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The symmetry of a woman's breasts after she undergoes lumpectomy to treat breast cancer can have a major impact on her quality of life, new research suggests.

Authors say image quality unaffected, other expert unsure

A new study shows that some women with breast cancer fail to complete their radiation therapy, pointing to a need to help more women to see their treatment through to the end.

The bone-strengthening drug zoledronic acid not only reduces fracture risk in patients with cancer that has spread to the bones, it also improves overall survival, according to the results of a retrospective analysis of three large studies.

U.S. does better than Europe, although American whites do better than blacks, study finds

Review of studies says monthly check is 'an option' for women starting in their 20s

Regular breast self-examination does not reduce death from breast cancer and may actually have a harmful effect by increasing the number of biopsies performed for benign disease, suggests an analysis of data from two large studies.

When added to risk assessment tool, SNPs made no difference, study finds

Declines in death rates from the four leading types of cancer in the United States since the early 1990s have been driven largely by progress among college-educated men and women, researchers said on Tuesday.

Study finds almost 40% say docs never said condition was terminal until near death

Study finds more than 350 common sets of genes in patients under 45

Poor aesthetic outcome after lumpectomy linked to depression, fear, study finds

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved Invitrogen Corp's genetic test for determining whether patients with breast cancer are good candidates for treatment with the drug Herceptin.

Kit will help identify which patients are most likely to respond to Herceptin

Janet Guttsman is bureau chief for Reuters in Canada, and has worked for the company in Germany, Russia and the United States. When she's not running the Canadian news file, she enjoys long bicycling trips in Canada and beyond. In the following story, she writes of the support she received online after a diagnosis of early-stage breast cancer.

Yes, men can and do get breast cancer -- and the disease is often treated at a late stage, according to research presented Sunday in Lugano, Switzerland.

Resveratrol, found in red wine, grape skins, inhibits abnormal cells, study finds

Breast reconstruction after cancer surgery can have lasting benefits for women's psychological well-being and body image, a new study suggests.

A new experimental chemotherapy combination delivers a targeted, two-pronged attack on breast cancer, researchers report.

A technique called molecular breast imaging appears to be about as accurate as MRI for detecting breast cancers, but is less costly.

It's less expensive and nearly as accurate as MRI, study says

But research still to really pan out, expert warns

Less affluent individuals had more advanced disease and were less likely to receive needed treatment

Morbidly obese patients who undergo weight-loss surgery greatly reduce their risk of cancer, according to a study providing fresh evidence of health benefits from these increasingly common operations.

Risedronate, better known by the brand name Actonel, is effective for maintaining or improving the bone strength of women who have had chemotherapy for breast cancer, researchers report.

A team of U.S. scientists has identified a new family of compounds that block the ability of estrogen to stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells.

Potential therapy could be the next generation of treatments, researchers say

Finding suggests interception of this signal may thwart metastases, study says

Where screening is performed as important as who interprets results, study finds

And the benefits weren't limited to high-risk women, study finds

A drug used to strengthen the bones of women with breast cancer helped cut the risk of the cancer returning by 36 percent, European researchers said on Saturday,

Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding AG's oral chemotherapy drug Xeloda, or capecitabine, proved inferior to standard chemotherapy in treating older women with early stage breast cancer, a study released on Saturday at a major meeting of oncology specialists found.

The addition of Genentech Inc's cancer drug Avastin to chemotherapy slows the progress of breast cancer at two different doses, according to results of a large international trial released on Saturday.

Anti-angiogenesis drug prolonged progression-free survival, study finds

Zometa, used to treat osteoporosis, showed no unanticipated side effects, researchers report

They're more likely to have diminished ovarian reserve producing viable eggs, study suggests

For women with early-stage breast cancer, adding paclitaxel to standard chemotherapy can improve their chances of survival, Spanish researchers report.

Toronto will host a movie event billed as the world's first-ever film festival dedicated to breast cancer awareness, a Canadian charity said.

Roche Holding AG's Herceptin combined with pertuzumab showed "impressive results" in a phase II breast cancer trial, the Swiss drugmaker said on Friday.

Major League Baseball donates $10 million to novel effort

Study finds a trend toward better overall survival

In women with breast cancer, a radiation technique called intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) reduces the incidence of radiation-induced dermatitis, compared to conventional radiation, research shows.

Results from a decades-long study may enable women to drink coffee or tea without worry that doing so will increase their risk for breast cancer, study findings suggest.

Mammograms performed a few months after an initial mammogram shows lumps that are considered "probably benign" will often miss cancer, according to a report in the American Journal of Roentgenology.

A congressional panel on Wednesday said it has bipartisan support for a bill requiring health insurers to pay for a minimum 48-hour hospital stay after breast cancer treatment, to combat what critics call "drive-through" surgeries.

Women entering menopause should not worry about hormone replacement therapy -- despite a highly publicized study that put off many woman from the drugs, an international panel of experts said on Tuesday.

Experts stress that the finding applies only to those under 60 years of age

Breast cancer patients with lower levels of vitamin D were far more likely to die and far more likely to have their cancer spread than women with normal levels, Canadian researchers reported on Thursday.

Breast cancer patients who get newer scans called magnetic resonance imaging are more likely to opt for mastectomies, U.S. researchers reported on Thursday.

A drug prescribed to prevent fractures in breast cancer patients whose tumors have spread may actually help slow the cancer itself, U.S. researchers reported on Thursday.

Japan's Eisai Co Ltd said on Friday that its experimental treatment for advanced breast cancer had shown tumour fighting activity in mid-stage trials.

