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
Relevant for: People with triple negative breast cancer, In portal: Breast Cancer
Article : After mastectomy: reconstruct or not?
Most relevant for: Woman who are facing mastectomy
Today, more women know they can have breast reconstruction after removing their breasts for cancer treatment or risk reduction. But what about choosing not to undergo reconstruction? Roni Caryn Rabin writes about the experiences of women who decide against reconstruction in her New York Times piece “‘Going Flat’ After Breast Cancer.” (12/14/16)
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Study : Cancer treatment costs can vary widely
Most relevant for: People diagnosed with breast cancer
Healthcare providers cannot give their breast cancer patients information on chemotherapy treatment costs because not enough is known about the exact costs. New research finds that costs vary not only between different cancer treatments, but also between similar treatments, such as all treatments that target HER2+ breast cancer. (11/22/16)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Quality of Writing: High
Personal Story : CBS News brings attention to the issues facing young metastatic breast cancer patients
Relevance: Medium-High
Quality of Writing: High
Most relevant for: Women diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer
Beth Caldwell is a former civil rights lawyer, a mother of two, and a wife who was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer when she 37. Mary Brophy Marcus covered Beth’s story in her piece, “The hardest part” of breast cancer under 40, for CBS News. (11/8/16)
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Relevance: Medium
Quality of Writing: High
Article : A cancer patient’s tumor is genetically profiled—how does that info help treatment?
Relevance: Medium
Quality of Writing: High
Most relevant for: People diagnosed with advanced cancer
Jessica Wapner's Scientific American article explores the difficulties of making the vast amount of information acquired from tumor gene tests useful to patients and physicians. (9/20/16). Update: THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN UPDATED. In late 2017, the FDA approved two separate tumor profiling tests to help guide treatment choices. The FoundationOne CDx (F1CDx) genomic test has been approved to test for 15 different targeted therapies used to treat five types of cancer, including ovarian, colorectal, lung, breast and melanoma. The FDA also approved the MSK-IMPACT and developed for use by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) to scan tumor samples for 468 different cancer-associated mutations or alterations.
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Study : How beneficial is online communication after a new diagnosis of breast cancer?
Most relevant for:
Newly diagnosed breast cancer patients often use online communication to find more information about their diagnoses and treatment options. But does online communication benefit these patients' decision-making process? (8/30/16)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Human Research
Study : Can acupressure be used to treat cancer-related fatigue?
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Human Research
Most relevant for: Breast cancer survivors and people in treatment who are experiencing fatigue
Breast cancer survivors commonly report experiencing considerable fatigue, which can lead to sleep problems and poor quality of life. Yet, there are no good therapies for these patients. This research study looks at whether self-administered acupressure can help breast cancer survivors with their fatigue. (8/9/16)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Study : Racial disparities in BRCA testing: Why?
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Most relevant for: African American women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer
Black women receive BRCA testing less frequently than white women. Why is that? Researchers thought the reason might be that black and white women see different health care providers. However, new research suggests that disparities in physician recommendations for testing are the cause: black women with breast cancer were less likely to receive physician recommendations for BRCA testing than white women with breast cancer. There is a need to ensure equity in physician testing recommendations for black women. (7/21/16)
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Study : Can long periods of fasting protect against breast cancer recurrence?
Most relevant for: Breast cancer survivors
Previous research in mice suggested that long periods of fasting provide protection against factors that are associated with a poor cancer outcome. A new study associates prolonged fasting (13 hours or more) at night with a lower risk of breast cancer recurrence, but no association between fasting time at night and mortality. While these findings are interesting, more research needs to be done to confirm them. In the meantime, breast cancer survivors should discuss any concerns about nutrition with their health care providers. 05/30/16
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Study : Financial burden affects quality of life of cancer survivors
Most relevant for: People diagnosed with cancer
Cancer-related financial burden can keep survivors from getting the care that they need, yet how this burden affects mental and physical health is still unknown. A study found that almost one-third of cancer survivors report having financial burden; those most likely to be affected were under age 65, female, members of racial or ethnic minority groups, and people who lack access to adequate insurance. (5/17/16)
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Relevance: Medium
Strength of Science: Medium
Study : More patients with invasive breast cancer opting for double mastectomies
Relevance: Medium
Strength of Science: Medium
Most relevant for: Women diagnosed with breast cancer who are recommended to undergo a single mastectomy
There are a number of surgical options for treating invasive breast cancer. These include lumpectomy with radiation, a single mastectomy to remove only the breast with cancer, or a double mastectomy, which removes both breasts. A new study finds that more women are choosing double mastectomy, even though it does not increase overall survival for these patients. (5/3/2016)
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