Why BRCA Testing Is So Important for Women With Ovarian Cancer
July 1st 2016National guidelines recommend that women with a personal history of ovarian cancer be tested for the BRCA mutation. Approximately 1.3% of women will develop ovarian cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute, but that risk increases to an estimated 39% in women with the BRCA1 mutation and 11% to 17% in women who inherit the BRCA2 mutation.
Report Underscores Burden of Intense, Episodic Cancer Caregiving
June 30th 2016Caring for loved ones in the midst of major health issues is taxing for anyone, but a new report reveals that caregivers of patients with cancer experience even more stress and responsibilities than caregivers of patients with other diseases.
Frozen Gloves and Socks May Relieve Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy
June 30th 2016Results of a small study exploring the use of frozen gloves and socks in women receiving paclitaxel chemotherapy for their breast cancer suggest the approach may hold promise for the relief of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN).
Adherence to Diet and Activity Guidelines Means Substantial Reduction in Cancer Risk
June 26th 2016Researchers from the University of Arizona in Tucson and the American Cancer Society conducted a systematic literature review to examine associations between adherence to established cancer prevention guidelines and overall cancer incidence and mortality.
Leukemia Survivors Treated With Methotrexate as Children May Experience Cognitive Issues as Adults
June 15th 2016Survivors of childhood leukemia who received chemotherapy involving high concentrations of methotrexate were found to be more likely to struggle with brain functionality in the long term.
Buddy System: Why Dyadic Exercise May Make Sense for Survivors and Caregivers, Too
June 15th 2016Oncology nurses receive a steady stream of information on the benefits of exercise for health and wellness—not just a way to help prevent cancer and lower risk for the general population, but to improve quality of life and reduce the risk of recurrence for patients and survivors.
Wearable Tech: Can It Help Assess Patient Wellbeing Between Office Visits?
June 10th 2016In a small pilot study, presented at the recent 2016 ASCO Annual Meeting, researchers are evaluating whether wearable activity monitors can help clinicians to better assess patient well-being between office visits.
Patients Still Getting Aggressive End-of-Life Treatment Though Unlikely to Benefit
June 8th 2016An analysis of over 28,000 patients younger than 65 with incurable cancers found that approximately three-fourths of them received aggressive care within the last 30 days of life and one-third died in the hospital.
Lung Cancer Survival Improved in Patients Who Used a Web App to Report Symptoms
June 7th 2016Researchers in France have found that patients with lung cancer who used a web-based app to report and track their symptoms achieved impressive gains in survival compared with individuals who were followed using standard protocols.
ASCO 2016: Longer Duration of AI Therapy Shows Efficacy and Preserves Quality of Life
June 6th 2016Women who extended their adjuvant therapy with an aromatase inhibitor (AI) to 10 years after treatment for their early-stage HR-positive breast cancer reduced their risk of recurrence by more than a third and experienced no new toxicities or worsening of quality of life.
ASCO 2016: A Research Project for Your Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer
June 5th 2016Researchers are hoping that a new nationwide effort aimed at helping patients to share their tumor samples and clinical information will lead to new discoveries and better treatments for metastatic breast cancer.
Higher Breast Density Found in Women Who Received Hormonal Fertility Treatment
June 3rd 2016Women with a history of infertility, and have undergone hormonal fertility treatment have denser breast tissue, which may increase their risk of developing breast cancer, according to a study published in the journal Breast Cancer Research.
Disparities Found in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer Treatment in Older Women
June 2nd 2016Despite the proven effectiveness of a targeted drug for HER2-positive breast cancer, older women, especially black women, are still receiving it at low rates, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center.