CHICAGO—Four studies on the diagnosis and treatment of breast and endometrial cancers were discussed today at a press briefing at the 43
rd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO).
“We’ve made tremendous progress in detecting and treating many cancers unique to women,” said Julie Gralow, MD, assistant professor of oncology at the University of Washington, and moderator of the press briefing. “The studies discussed today bring us even closer to the goal of getting the best possible results with the fewest side effects.”
Studies findings include:
- Fewer, larger doses of radiation after surgery appear to be as effective as conventional radiation treatment in reducing the risk of breast cancer recurrence, without increasing side effects.
- MRI is more accurate than mammography for detecting “high-grade” DCIS lesions (a form of “preinvasive” breast cancer) that are most likely to progress to the most aggressive forms of breast cancer.
- Commonly used external beam radiation therapy does not extend survival or reduce the risk of recurrence when used after surgery in women with early-stage endometrial cancer, but doubles the incidence of side effects.
- The risk of heart failure associated with adding trastuzumab (Herceptin) to chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer did not increase between three and five years of follow-up.
For consumer-oriented information on these studies and more than 120 cancer types and cancer-related syndromes, please refer your readers to ASCO’s oncologist-vetted patient Web site, www.plwc.org.
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