Trend coincides with increased use of MRI before surgeries, researchers report

New tool could allow physicians to determine much sooner if therapy is working

Study found women with deficiency were more likely to suffer recurrence, die from disease

Blocking parts of the nervous system that regulate body temperature can reduce hot flashes and improve sleep in survivors of breast cancer, researchers reported on Thursday.

Treatment could help breast cancer patients and menopausal women, study finds

The results of a literature review of published studies confirm that while all women are likely to reduce their risk of breast cancer with regular physical activity, certain subgroups benefit more than others.

Premenopausal women who spend much of their leisure time in physical activities, especially during adolescence and early adulthood, are less likely to develop breast cancer than their more sedentary counterparts, according to a report in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Using ultrasound in addition to mammography helped doctors spot significantly more breast cancers in high-risk women compared with mammograms alone, but it also resulted in four times as many false alarms, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

Women who have a sister diagnosed with breast cancer have a higher than average risk of also developing the disease, and this increased risk will persist for the rest of their lives, epidemiologists in Sweden report in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

But, false-positive rate may be too high for some women, study suggests

But, exercise helps prevent the disease, two additional studies report

They're twice as likely to have suffered from depression before the diagnosis

Adult women who were breast-fed as infants may have a lower risk of developing breast cancer than those who were not breast-fed, unless they were first-born, study findings suggest.

Five percent of breast cancer tumors appear to double in size in just over a month, Norwegian researchers said on Thursday in a study underscoring the potential benefits of more frequent screening.

Finding could affect how screenings are conducted, analyzed, researchers say

Family history and atypical cells also indicate high risk of second cancer, study finds

Blocking blood vessel formation has already worked against breast, colon cancers

But findings are too preliminary for any firm recommendation, researchers say

Doctors don't universally discuss the option of breast reconstruction with all women undergoing mastectomy, results of a new study confirm.

A daily aspirin may give women modest protection against the most common type of breast cancer, U.S. government researchers said on Wednesday.

Expenditures will continue to rise as the population ages, experts say

For women undergoing treatment for breast cancer, relaxation training may bring at least some relief from hot flashes, a new study suggests.

Experiments in mice could lead to better diagnosis and treatment, experts say

Women aged 80 and older who have regular mammograms significantly reduce their chances of being diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer, according to a new study. Yet only about 20 percent of women in this age group get mammograms regularly.

Study finds it reduces risk of being diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer

This, despite research that says proper diet and exercise can keep disease from recurring

Women whose breast cancer may have spread survive a bit longer with weekly infusions of the drug Taxol than less-frequent treatments or treatment with a similar drug, researchers reported on Wednesday.

"Chemofog" - impairments in memory and in thinking, or "cognition," that have been attributed to chemotherapy -- was not seen in two studies of women being treated for breast cancer, according to a presentation at the 60th annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in Chicago..

A chemical in some plastic food and drink packaging including baby bottles may be tied to early puberty and prostate and breast cancer, the U.S. government said on Tuesday.

New research shows a sharp drop in U.S. breast cancer cases in recent years was limited to white women, possibly because they abandoned hormone replacement therapy in greater numbers than minority groups.

Finding should change standard of care, which is 4 doses every 3 weeks, researchers say

An educational video may be more effective and far less costly than psychological counseling in helping women adjust to life after breast cancer, a new study suggests.

Stress of diagnosis more likely cause of reports of 'chemofog,' 'chemobrain,' study suggests

More estrogen-receptor negative tumors may be a factor, experts suggest

Study finds these factors influence how likely they are to undergo screenings

Studies evaluate importance of imaging devices in prognosis, treatment of disease

Work suggests, but does not prove, that stem cells drive breast cancer formation, researcher says

It reduced mortality among women with HER2 malignancies, study shows

Effect was especially strong for estrogen-sensitive tumor types, study found

Women with high blood levels of an estrogen-like compound found in soy seem to have a lower risk of developing breast cancer, a new study suggests.

Trans-fats, which are being phased out of food because they clog arteries, may raise the risk of getting breast cancer, European researchers reported on Friday.

Disparity in practice linked to race, age and socioeconomic status, study finds

Stray 'micrometastases' could be missed, harming long-term survival, study suggests

No differences seen in overall survival, metastasis when chemo triggered low red blood cell count

Signaling events in tumor pave the way for lung invasion, study shows

Findings point to personalized therapies that help predict disease recurrence

Study finds uncertainty about risks and benefits of mastectomies or lumpectomies.

Non-white women, aged and the poor less likely to receive sentinel lymph node biopsy, research shows

Trial was halted early after risk of both recurrence and new malignancies surfaced

Here are tests you should have

Study finds they're not getting needed screenings for breast and cervical tumors

Openness has major impact on counseling and genetic testing, study shows

They take their cues from wives' emotional well-being, study suggests

Exposure to plasticizers and other chemicals in childhood may hike adult cancer risks, report says

The regimen is less challenging for patients but equally effective in preventing relapse, British studies find

Study focused on locally advanced breast cancer and inflammatory breast cancer

But adds strong caveats on their use for some undergoing chemo

But the finding shouldn't keep physicians from using Avastin, researchers say

Finding might explain why some tumors are aggressive and spread, researchers say

Letrozole cut women's risk of recurrent or new tumors by more than half, study found

Study found women who had a recurrence had twice as much of the hormone in their system

Latest data from Women's Health Initiative points to continued need for mammograms

Finding helps identify cellular pathways involved in cancer metastasis

Tamoxifen may ease condition's mania phase, but side effects could be a problem, experts say

One hormone cured 80 percent of pancreatic cancers, two-thirds of breast cancers, researcher says

Female cancer survivors who have been treated with a type of stem cell therapy called hematopoietic cell transplantation, or HCT, have an increased long-term risk of developing breast cancer, according to US and European researchers.

