemic therapy reduces the risk of recurrence and improves overall survival.

SAN ANTONIO-A European metaanalysis suggests that breast cancer patients over age 73 may live just as long if treated with tamoxifen (Nolvadex) instead of surgery.

COLUMBUS, Ohio-Chemopre-vention trials in recent years have led to new chemoprevention agents and also unexpected negative findings, Winfred F. Malone, PhD, MPH, said at the 4th Annual Congress of the Society for Nutritional Oncology Adjuvant Therapy (NOAT). He described a number of published and ongoing clinical trials.

NEW YORK-Wearing pink roses, more than 100 breast cancer survivors toasted each other at the National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organizations’ Celebrate Life luncheon, hosted by Academy Award winning actress Mira Sorvino.

COLUMBIA, Md-Celsion Corp.’s focused heat technology forms the basis of a system that may offer a minimally invasive alternative to prophylactic mastectomy for women at high risk for developing breast cancer. Massachusetts General Hospital will be testing the technology, and Mass General recently filed a patent application for the system.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla-With the first results from its Oncology Outcomes Database, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has “taken a step to move beyond the guideline development process into a process of connection,” William McGivney, PhD, CEO of the network, said at its Fourth Annual Conference. “That critical step is the implementation of guidelines through performance measurement.”

HOUSTON-Stress is an immediate reaction to cancer that generally becomes more intensified during the course of the disease. Barbara L. Andersen, PhD, Department of Psychology, Ohio State University, Columbus, and her colleagues are conducting a study to examine the effects of stress on the immune system in cancer patients.

BETHESDA, Md-The National Cancer Institute (NCI) announced that preliminary findings from two long-awaited breast cancer studies are expected to be made available April 15 on the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) website (www.asco.org).