Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women regardless of ethnicity and race. It can be classified into different types depending on where the disease started in the breast and the way it grows, among other factors.
Breast cancer is the most common cause of death from cancer among Hispanic women in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Latest figures from 2013 show that 230,815 women and 2,109 men in the country were diagnosed with breast cancer, CDC stated.
Encouraging Results For New Ribociclib Drug In Treating Advanced Breast Cancer
At the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress this week, investigators presented data for a new and potentially important drug, Ribociclib (Novartis). This oral medication is clearly active in hormone receptor positive (ER+ or PR+) breast cancer. The main result is that for the most common form of advanced breast cancer, adding ribociclib to letrozole significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS), as compared to adding a placebo.
Dr. Stegall’s thoughts: This research is continuing the trend toward immunotherapy in cancer treatment. Involving the body’s immune system is a powerful tool, as cancer typically finds ways to cloak itself so that the immune system cannot see it. As with most of the drugs in this class of compounds known as monoclonal antibodies, we must weigh potential pros and cons – the latter of which being increased risk of infections and gastrointestinal complaints.
New mammogram technique is 30 percent more accurate in predicting breast cancer.
A new technique for interpreting mammograms has been found to be 30 per cent more accurate at predicting breast cancer, researchers say. The new technique, which focuses on bright spots that show up in a mammogram, could transform routine screening and save lives.
Dr. Stegall’s thoughts: We should always be striving to improve the accuracy of our imaging techniques. This new technique could make mammograms more effective in detecting breast cancer. I feel that mammograms, along with thermography, are valuable screening tools.
Key Breakthroughs in the Field of Breast Cancer Treatment
Dr. Hope S. Rugo is a leading researcher with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and is considered one of the leading figures in the fight against Breast Cancer. In this interaction with Docplexus, Dr. Rugo shares her views about the “Key Breakthroughs in the Field of Breast Cancer Treatment.”