Study found women lost average of 27% of their income after diagnosis

Among women with BRCA1 gene mutations, which are known to increase the risk of breast cancer, annual screening with both mammography and MRI is associated with better survival when compared with screening with either method alone, new research indicates. The trade-offs, however, are a high rate of false-positive results, which lead to unnecessary biopsies.

Detecting breast cancer with mammography and biopsy is more difficult in women who use estrogen and progestin hormone therapy, according to an analysis of data from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) trial.

That may limit effectiveness of these breast cancer detection methods, study says

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Avastin for the treatment of breast cancer, Genentech announced Friday.

Drug still carries significant risks, but approval was based on its ability to slow tumors, experts say.

A new study suggests that women who eat diets rich in meat and dairy may have a decreased risk of breast cancer, while those who bulk up on fiber, fruits and vegetables show a lower risk of ovarian cancer.

Calcifications in breast arteries upped chances of cardiovascular trouble, study finds

Aromatase inhibitors, a class of drugs used to ward off the recurrence of breast cancer after surgery, increase the risk of cardiovascular disorders slightly more than does treatment with tamoxifen, a new study shows.

Uninsured, those on Medicaid more likely to be diagnosed with advanced cancers, American Cancer Society reports

But many patients aren't getting the lifesaving treatment, research reveals

Hair from women with breast cancer can be distinguished from hair obtained from women without the disease, researchers in Australia report.

British study details differences between genders, ethnic groups

Researchers have confirmed yet another ill effect of smoking cigarettes: it increases the risk of breast cancer in women with a common genetic variation.

Insecticide metabolite disrupts hormone-sensitive cells, study finds

A longer interval between the age a woman first begins to menstruate and her age when she first gives birth is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, the results of a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests.

In most cases, ductal carcinoma in situ will not spread, researchers say

Older women treated for a common type of breast cancer and who survive past the five-year mark will probably not die from the disease, a new study shows.

The chances that a noninvasive precancer in the lining of a breast duct will recur after treatment, or become invasive cancer, are very small. However, many women believe that their risk is at least moderate, according to a new report.

BRCA2 carriers get twice the reduction in breast cancer risk that BRCA1 carriers do, study finds

Women with BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations can lower their risk of developing breast and gynecologic cancers by having their ovaries removed. However, the benefit depends on which mutation they have, researchers have found.

But sites devoted to complementary or alternative medicine may not be accurate, study finds

A new study suggests that a small number of Web sites dedicated to breast cancer offer inaccurate information, though the likelihood is greater with those that focus on alternative medicine.

Overall, people who suffer from psoriatic arthritis do not appear to have a higher risk of cancer compared to the general population, according to a new study.

Harvard docs say this way of checking estrogen-receptor status of participants is OK

While high levels of a tumor protein called Ki-67 are associated with worse breast cancer survival, they are not helpful in determining whether patients should receive chemotherapy in addition to estrogen-blocking drugs like tamoxifen, according to a brief report.

Authors of 1996 study that concluded differently took second look, found no connection

But expression of Ki-67 didn't predict who'd benefit from additional chemo

Gender, race, schooling influence likelihood of giving radiation, study says

A woman's personality does not seem to influence her risk of developing breast cancer, according to a new study.

Surgeon characteristics, such as gender or country of training, appear to influence whether a women with breast cancer receives radiotherapy after surgery to remove the cancer, also referred to as adjuvant radiotherapy, according to a report in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Those under 50 who are pre-, perimenopausal with dense breasts benefit most, analysis confirms

Digital mammography was much better than traditional film mammography at spotting breast cancers in younger women or those with dense breasts, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

Survey found adult children of parents with BRCA mutations would be more willing to test their own kids

Taking a statin drug does not seem to increase or decrease the likelihood of a woman developing breast cancer, according to a study published in the medical journal Cancer.

Even small co-pays made some women opt out of screening mammographies, study finds

Requiring even a small co-payment dramatically reduces the likelihood that women will get regular mammograms to detect breast cancer, researchers reported on Wednesday.

More must be done to help women avoid painful, costly complications, researchers say

Cigarette smoking dramatically increases the risk that a woman who has undergone radiation treatment for breast cancer will develop lung cancer later on, a new study shows.

More than one in 20 patients undergoing breast surgery later developed infections at incision sites, according to a study released on Monday, a complication that was more common than thought.

A wood floor finish popular in the 1950s and 1960s may be a significant source of the banned, disease-causing pollutants known as PCBs, U.S. researchers reported on Wednesday.

African American women are generally less likely than white women to pursue genetic testing for BRCA1 or BRCA2, the gene mutations associated with an increased risk of break cancer, researchers report. However, African American women with a recent diagnosis of breast cancer are much more likely to do so, according to the article in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Finding suggests the gene, when not mutated, helps repair damaged DNA

Incidence increased with popularity of hormone therapy, study finds

As little as 3 years of using combined estrogen and progestin menopausal hormone therapy substantially increases the risk of developing lobular breast carcinoma, the results of new research indicate.

Activating body's immune system should fight tumors, researchers say

Removal of the ovaries (oophorectomy) plus tamoxifen, as adjuvant, or "add-on" therapy, significantly improves survival in premenopausal women with operable breast cancer, a study indicates.

Canadian women are being asked to bare their breasts online in a brazenly novel campaign meant to keep them cancer-free.

