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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Relevant for: previvors, In portal: Breast Cancer
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Human Research
Study : High vitamin D levels at breast cancer diagnosis may be associated with a better prognosis
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Human Research
Most relevant for: Women at average risk for breast cancer and newly diagnosed women
Vitamin D is most known for its role in maintaining bone health but vitamin D has additional roles in keeping us healthy. In this study, researchers found that breast cancer patients who had the highest amounts of vitamin D in their blood (slightly over the recommended levels) had better health outcomes, including overall survival, than women with lower amounts of vitamin D. This finding adds to the growing evidence for the role of vitamin D in cancer, but it does not change how breast cancer is prevented or treated. (1/10/17)
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Study : Angelina Jolie spoke out on BRCA testing: Did genetic testing increase?
Most relevant for: People interested in genetic testing for an inherited mutation
Angelina Jolie published an editorial in the New York Times in 2013 about her choice to have a double mastectomy after finding out she was positive for a BRCA1 mutation. Researchers from a recent study claim that her celebrity endorsement of BRCA testing may have missed its target audience (previvors), due to the increase in BRCA testing following publication of the editorial but a decrease in the number of mastectomies performed. However, the study failed to take into account that many women without breast cancer do not pursue mastectomy in the months following genetic testing. (1/4/17)
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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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Personal Story : Why one woman passed on genetic testing
Most relevant for: People considering genetic testing and people who are Ashkenazi Jewish
What are reasons to get or not get genetic testing? Cynthia Graber gives her thoughts on the matter in her Wired opinion piece, "Why I Won't Get the Genetic Test for Breast Cancer." (11/15/16)
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Study : Removing ovaries before age 50 may increase the risk of chronic conditions for some women
Most relevant for: Women under 50 years of age who have had or are considering removing their ovaries
Removal of ovaries and fallopian tubes prevents ovarian cancer, but it may come with other health risks. Experts recommend removal of ovaries and fallopian tubes in women at high risk for ovarian cancer due to inherited mutations in BRCA or other genes linked to ovarian cancer risk. For these high-risk women the benefit of ovarian cancer prevention outweighs the risk of long-term complications. Based on a recent study, some researchers feel that for women who are not at increased risk for cancer, the risk for some chronic conditions is too high to consider removal of both ovaries. (11/1/16)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Study : Rare mutations in PALB2, CHEK2, and ATM: how much do they increase cancer risk?
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Post Approval
Most relevant for: People who tested positive for one of the rare variants in CHEK2, ATM or PALB2 that are covered in this study
As multi-gene panel tests become more common, people are discovering they have mutations in genes that are not understood as well as BRCA. This can make it difficult to give patients accurate assessments of their cancer risk. For example, mutations in PALB2, CHEK2, and ATM are rare, but some specific changes in these genes are even less common. The goal of this international collaboration was to better understand the cancer risks of some very rare PALB2, CHEK2, and ATM mutations. The findings are relevant only to the specific mutations covered in this paper and do not apply to all people with mutations in PALB2, CHEK2, or ATM. (9/27/16)
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Relevance: Medium-Low
Quality of Writing: Medium-Low
Personal Story : Dogs: Companions, hunters, and cancer detectors?
Relevance: Medium-Low
Quality of Writing: Medium-Low
Most relevant for:
In August 2016, many news outlets published stories about how actress Shannen Doherty’s dog was able to sniff out her cancer before she was diagnosed. Is there scientific validity to that claim? (9/616)
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Relevance: Medium
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Human Research
Study : Early research on a drug to prevent breast cancer
Relevance: Medium
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Human Research
Most relevant for: Women with a BRCA1 mutation
Many researchers are interested in non-surgical options to reduce the higher-than-average risk of developing breast cancer in BRCA mutation carriers. This research study identified a type of drug, called a “RANK ligand inhibitor,” that may prevent breast cancer. Among mice that were genetically engineered to have no BRCA1 genes, those that were given the drug developed tumors less frequently than those that did not. While this is an exciting early study for BRCA mutation carriers, more work and human clinical trials need to be done before this can be used as a prevention therapy in humans. (7/12/16)
Update added 11/24/19: The RANK ligand inhibitor, denosumab is currently being studied as a possible breast and ovarian cancer preventive agent in human clinical trials.
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Relevance: Medium
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Human Research
Study : Breast cancer risk model updated for average risk women with genetic, lifestyle and environmental information
Relevance: Medium
Strength of Science: Medium
Research Timeline: Human Research
Most relevant for: Women at average risk for breast cancer
A number of factors are known to increase breast cancer risk, but some of these factors have not been included in models to predict breast cancer risk. This study looks at an updated model that includes some of these factors, such as genetics, smoking, and drinking. The goal of the model is to give women a more individualized breast cancer risk assessment. (6/29/16)
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Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Human Research
Study : Dense breast notifications are informative but hard to read and understand
Relevance: Medium-High
Strength of Science: Medium-High
Research Timeline: Human Research
Most relevant for: Women with dense breast tissue on mammograms
Some states offer women dense breast notifications that are meant to explain that dense breasts are risk factors for breast cancer and can hide cancer on mammograms, and to identify appropriate supplemental screening options. But recent research found that this information is often not easy to read or understand, which questions the usefulness of the documents. (6/7/16)
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