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: Medium-High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Study : How do ultrasound and mammography compare in breast cancer screening?
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Most relevant for: Young women at high risk for breast cancer with limited access to mammography and MRI is not easily accessible
Mammography has been shown to reduce breast cancer deaths; however, women in developing countries don’t have easy access to mammography. Ultrasound screening, on the other hand, is portable and less expensive, and could be an alternative to mammography. This study compared mammography to ultrasound in women with dense breasts and found the two techniques have similar cancer detection rates, although the false positive rate is higher with ultrasound. (02/16/16)
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Relevance: Medium
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Animal Studies
Study : Sugar promotes tumor growth and metastasis in mouse model breast cancer
Relevance: Medium
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Animal Studies
Most relevant for: People diagnosed with breast cancer
Previous human studies found associations between high sugar intake and breast cancer risk. This study looked at the direct effect of sugar on breast cancer growth and metastasis in mice. While researchers observed that sugar increased tumor growth and metastasis, more work needs to be done to see if this finding is relevant in humans. It is important to remember, the overall health benefits of limiting sugar intake remain undisputed. (02/02/16)
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Relevance: Medium
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Human Research
Study : Potential genetic basis for breast cancer survivors who develop therapy-related leukemia
Relevance: Medium
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Human Research
Most relevant for: Breast cancer patients who have an inherited mutation and breast cancer patients who developed leukemia after treatment for breast cancer.
The population of breast cancer survivors in the United States is increasing. One rare but dangerous long-term effect of breast cancer treatment is an increased risk of leukemia, a type of bone marrow cancer. A recent study uncovered a potential genetic basis for this condition. (01/26/2015)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Study : Does lumpectomy or mastectomy provide better survival for women with early stage breast cancer?
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Most relevant for: Women with early stage breast cancer
Previous research has hinted that women who have breast-conserving surgeries have the same, if not better, overall survival as women who have mastectomies. Researchers in this study wanted to see if that was true; they found that women who chose breast-conserving surgeries did have a higher overall survival. However, this study, presented at the 2015 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, had limitations that make it difficult to interpret the results or to extend them to all women with breast cancer. (01/19/2016)
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Relevance: Medium
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Lab Research
Study : Do parabens in personal care products increase breast cancer risk?
Relevance: Medium
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Lab Research
Most relevant for: Women who use personal care products that contain parabens.
Parabens are chemicals that can mimic the hormone estrogen in the body. As estrogen has been shown to increase breast cancer risk, some people have asked if parabens found in some cosmetics and shampoos will also increase breast cancer risk. Many studies have shown that parabens in the quantities found in personal care products are safe. A recent study of human breast cancer cells suggests that in certain conditions, parabens could help some breast cancer cells grow. It is important to remember that this is early research; this single laboratory-based study does not conclusively prove that parabens are dangerous. More work, including human studies, needs to be done to understand if parabens increase cancer risk. (01/16/2016)
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Relevance: Low
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Animal Studies
Study : Study uses mice and brains from deceased Alzheimer’s patients to assess BRCA1 involvement
Relevance: Low
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Animal Studies
Most relevant for: This research is not relevant to people
Researchers noted reduced levels of BRCA1 protein in the brains of mice and deceased Alzheimer's patients. While this study is interesting early work on the biology of Alzheimer's disease, the focus was primarily Alzheimer's disease, rather than the effect of BRCA1 mutations on Alzheimer's. Therefore, this study's observation may be something that is seen in Alzheimer's patients, but does not necessarily cause the disease. No studies suggest that BRCA1 mutation carriers are at increased risk for Alzheimer's disease. (12/22/2015)
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Relevance: Medium
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Human Research
Study : How many children with cancer have mutations in genes that increase cancer risk?
Relevance: Medium
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Human Research
Most relevant for: Survivors of childhood cancer and people with a family history of relatives diagnosed with childhood cancers
Many genes are associated with increased cancer risk in adults, but it is unclear how common these mutations are in children with cancer. This study found that about 9% of children with cancer carry mutations in a gene that is known to increase cancer risk. Over half of the mutations were in the TP53 gene, which is associated with increased cancer risk at a young age and increased risk of breast cancer in adults. (12/15/2015)
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Study : Effects of cancer diagnosis and treatment during pregnancy on the health and development of the child
Most relevant for: Women who were diagnosed with breast cancer while pregnant
Very little work has studied how a woman's cancer diagnosis and treatment during pregnancy affects her child. This study of women who were diagnosed with cancer while pregnant looks at their children at ages 18 months and 3 years. The study found no difference in general, cognitive, and cardiac development when compared to children born to healthy mothers. (12/08/2015)
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Relevance: Low
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Animal Studies
Study : Do antioxidants encourage the spread of cancer cells?
Relevance: Low
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Animal Studies
Most relevant for: The clinical relevance of this study for people is not clear
Scientists do not yet know why some cancers spread to other parts of the body (a process called metastasis). A study in mice suggested that high doses of some antioxidants (chemicals that can protect cells from damage) might actually make it easier for cancer cells to spread. (12/01/2015)
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Relevance: Medium
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Human Research
Study : Aerobic exercise lowers estrogen levels in premenopausal women at high risk for breast cancer
Relevance: Medium
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Human Research
Most relevant for: High risk women with a BRCA mutation or a close relative with a BRCA mutation
Many treatments that lower estrogen levels also reduce breast cancer risk. Unfortunately, these treatments are also associated with negative side effects. A recent study looked at the effect of regular aerobic exercise on the estrogen levels of women who are at high risk for breast cancer. (11/14/2015)
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