Scientists in the United States are developing a screening test for breast cancer that checks a woman's saliva for evidence of the disease to help find tumors early, when they are most treatable.

Finding could lead to better prognosis, treatments, researchers say

A team of scientists at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York has identified several naturally occurring human microRNAs that prevent breast cancer from spreading (metastasizing) to the lung and bone -- the two main sites to which breast usually spreads, according to study findings released early by the science journal Nature.

Canadian punk rock singer Bif Naked has gone public after being diagnosed with breast cancer, saying she is facing the fight of her life and urging other women to ensure they regularly check for cancer.

New research indicates there is considerable variation in the risk of breast cancer among carriers of BRCA1/2 mutations, which are known to increase the risk of breast cancer.

Study finds wide variation among families with carriers

Finding supports the use of radiation after early-stage disease is removed, researchers say

The radiation therapy that is currently used to treat Hodgkin's lymphoma is expected to reduce the rate of second cancers substantially, although the risk will vary considerably among individual patients, according to a new report in the medical journal Cancer.

Older women do as well with more cost-effective conventional film screenings, study says

A review of published clinical trials indicates that adjuvant chemotherapy regimens - drug therapy administered after surgical removal of the cancer -- used in the 1970s and 1980s safely improved the long-term survival of women with breast cancers associated with poor outcomes.

The finding is so far limited to women of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, researchers say

In women with advanced breast cancer, progression-free survival (that is, a patient remaining alive without the disease getting worse) is improved with the addition of Avastin to the commonly-used drug paclitaxel, but overall survival is not affected, according to a study reported in The New England Journal of Medicine this week.

In a mouse model of breast cancer, the COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib (Celebrex) prevents chronic morphine-induced effects on tumor growth without compromising pain relief, scientists report.

Anthracyclines increase survival for HER2-positive tumors, but not negative ones, analysis finds

New ethnic findings point out that all women with early breast cancer should be tested for the mutation, experts say

A gene known to give many Jewish women a high risk of cancer also puts many U.S. Hispanic women at high risk, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

Among women with breast cancer, both chemotherapy and tamoxifen reduce the long-term risk of developing a second cancer in the other breast, researchers report in the January 2, 2008 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The risk reduction persists for at least 10 years with chemotherapy and for 5 years with tamoxifen.

Total cost about $555, government analysis shows.

Results of a Swedish study of mainly premenopausal women at enrollment does not provide any evidence that total dietary fat or intake of monounsaturated fat (MUFA), polyunsaturated fat (PUFA), or saturated fat (SFA) is associated with a woman's overall risk of developing breast cancer.

While some studies have found that acupuncture may cool women's hot flashes, new findings suggest that for women with breast cancer, it works no better than a "sham" version of the procedure.

But these discussions greatly impact women's surgery choices, experts say

Women with breast cancer faced with treatment decisions are often not told by their surgeons about the possibility of breast reconstruction after a mastectomy, a study confirms. When these conversations do occur, many more women choose mastectomy, researchers found.

Swelling in arms or legs can come after infection or cancer therapy, researchers note

Depression appears to somewhat heighten the risk of breast cancer, but it has no significant association with lung, colon or prostate cancer, according to a review of the medical literature conducted by Dutch researchers.

Compared with the general population, patients with schizophrenia appear to have an elevated risk of colon cancer and a lower risk of respiratory cancer, according to a report in the Archives of General Psychiatry.

Report finds they're less likely to get screening tests, so have advanced disease

A combination drug treatment that includes Tykerb, know generically as lapatinib, appears to be able to fight breast cancer that has spread to the brain, GlaxoSmithKline Plc announced Sunday.

Breast cancer patients whose tumors test positive for the protein HER-2 and test negative for hormone receptors have a high risk of treatment failure after chemotherapy -- and the most common site of cancer recurrence after treatment failure is the brain, Mayo Clinic researchers reported at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

After approximately 8 years, postmenopausal women with hormone-sensitive breast cancer who received (Arimidex), generically known as anastrazole, had a lower risk of recurrence than women taking tamoxifen, investigators reported at the annual meeting of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

12 million new cases -- many preventable -- were diagnosed this year, American Cancer Society reports

For a subset of cancer types, treatment needs to be much tougher than is typically done, study finds

After more than 8 years of follow-up, older women taking the newer drug fared better, study finds

Few men understand the danger from BRCA1/2, researchers say

The long-term findings of a large, multicenter study show that breast cancer survival is significantly improved and side effects are significantly less severe with Taxotere (also called docetaxel) than with Adriamycin (also called doxorubicin).

Genomic Health Inc said on Thursday its genetic test can help predict when chemotherapy is likely to benefit women with breast cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes.

Review of studies finds regimen popular in 1980s doesn't really lengthen life

Mutations in the BRCA1 breast cancer gene appear to be linked with the loss of a protein important for putting the brakes on cell growth, a finding that could lead to new therapies, researchers said on Sunday.

Women with lumps in their breasts rely on their radiologists to accurately read their mammograms, but the accuracy of those readings varies widely, U.S. researchers on Tuesday.

Women who put on weight after being diagnosed with breast cancer substantially increase their risk of dying, research suggests.

Postmenopausal women with breast cancer who successfully complete 5 years of tamoxifen therapy derive significant benefit from an additional 3 years of therapy with the anastrozole, an aromatase inhibitor, according to study findings published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Radiologists' experience and affiliation often influenced results, study found

Finding could lead to new treatments, researchers say

The results of an animal study suggest that infants exposed to BBP, a chemical additive used in pipes, vinyl floor tiles, carpet-backing, and other household items, may affect mammary gland development and perhaps increase the susceptibility to breast cancer. BBP (n-butyl benzyl phthalate) is a "plasticizer," which is added to substances such as cement, concrete and clay to increase fluidity.

