FORCE's eXamining the Relevance of Articles for You (XRAY) program looks behind the headlines of cancer news to help you understand what the research means for you.
XRAY is a reliable source of hereditary cancer research-related news and information.
Learn more about the XRAY program
Breast Cancer
Relevance: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Topic : Acupressure for cancer symptom relief
Most relevant for: People diagnosed with cancer
Acupressure is a safe treatment that can be used to relieve some symptoms of cancer and side effects of treatment. Light pressure applied to key points on the body may help with fatigue, sleep, nausea and possibly other symptoms as well. (Posted 8/1/24)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Topic : The drug Enhertu is FDA-approved for any advanced or metastatic HER2-positive tumors
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Most relevant for: People with advanced HER2-positive cancer
The FDA granted accelerated approval of Enhertu for people with any HER2-positive tumor that is metastatic or cannot be surgically removed. Eligible patients must have had previous treatment such as chemotherapy or hormone therapy. (Posted 7/19/24)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Topic : Experts call for early palliative care for cancer patients
Most relevant for: Cancer patients
People with cancer need support and care not only at the end of life but from the time of diagnosis. At the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting, the organization’s president urged cancer healthcare professionals to make palliative care central to cancer treatment. (Posted 7/17/24)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Human Research
Study : Yearly breast MRI screening improves outcomes for women with inherited BRCA mutations
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Human Research
Most relevant for: People with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation who are considering breast MRI screening
An international research study of yearly breast MRI screening among women with BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations found that BRCA1 carriers who had MRI screenings were less likely to die of breast cancer than those who did not. Additional studies with more BRCA2 mutation carriers are needed to determine if yearly breast MRIs reduce deaths from breast cancer in this group. (Posted 6/24/24)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Update : Targeted therapy for early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer continues to show benefit
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Most relevant for: People with early-stage HER2-postive breast cancer
People with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer benefit from targeted therapy. This update includes new data on survival and the length of time without cancer returning. (Posted 6/20/24)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Topic : Progress in the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer
Most relevant for: People with triple-negative breast cancer
During the December 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, Dr. Melinda Telli presented a summary of research that has led to better treatments for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). These treatments now include drugs called targeted therapies and immunotherapies for both early and late stages of TNBC. (Posted 3/19/24)
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Relevance: High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Study : Genetic testing among people with cancer can find mutations that may affect treatment and prevention
Relevance: High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Most relevant for: People diagnosed with cancer who have not yet had genetic testing
Despite national guidelines recommending genetic testing, less than 10 percent of eligible patients had genetic testing within two years after their cancer diagnosis. Among those who had testing, 10-30 percent had an inherited mutation that could affect their medical care. (Posted 3/15/2024)
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Relevance: Medium
Update : News from the FDA– new breast cancer treatment, thermography warning and implant screening updates
Relevance: Medium
Most relevant for: People with HR-positive and HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer. People with silicone breast implants. People considering thermography screening
This XRAY review is a summary of FDA breast cancer updates from July to December 2023. This includes a new drug approval and two consumer updates. (Posted 2/21/24)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Study : Estrogen without progesterone for hormone replacement may lower breast cancer risk
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Most relevant for: Postmenopausal people on hormone replacement therapy
Women with average breast cancer risk who took estrogen without progesterone after menopause had lower rates of breast cancer than those who did not take any hormone replacement. This finding comes from studies looking at the safety of the use of estrogen alone as hormone replacement therapy. (Posted 2/13/24)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Update : New drug combination for the second treatment of some HR-positive advanced breast cancers
Most relevant for: People with hormone receptor (HR)-positive or HER2-negative breast cancer that has spread outside the breast tissue.
The FDA approved Truqap plus Faslodex for the treatment of metastatic hormone receptor-positive (HR-positive), HER2-negative breast cancer that returned or worsened after treatment with hormone therapy. The approval is for treating cancers in people whose tumors had a mutation in one of three genes. For people with one of these mutations, Truqap improved the time until their cancer came back or got worse. (Posted 2/9/24)
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