Mastectomy

In medicine, mastectomy is the medical term for the surgical removal of one or both breasts, partially or completely. Mastectomy is usually done to treat breast cancer.

Newly diagnosed breast cancer patients and MRI

MRI may be unnecessary prior to treatment in most newly diagnosed breast cancer patients — New Study in Journal of the American College of Surgeons Finds Those Who Undergo MRI More Likely to Have Premature Mastectomy. – New research findings published in the August issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons challenge the routine use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a means to improve surgical outcomes in newly diagnosed breast cancer patients.

Routine MRI scan to evaluate breast cancer is challenged

Study challenges routine use of MRI scans to evaluate breast cancer — Test is linked to delays in treatment, increase in mastectomy rates. – Women with newly diagnosed breast cancer who receive a breast MRI are more likely to receive a mastectomy after their diagnosis and may face delays in starting treatment, revealed by researchers.

Women with BRCA mutation most likely to undergo mastectomy

Women with BRCA mutation, or worry, most likely to undergo prophylactic mastectomy. Patients’ fear should be strongly considered when counseling women at high risk for breast cancer. – Women at increased risk for breast cancer because of the genetic BRCA mutations are more likely to think a prophylactic mastectomy is the best way to reduce their risk for the disease, compared to other women who are at high risk, according to researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Preventive mastectomy decision for breast cancer patient

New research helps predict which breast cancer patients may benefit from preventive mastectomy of opposite breast – A preventive procedure to remove the unaffected breast in breast cancer patients with disease in one breast may only be necessary in patients who have high-risk features as assessed by examining the patient’s medical history and pathology of the breast cancer, according to researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

1 week radiation effective breast cancer treatment

A newer type of radiation treatment offers more convenience to early-stage breast cancer patients by shortening radiation therapy from the standard six to seven weeks of treatment to only one week. – Accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) using a type of radiation seed implants called balloon brachytherapy is as effective in keeping breast cancer from coming back as the standard external beam radiation treatment.

Surgical site infections common after breast surgery

Surgical site infection after breast cancer surgical procedures was more common than expected for clean surgery and more common than SSI after non?cancer-related breast surgical procedures. – Infections at the incision site occurred in more than 5 percent of patients following breast surgery and cost them more than $4,000 each in hospital-related expenses, revealed in a US study.

New perspectives on health disparities in breast cancer research

Asian breast cancer women (67.5 percent) choose to have a mastectomy over lumpectomy compared to Caucasian women (57.3 percent).
– Breast cancer is a disease with a number of known genetic and behavioral risk factors, but scientists have seen that these risks are often compounded by social and racial inequalities. The question remains: how, exactly, do social disadvantages, genetics, race and culture add to the disparities faced by so many groups of women?

Health Newstrack