Cancer drug Avastin should not be approved to treat women with breast cancer, a U.S. advisory panel recommended on Wednesday.

Experiments with rats show early exposure causes genetic changes in breast cells

Older women also face delays, new study finds

Drug has significant risks, and its benefits are still debated, experts say

Expert panel to add it to list of 'probable' causes of malignancy

Take these precautions

Amgen Inc said on Friday interim results from an independent study involving breast cancer patients found its anemia drug Aranesp did not enhance the effect of chemotherapy prior to surgery.

WASHINGTON(Reuters) - The benefits of Roche Holding AG's cancer drug Avastin in breast cancer should be weighed against some toxic side effects including the potential for death, U.S. regulatory staffers said in documents released on Monday.

Most get too little of nutrients that cut their odds for malignancy, study finds

Stereoscopic digital mammography, which gives a 3-dimensional view of the inner structures of the breast, cuts the number of falsely diagnosed tumors in half, compared with conventional mammography, researchers reported here this week.

Biology and genetics appear to be key factors, researchers say

And doctors worry that could lead to rise in breast cancer cases

Stereoscopic digital mammography cut rate of false-positive results, study found

Mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes that increase the risk of breast cancer for women also do the same in men.

GlaxoSmithKline PLC sent misleading letters to health professionals touting its breast cancer drug Tykerb, U.S. health officials said in a letter released on Monday.

Technique helps detect metastases earlier for women with inflammatory breast cancer, study finds

Results of a study show significant racial differences in the risk of pain associated with advanced breast cancer, with non-whites experiencing poorer pain control than women of other races.

It may be undertreated compared to white patients, research suggests

Better breast health education needed among minority, underserved women, study finds

Study finds city-dwelling females have more dense breasts

An herbal remedy popular for menopausal symptoms may inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells, preliminary research suggests.

But patients can't get enough CBD from just smoking pot, scientists add

Key biomarkers could point to women at higher risk, study suggests

Weight loss appears to be an effective way to reduce breast cancer-associated lymphedema of the arm, according to UK researchers.

Obesity linked to a range of tumor types, studies find

Ten years after breast-conserving therapy, the breast cancer recurrence rates are higher among African American women than among Caucasian women, researchers reported here at the annual meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO). However, the difference is not great, so breast-conserving therapy should remain an option for African American women.

Keeping slim is one of the best ways of preventing cancer, as is avoiding excessive amounts of red meat and wine, a landmark study has revealed.

Review of data finds no link to most common illnesses

Exposure to sunlight may reduce the risk of advanced breast cancer in women with light skin pigmentation, according to the results of a population-based study appearing in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Women who develop breast cancer are no more likely to have aggressive or advanced tumors if they are cigarette smokers than if they do not smoke, researchers said on Sunday.

But there are lots of other reasons to avoid the habit, experts say

From 1998 through 2003, the rate of double mastectomies among women in the United States who had cancer diagnosed in only one breast more than doubled, according to a report in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

There's no proof cancer will spread to the healthy second breast, researchers say

A decision aid that discusses both the pros and cons of continuing mammographic screening may help older women make the best informed choice, according to a report in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Research highlights need to individualize treatment

After treatment for breast cancer, women are commonly classified as either being in remission or not, depending on whether cancer is still present. New research suggests, however, that in predicting whether the cancer will spread to distant body sites, it is important to determine not simply if there is cancer, but how much.

positive breast cancers and, if given, it should not be the sole second-phase, or "adjuvant" therapy.

Authors of a report released this week encourage women who survive breast cancer to address all of the modifiable risk factors they have for heart disease, because breast cancer therapy can damage the heart.

The findings of a series of animal studies indicate that calcium deficiency, which accelerates the rate that calcium is absorbed back into the bone, promotes breast cancer tumor growth in bone, Australian researchers report.

More girls than boys are born in some Canadian communities because airborne pollutants called dioxins can alter normal sex ratios, even if the source of the pollution is many kilometers away, researchers say.

When pp32 is gone, a tumor-spurring gene goes to work, researchers say

A new drug called Ixempra for women with advanced breast cancer that does not respond to other therapies has won U.S. approval to be sold and is expected to be available in days, according to Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.

11 states as well as District of Columbia receive failing grades.

- such as ibuprofen or aspirin -- is associated with a reduced risk of developing breast cancer, the results of a recent study suggest.

For many different reasons, African American women do not receive add-on therapy after breast cancer as often as white American women do, a new study shows.

A new type of treatment for advanced breast cancer could win U.S. approval this week and offer an option for patients whose cancer has continued to spread despite treatment with existing therapies.

A Nevada jury on Monday awarded $99 million in punitive damages to three women who blamed their breast cancer on Wyeth hormone replacement drugs.

Heres what to look for

For women undergoing chemo for breast cancer, an exercise program doesn't do much to improve their quality of life -- but it can boost their self-esteem, physical fitness, and chemotherapy completion rates.

Special yoga classes can significantly improve the quality of life and well being of women with breast cancer patients -- particularly those who are not taking chemotherapy -- a new study shows.

Death rates from cancer continue to fall in the United States, dropping more than 2 percent per year from 2002 through 2004, cancer experts reported on Monday.

Report finds a doubling of the rate of decline over past decade.

