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
All XRAYs
Relevance: Medium-High
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Strength of Science: High
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Research Timeline: Human Research
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Study : A new breast cancer drug improves overall survival among people with brain and other metastases
Relevance: Medium-High
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Strength of Science: High
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Research Timeline: Human Research
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Most relevant for: People with metastatic breast cancer
A promising new drug called tucatinib combined with standard therapy shows benefit for women with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Women who took tucatinib experienced longer progression-free survival (time before their cancer worsened), longer overall survival time and response of cancer (shrinking or disappearing). Strikingly, better outcomes were also seen for women with brain metastases, which is often difficult to treat. (12/20/19)
THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN UPDATED on 04/17/20: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Tukysa (tucatinib) for use in combination with trastuzumab (Herceptin) and capecitabine for patients with advanced or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer, including patients with brain metastases (disease that has spread to the brain). Patients who have received one or more treatments targeting Her2 in the metastic setting are eligible to receive Tukysa. Tukysa is an oral (tablet) tyrosine kinase inhibitor which is taken twice daily.
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Relevance: High
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Strength of Science: High
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Research Timeline: Post Approval
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Study : Women who exercise have lower breast cancer risk whether or not they have a family history of breast cancer
Relevance: High
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Strength of Science: High
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Research Timeline: Post Approval
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Most relevant for: Young, high risk women
The effect of physical activity on breast cancer risk was looked at in a study of over 15,000 women. The results suggest that exercise lowers breast cancer risk regardless of family history of breast cancer or menopausal status. (12/6/19)
Este artículo está disponible en español.
Read More![](https://www.facingourrisk.org/cdn-cgi/image/width=400,height=400,fit=contain,format=webp/uploads/assets/xray/breast-cancer-exercise.jpg)
Update : Genetic causes of hereditary pancreatic cancer: BRCA and beyond
Most relevant for: People diagnosed with pancreatic cancer
An update on hereditary pancreatic cancer presented at the annual American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting covered genes and lifetime risk. The update emphasized that all pancreatic cancer patients should be offered genetic counseling and testing. Genetic test results may impact treatment, screening for other cancers and risk to family members. (11/26/19)
Read More![](https://www.facingourrisk.org/cdn-cgi/image/width=400,height=400,fit=contain,format=webp/uploads/assets/xray/XRAY pancreatic Beyond BRCA.jpg)
Relevance: Medium-High
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Strength of Science: Medium-High
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Research Timeline: Human Research
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Study : A new blood test may help predict early-stage breast cancer patients at highest risk for recurrence
Relevance: Medium-High
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Strength of Science: Medium-High
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Research Timeline: Human Research
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Most relevant for: People with early-stage breast cancer
Which patients are at risk for a relapse of early-stage breast cancer? Tests to predict recurrence would help find people who need more monitoring after treatment and provide a chance to find and treat them earlier. This study looked at whether a blood test for tumor DNA (called circulating tumor DNA or ctDNA) is useful for finding people with recurrence earlier than current clinical practice. (11/4/19)
Este artículo está disponible en español.
Read More![](https://www.facingourrisk.org/cdn-cgi/image/width=400,height=400,fit=contain,format=webp/uploads/assets/xray/ct-dna.jpg)
Relevance: High
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Strength of Science: High
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Research Timeline: Human Research
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Study : Niraparib increases progression-free survival in patients with newly diagnosed ovarian cancer
Relevance: High
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Strength of Science: High
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Research Timeline: Human Research
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Most relevant for: Women newly-diagnosed with ovarian cancer
This study looked at the effectiveness and safety of niraparib (Zejula), a PARP inhibitor, as maintenance therapy in newly diagnosed ovarian cancer patients who had a response to chemotherapy. (11/5/19)
Read More![](https://www.facingourrisk.org/cdn-cgi/image/width=400,height=400,fit=contain,format=webp/uploads/assets/xray/shutterstock_1064784917.jpg)
Relevance: Medium-Low
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Research Timeline: Human Research
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Personal Story : A “flu shot” against breast cancer? Not so fast
Relevance: Medium-Low
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Research Timeline: Human Research
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Most relevant for: Women diagnosed with Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS)
There have been multiple reports in the media of a Florida woman who had a "shot" to treat her DCIS with a promising outcome. This XRAY reviews the underlying story about this early breast cancer vaccine trial. (10/25/19)
Read More![](https://www.facingourrisk.org/cdn-cgi/image/width=400,height=400,fit=contain,format=webp/uploads/assets/xray/vaccine.jpg)
Personal Story : Running marathons with metastatic breast cancer? Yes!
Most relevant for: Women with metastatic breast cancer
Runner’s World Magazine featured Sarah Smith, a metastatic breast cancer patient who runs marathons and ultra-marathons. By telling her story, Sarah wants to encourage people to stay active, despite the challenges that life may bring. (10/13/19)
Read More![](https://www.facingourrisk.org/cdn-cgi/image/width=400,height=400,fit=contain,format=webp/uploads/assets/xray/marathon.jpg)
Relevance: Medium-High
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Strength of Science: Medium-High
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Research Timeline: Human Research
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Study : Research on the PARP inhibitor talazoparib (Talzenna) for early-stage breast cancer is promising
Relevance: Medium-High
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Strength of Science: Medium-High
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Research Timeline: Human Research
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Most relevant for: People with early stage breast cancer who have an inherited BRCA mutation
The PARP inhibitor talazoparib (Talzenna) has been useful for treatment of advanced or metastatic breast cancer for patients with BRCA mutations. A preliminary study showed that the majority of patients who took talazoparib alone before surgery for early-stage breast cancer had effective treatment and manageable side effects. Expanded clinical trials are in progress to verify this result. (10/4/19)
Read More![](https://www.facingourrisk.org/cdn-cgi/image/width=400,height=400,fit=contain,format=webp/uploads/assets/xray/talzenna.jpg)
Relevance: Medium-High
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Strength of Science: Medium
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Research Timeline: Post Approval
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Study : Inherited mutations in metastatic breast cancer patients
Relevance: Medium-High
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Strength of Science: Medium
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Research Timeline: Post Approval
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Most relevant for: People with metastatic breast cancer
Recent research shows that a significant portion of patients with metastatic breast cancer have harmful mutations in a gene associated with hereditary breast cancer and increased breast cancer risk. (9/26/19)
Read More![](https://www.facingourrisk.org/cdn-cgi/image/width=400,height=400,fit=contain,format=webp/uploads/assets/xray/shutterstock_189562295.jpg)
Guideline : FDA issues warning on CDK inhibitors
Most relevant for: People currently taking a CDK inhibitor
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a safety alert for CDK inhibitors, including Ibrance (palbociclib), Kisqali (ribociclib), and Verzenio (abemaciclib). (9/24/19)
Read More![](https://www.facingourrisk.org/cdn-cgi/image/width=400,height=400,fit=contain,format=webp/uploads/assets/xray/cdk-4-6-inhibitor.jpg)