Breast pain

Fun friends social relationships influence quality of life in breast cancer patients

Fun and friends help ease the pain of breast cancer — Kaiser Permanente study among the first to examine how social relationships influence quality of life in breast cancer patients – Breast cancer patients who say they have people with whom they have a good time, or have “positive social interactions” with, are better able to deal with pain and other physical symptoms. This study provides research-based evidence that social support helps with physical symptoms.

Lymphoseek to locate lymph nodes in breast cancer or melanoma patients

US FDA approves Lymphoseek to help locate lymph nodes in patients with certain cancers – breast cancer & melanoma – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Lymphoseek (technetium Tc 99m tilmanocept) Injection, a radioactive diagnostic imaging agent that helps doctors locate lymph nodes in patients with breast cancer or melanoma who are undergoing surgery to remove tumor-draining lymph nodes.

Cesarean delivery rates varied tenfold in US hospitals

U of M researchers find wide variation in cesarean delivery rates among US hospitals – Cesarean delivery is the most common surgery in the United States, performed on 1.67 million American women annually. The latest study, appearing in Health Affairs, shows that cesarean delivery rates varied tenfold across U.S. hospitals, from 7.1 percent to 69.9 percent.

Kadcyla – new treatment for late stage HER2 breast cancer

US FDA approves new treatment for late-stage breast cancer – Kadcyla (ado-trastuzumab emtansine) – a new therapy for patients with HER2-positive, late-stage (metastatic) breast cancer is approved by US FDA. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death among women. Almost 20 percent of breast cancers have increased amounts of the HER2 protein.

Pfizer new drug could provide a new treatment option for postmenopausal women

Pfizer new drug BZA/CE could provide a new treatment option for symptomatic postmenopausal women with a uterus – Pfizer Inc. will announce new one-year results from the Selective estrogens, Menopause, And Response to Therapy [SMART]-5 Phase 3 study of the safety and efficacy of the investigational tissue selective estrogen complex (TSEC) bazedoxifene/conjugated estrogens (BZA/CE) at the 22nd annual meeting of the North American Menopause Society (NAMS), September_21-24 in Washington, D.C.

Pfizer drug reduces breast cancer in high risk women

UB played major role in study on drug that reduces breast cancer in high-risk women — Buffalo enrolled more women than any other study site – The drug exemestane significantly reduces the risk of breast cancer in high-risk, postmenopausal women is the result of an international, randomized double-blind phase III clinical trial in which University at Buffalo researchers and hundreds of Western New York women played a critical role, revealed at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting.

Breast implants linked to ALCL a rare cancer

FDA review indicates possible association between breast implants and a rare cancer — Agency requesting health care professionals to report confirmed cases – Saline and silicone gel-filled breast implants are linked to anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), a very rare type of cancer, announced by US Health Agency FDA.

49% breast cancer patients adhere to hormonal therapy regimen

Fewer than half of breast cancer patients adhere to hormonal therapy regimen, study finds – A new study of nearly 8,800 women with early-stage breast cancer found that fewer than half ? approximately 49 percent ? completed their full regimen of hormone therapy according to the prescribed schedule.

Exercise may keep cancer patients healthier

Exercise may keep cancer patients healthier during, after treatment – Breast and prostate cancer patients who regularly exercise during and after cancer treatment report having a better quality of life and being less fatigued, according to researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

Choosing VBAC or plan a repeat cesarean delivery

Panel questions ‘VBAC bans,’ advocates expanded delivery options for women — Parents’ preferences and risk factors should be weighed when choosing whether to pursue a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) or plan a repeat cesarean delivery – An independent panel convened this week by the National Institutes of Health confronted a troubling fact that pregnant women currently have limited access to clinicians and facilities able and willing to offer a trial of labor after previous cesarean delivery because of so-called VBAC bans.