Survival is no better or no worse among breast cancer patients who have used the birth control pill, according to a report in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Partial-breast method might leave women less tired, researchers say

A Nevada jury ordered Wyeth to pay a total of $134.5 million in compensatory damages to three women who blamed their breast cancer on the drugmaker's hormone replacement medicines.

Adding paclitaxel to standard chemo targets HER2-positive tumors.

Wider hips mean more estrogen, bringing higher odds for the illness, researchers say.

Study finds they're much less likely than whites to get tamoxifen, for example.

A South Korean court on Friday ordered the military to reinstate one of its first women helicopter pilots, discharged after she had a double mastectomy to treat breast cancer.

Postmenopausal women with elevated white blood cell (WBC) counts appear to be at increased risk of developing certain types of cancer, including breast, colorectal, endometrial, and lung cancers, a new study shows. Higher WBC counts also raise the risk of dying from cancer, according to the study.

Breast cancer is becoming more prevalent in Asia and affecting younger women than those in the U.S. and Europe, a cancer specialist in Hong Kong said.

Singer Melissa Etheridge beat a bout of breast cancer and says she used that experience as the inspiration to write a new album free from commercial pressures or concerns about producing hits.

Three or more drinks a day, whether beer, wine or spirits, boost a woman's risk of breast cancer as much as smoking a pack of cigarettes, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.

Three or more drinks a day raise odds by 30%, study finds.

Adding Herceptin to chemotherapy before surgery eradicates tumors in nearly three times as many women with inflammatory breast cancer as chemotherapy alone, the drug's maker Roche Holding AG said on Wednesday.

The death rate from breast cancer continues to drop steadily by about 2 percent a year, but black women are not seeing the same benefits as whites, the American Cancer Society said on Tuesday.

They include cholesterol checks, gynecologic care and cancer screening

But decline is greater among white women than black women, report finds.

Older women with breast cancer who undergo chemotherapy have a small but significant increased risk of developing acute myeloid leukemia (AML), new research shows.

A simple test to measure tumor cells circulating in the blood could make it easier to tell which breast cancer patients are at greatest risk of their cancer returning after treatment, a German researcher said on Monday.

Simple steps like avoiding caffeine can help, they say

The bones of breast cancer patients tend to age prematurely as a result of chemotherapy and aromatase inhibitor therapy, according to research reported at the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research meeting this week.

Targeting this DNA might improve treatment, researchers say.

Women may benefit from physiotherapy if they experience shoulder pain and reduced arm function after they undergo surgery for breast cancer, doctors from the Netherlands report.

Eli Lilly & Co said Friday that it had won approval to market its blockbuster osteoporosis drug to post-menopausal women who are at high risk for invasive breast cancer.

Manufacturer calls Evista a valuable tool, but critics say its heart risks outweigh benefits.

Discovery may lead to new drug to treat manic phase of the illness, study says.

Socioeconomic status and access to health care may explain the connection.

Researchers found effects last well after therapy ends.

The outcome of women with breast cancer and a BRCA1 gene mutation is likely to be "unsatisfactory," even when tumors are caught at an apparently early stage through a surveillance program, research indicates.

Side effects are causing women to stop taking pills that can help keep breast cancer from returning, and women who stop taking the pills risk early death, according to several reports released on Thursday.

Black American women are more likely to have a hard-to-treat form of breast cancer, they get it earlier and they are more likely to die of it, researchers said on Thursday.

Exercise, yoga improve quality of life, even chemotherapy compliance, studies find.

Symposium reveals racial disparities, troublesome drug side effects.

Parents who learn that they carry a breast cancer-linked gene mutation will usually pass this information along to their children, and will often do so long before any medical interventions are necessary, a new study confirms.

Hypnosis before breast surgery reduces the amount of medication required during the procedure and lessens postsurgical pain and nausea, according to results of new study. Hospitals also benefit from lower costs.

Other benefits: Less anesthesia, faster recovery, less cost, study finds.

Invasive breast cancer rates have fallen since the substantial decline in postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) occurred, even after a decline in breast cancer screening rates, according to findings published in the 5th Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

The rate of breast cancer among postmenopausal women with high blood pressure (hypertension) who are taking antihypertensive drugs is comparable with that seen the general population, researchers report, although there may be some risk associated with untreated hypertension.

They can help detect cancer early

Fried, baked food compound poses no threat, major study finds

A therapeutic vaccine designed for breast cancer appears to be safe in women with advanced disease and shows signs of actually slowing down tumor growth, U.S. researchers reported on Friday.

But the children may be too young to handle the information, study suggests.

Obesity, tobacco cause half of all cancers, presidential panel says.

Some forms of low-dose radiation treatment may increase the risk of breast cancer, particularly in genetically susceptible women, according to a report in the International Journal of Cancer.

Mammogram trends played no role in recent lower numbers, study finds.

Achievement could spur research into cancer's spread, experts say.

Drugs used to treat female infertility do not appear to be associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, according to a new report.

MRI scans may offer a new way to detect breast cancer at its earliest stages and perhaps even prevent cancer among high-risk women, European researchers said on Thursday.

But it's still too expensive for more widespread use, experts say.

Women with early-stage cancer of the left breast who are treated with radiation as a component of breast-sparing treatment, have an increased risk of developing radiation-related coronary damage, researchers report.

Underlying psychiatric trouble most likely to blame, researchers say.

But the technology won't replace mammography, experts stress.

Misconceptions linger around smoking, cell phones, other factors, Cancer Society survey finds.

Doctors again advise to use the therapy only as needed and for as short as possible.

