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.
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All XRAYs
Study : Does eating meat affect breast cancer risk?
Most relevant for: Women with a family history of breast cancer
Eating meat has been suggested to increase breast cancer risk. The recent Sister Study looked at meat type, cooking methods and breast cancer risk in a study of 42,012 women. (9/10/19)
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Relevance: High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Study : Is it safe for BRCA mutation carriers to become pregnant following breast cancer?
Relevance: High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Most relevant for: Women with a BRCA mutation who are considering pregnancy after breast cancer
New research shows that pregnancy after breast cancer is safe for women with BRCA mutations and their babies. (9/4/19)
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Study : Supportive care can improve quality of life for people with metastatic breast cancer
Most relevant for: People diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer
Metastatic breast cancer patients have unique needs for treatment and care. Connecting patients to appropriate support services and palliative care is an area of need in health care. A recent study reported improvement in metastatic breast cancer patient quality of life and wellness with an intervention program called the Supportive, Education and Advocacy (MBC-SEA) program. (8/21/19)
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Relevance: High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Study : MRI or mammograms for detecting breast cancer in families with unknown genetic mutations?
Relevance: High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Most relevant for: People with a personal or family history of cancer where no mutation has been found
MRI and mammograms are used together to detect breast cancer in high-risk women who test positive for a BRCA or other gene mutation that increases the risk for breast cancer. For women with a family history of breast cancer but no known genetic mutation, increased screening is recommended. But what method is best? A recent clinical trial in the Netherlands compared MRI and mammography for this population. (8/15/19)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Study : Diagnosis and treatment delays in young women with breast cancer
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Most relevant for: Young women who find a breast lump and young women newly-diagnosed with breast cancer
Young women are more likely to have delays in a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. Factors that affect these delays include pregnancy, breastfeeding, financial concerns and having a family history of breast or ovarian cancer. (8/5/19)
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Guideline : FDA asks Allergan to recall certain textured breast implants
Most relevant for: Women with, or considering breast reconstruction with implants
On July 25, 2019, the Food and Drug Administration requested that breast implant manufacturer Allergan recall its BIOCELL textured implants and expanders due to an association with a rare type of lymphoma called Breast Implant Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma or BIA-ALCL. The FDA does not recommend removing implants for people who do not have disease symptoms. This XRAYS review updates information about this FDA recall. (7/29/19)
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Relevance: High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Study : CDK inhibitors may increase survival for ER-positive metastatic breast cancer patients
Relevance: High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Most relevant for: People with metastatic, hormone-positive, Her2-negative breast cancer
The phase III MONALEESA-7 study is a clinical trial looking at the effect of a type of treatment known as a CDK4/6 inhibitor in pre- or perimenopausal women with hormone receptor–positive advanced breast cancer. (7/22/19)
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Relevance: High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Human Research
Study : Results from the POLO trial: Olaparib may delay cancer progression in metastatic pancreatic cancer patients with BRCA mutations.
Relevance: High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Human Research
Most relevant for: People diagnosed with pancreatic cancer who have a BRCA mutation
Note: On 12/27/19, the FDA approved olaparib for treatment of pancreatic cancer in people with a BRCA mutation based on the results of the POLO study.
The POLO clinical trial looks at whether the PARP inhibitor olaparib improves outcomes for those with metastatic pancreatic cancer after platinum-based chemotherapy. (7/3/19)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Study : LGBTQ patients recommend improvements for their cancer care
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Most relevant for: LGBTQ cancer patients and their healthcare providers.
Very little research has focused on the cancer care experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people. This study looks at recommendations from the LGBTQ community for improving their cancer care. (6/20/19)
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Relevance: High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Study : New targeted therapy approved for early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer
Relevance: High
Strength of Science: High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Most relevant for: People with early-stage, Her2-positive breast cancer (stages 1-3)
The KATHERINE trial looked at the benefit of the new drug, Kadcyla, for treating early-stage breast cancer after surgery and chemotherapy. The results of this study led to FDA approval in May 2019. (6/17/19)
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