Although women diagnosed with advanced breast cancer general do not have as good a prognosis as women diagnosed in earlier disease stages, significant improvements have been made. The introduction of new chemotherapy drugs in the last decade has resulted in longer survival times for these women, the findings of a new study suggest.

But critics say Evista's heart risks outweigh its benefits .

A new study shows that group "talk" therapy may help women with advanced breast cancer feel better, but it probably won't prolong their lives, with one exception. Women in the study with estrogen-receptor negative, or ER-negative, tumors did seem to reap a survival benefit from group therapy.

Aromotase inhibitors and other chemo drugs add months to lives, Canadian study reports.

Although the lifetime risk of cancer associated with exposure to radiation from computerize tomographic (CT) coronary angiography is "non-negligible," the risk varies widely depending on the age and gender of the patient and type of scan that is used, according to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Among breast cancer survivors, adopting a low-fat diet high in vegetables, fruit and fiber does not prevent the cancer from returning or prolong survival, according to a paper in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Regimen exceeding national guidelines didn't protect more from recurrence, study finds.

Breast cancer patients on Tykerb could save $1,740 per month, experts say.

The breast cancer-promoting effects of cigarette smoking may be strongest in young women who have not yet had children, an international research team reports.

A woman's likelihood of surviving breast cancer is related to the survival rates among her first degree relatives with breast cancer, according to a new report.

An increasing number of women with breast cancer are waiting too long to see a specialist doctor because of problems caused by a government target, research published on Friday said.

The agency lays out details behind its decision to bar health claims.

Women who develop breast cancer because they carry defective genes are no less likely to survive over the long term than other breast cancer patients, Canadian and Israeli researchers said on Wednesday.

Women with the BRCA mutations also responded equally well to treatment, study found.

Post-menopausal Chinese women who eat a Western-style diet heavy in meat and sweets face a higher risk of breast cancer than their counterparts who stick to a typical Chinese diet loaded with vegetables and soy, a study found.

Experts are divided over the reasons why.

Chinese women who favored Western fare doubled their odds for malignancy, study showed

Procedure is first being tried on breast cancer survivors, developers say.

Black women who feel they've been victims of racial discrimination are more likely than their peers to develop breast cancer, a large study suggests.

Giving Herceptin alongside -- not after -- standard chemo may be best approach.

Treatment with clodronate does not improve survival in women with early or advanced breast cancer, according to the results of a meta-analysis of published studies.

Daughters of women who succumb to the disease have heightened risk of dying if they develop it, Swedish study finds.

Noninvasive follow-up may be acceptable alternative, study suggests.

They may cost more, but they extend lives, improve quality of life, studies find.

If there's any good news about morning sickness, this may be it. Women who experience nausea and vomiting during pregnancy may have a lower risk of breast cancer later in life, according to new research.

Among women who have been treated for breast cancer, those who stick to a healthy diet and are moderately active seem to live longer, results of a new study indicate. A good diet alone or exercise alone doesn't have the same benefit.

Tools used to predict whether a woman's breast cancer is inherited do not account for smaller families and may leave some women in the dark about their risk for future cancers, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.

Mammography screening has significantly reduced the number of breast cancers cases involving large tumors or disease that has spread to the lymph nodes, according to a Swedish study.

Findings for postmenopausal women in their 50s differ from prior HRT study involving those over 60.

U.S. health regulators have granted priority review for Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.'s experimental breast cancer drug ixabepilone, and an approval decision on the medicine could come by late October, the company said on Tuesday.

Relying on family history keeps too many women from valuable gene tests, they say.

Chemotherapy given before surgery for breast cancer does not appear to worsen mental processes, or "cognitive function," German investigators report in the journal Cancer. Suspicions that it does may have been influenced by cases of mental decline that occurred before treatment began.

Drug therapy given before the primary chemotherapy for breast cancer does not appear to worsen mental processes, or "cognitive function," German investigators report in the journal Cancer. Suspicions that it does may have been influenced by cases of mental decline that occurred before treatment began.

The use of letrozole may also delay need for chemotherapy, study says.

Follow-up drug therapy after primary chemotherapy for breast cancer does not appear to worsen mental processes, or "cognitive function," German investigators report in the journal Cancer. Suspicions that it does may have been influenced by cases of mental decline that occurred before treatment began.

Previous reports have tied BRCA2 gene mutations to breast and ovarian cancer, as well as the development of prostate cancer. However it has been unclear if the mutations also influenced progression of prostate cancer.

Advanced oral, breast tumors found more often in people with no insurance or public insurance.

Drop in HRT use may be one of several factors, study says.

Data from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study indicate that the majority of long-term survivors of childhood cancer do not receive the recommended follow-up care, despite the fact that they have a significant risk of developing late side effects of cancer therapy, including heart disease and secondary cancers.

Small study found modafinil effective for women with breast cancer.

Could be a sign that drug therapy is working, study says

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) seems to be much more sensitive than mammography in diagnosing ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in general, and aggressive, high-grade DCIS in particular, according to the results of a large study presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Black women with advanced breast cancer are faring no better now than they were two decades ago despite improved survival by white women -- and the gap appears to be widening, U.S. researchers said Sunday.

Patients who are treated with radioactive iodine for an over active thyroid, a condition also referred to as hyperthyroidism, have an increased risk of cancer -- especially cancers of the stomach, kidney, and breast -- according to the results of a study published in the medical journal Cancer.

Latest analysis found benefit stayed the same four years later

Breast cancer patients showed no increase in risk, longer-term study finds.

Studies show racial, socioeconomic gaps continue with breast, childhood cancers.

The former fought colon cancer recurrence, the latter lowered insulin levels in breast cancer survivors.

A study shows that weight loss is beneficial for women who suffer from breast cancer-related lymphedema -- chronic arm swelling following removal of the lymph nodes during breast cancer surgery.

Highly targeted therapy takes 4 weeks instead of 6 or 7, experts say.

Study of 59,000 women shows no link, despite long-time use

But it's too early to recommend supplements, one expert says.

A genetic mutation that raises the risk of breast cancer is found in up to 60 percent of U.S. women, making it the first truly common breast cancer susceptibility gene, researchers reported on Sunday.

Scientists have found 4 new mutations that may combine to boost risk.

Women who carry a gene mutation that increases their risk of breast cancer appear to be able to lower their risk of breast and gynecologic cancers by undergoing the removal of their ovaries, results of a 10-year follow-up study show.

Breast cancer tends to be more aggressive when it occurs in younger women, and doctors often advise radical surgery. Now, however, a study shows that breast-conserving treatment, commonly known as lumpectomy, is safe for women younger than 40.

Scientists find new DNA driving malignancy, and a host of implicated proteins.

Most are noncancerous

An aerobic exercise program improves quality of life for women previously treated for localized breast cancer, according to UK researchers.

The scans can point to new regions needing excision, researchers say

Women who use chemical relaxers to straighten their hair do not seem to be at increased risk of breast cancer, according to a new study.

But LHRH agonists are only effective in women under 40, study finds.

Many may feel embarrassed at getting weighed or examined, expert says

8 genetic clues were found in cells close to the tumor, researchers explain.

U.S. women are getting mammograms to screen for breast cancer at declining rates, according to a study describing a trend that experts fear may portend a reversal of progress against the deadly disease.

Pollutants, food ingredients, solvents may all cause harm, researchers say.

Government study found 4% decline between 2000 and 2005.

People who have a first-degree relative with early-onset lung cancer are themselves at heightened risk for developing other types of cancer, according to a new report. The types of cancers involved differ between Caucasians and African-Americans, the researchers found.

Switzerland's Roche Holding AG launched blockbuster drug bevacizumab (Avastin) for breast cancer in Britain on Thursday and said it was working on ways to make the costly medicine more affordable.

The types of breast tumors that occur after combination hormone replacement therapy in women going through menopause and in post-menopausal women tend to have a better prognosis than those that occur after estrogen-only replacement therapy, Swedish researchers report.

While breast cancer is far more common in women than in men, men may be more likely to die from early-stage breast tumors, a new study suggests.

Women who are extremely obese are less likely than thinner women to undergo screening for breast and cervical cancer, according to a new study.

A study in mice shows that moderate alcohol consumption stimulates the growth and progression of breast cancer by fueling the development of new blood vessels -- a process called "angiogenesis." It does this by boosting expression of a key growth factor known as vascular endothelial growth factor or VEGF.

False-positive rate remains too high for test to be used as general screening tool, however.

Some are associated with lifestyle choices

The analysis shows effect of screening mammography.

Herceptin has been approved in Europe for the treatment of advanced breast cancer in combination with hormonal therapy, Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding AG announced Thursday.

Postmenopausal women who like barbecued and smoked meat would be wise to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables too, a new study suggests.

A cocktail of three targeted drugs may help women with a specific type of breast cancer far better than any of the drugs used alone, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.

Those who've undergone ovarian removal are shielded from estrogen-linked disease, study finds.

By baring her life's pain and sadness, the wife of Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards says she is finding ways to reach out and connect intimately to voters.

In breast cancer survivors, the Iyengar method of yoga not only promotes psychological well-being, but seems to offer immune system benefits as well, according to research reported Monday at the American Physiological Society meeting in Washington, DC.

A study in mice shows that moderate alcohol consumption stimulates the growth and progression of breast cancer by fueling the development of new blood vessels -- a process called "angiogenesis." It does this by boosting expression of a key growth factor known as vascular endothelial growth factor or VEGF.

Leptin may enhance tumor growth, mouse study shows

Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs help prevent heart attacks and may offer other health benefits, but contrary to what some people think they do not prevent cancer, a new study indicates.

Most older women who survive breast cancer maintain their emotional well-being, though some are at greater risk of a change for the worse, a new study suggests.

Docs assessed treatment's success by watching water diffuse through tumors

A new study provides preliminary evidence that an herbal medicine used to help women cope with menopausal symptoms may reduce breast cancer risk.

The American Cancer Society said it was looking for half a million volunteers willing to let researchers watch them for the next 20 years to see if they get cancer.

Neither spontaneous abortion (also known as miscarriage) nor induced abortion appears to affect the risk of breast cancer in young women, according to a report in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Since 1990, the overall breast cancer death rates in the United States have decreased by about 24 percent, researchers report in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Study of more than 100,000 women shows no definite connection

Women with a family history of breast cancer who undergo genetic risk screening worry less about the disease afterwards and show improvements in their psychological well being, a new review shows.

Genetics, lifestyle, environment interact to cause disease, researchers say

Rates of disease fell nearly 9 percent after study found hormones caused health problems.

Differences in how many Hispanic and Caucasian women are diagnosed with breast cancer may be the result of biological factors rather than differences in access to healthcare services, according to finding published in the journal Cancer.

Long-term daily use of adult-strength aspirin may modestly reduce the risk of certain cancers, including colorectal, prostate and breast cancer, new research suggests.

New blood or biopsy tests predict patients' response to therapy, experts say.

Breastfeeding may offer broad protection against breast cancer that extends to women who delay having childr