Breast Cancer News

Researchers report that despite the fact that much remains to be done in breast cancer treatment for the future. Significant progress has been made in detection and treatment in recent years. The expensive drugs being used to treat breast cancer are yet to prove themselves by producing the results hoped for.

The feeling amongst certain members of the medical profession is that not enough is being done to ensure that the cost of such medication reflects their true value to the patient and that there should be more supervision in how these drugs are being prescribed and used.

Other theory subscribed to amongst leading researchers into the treatment of breast cancer is that drug prices should not be arbitrarily set by governments. This attempt to lower costs to health programs in the United States and across the World would meet strong resistance form drug manufacturers. Their claim is that medical progress does not come cheaply or easily and any forced price reductions will hamper future research by the manufacturers of these expensive but possibly life saving medicines.

Mammographic density has long been recognized as one of the principal risk factors for breast cancer. The percentage of dense breast tissue is largely genetic. However recent research that other factors that may also play a role.

Identification of such modifiable actors is likely to provide a better understanding of what causes breast cancer and new ways to prevent and treat it, recent research has claimed. By changing certain hormonal treatment, doctors may be able to influence mammographic density in women at risk from breast cancer.

Their research involved assessing the body mass index of more than 500 women who had yet to pass through the menopause, who had been diagnosed with breast cancer. The cancer had reached stages 0-III. The researchers, by ascertaining the research subjects’ exercise habits over the previous year, were able to calculate the dense area and percentage density of the women’s breasts from mammograms taken previously.

It was discovered that as the body mass index of the women increased, then their percentage density and their mammographically dense area decreased in proportion.

To sum up their findings, researchers into breast cancer concluded that it still remains to be accurately determined to ascertain whether physical inactivity, obesity, and mammographic density are all independently associated with breast cancer risk and prognosis. However through increased physical activity by obese breast cancer survivors can reasonably be regarded a reasonable intervention approach in the reduction mammographic density, and have a potentially positive on influence breast cancer prognosis.

Recent research aimed towards curbing the spread of breast cancer suggest that eating a diet rich in plant lignans, found in many fruits, vegetables, and cereals. This diet is now being considered as a viable alternative for chemoprevention due to the plant’s chemical structure.

Recent research findings, carried out on almost 60,000 postmenopausal women to assess their intake of four plant lignans within the previous six months. The purpose of the research was to ascertain a percentage association of the incidence of breast cancer amongst these women.

Statistics generated over a period of almost eight years showed that women who reported the highest intake of lignans displayed a 17% lower risk of breast cancer than those with the lowest intake.

Among women who were found to be suffering from HR-positive breast cancer, the ones who were shown to have the highest lignan intakes were rated a 28% lower risk of postmenopausal breast cancer than those with lower intakes.

Researchers summed up by stating that the association between HR-positive disease and lignan intake has been found to be highly significant. The reason being that these forms of tumors are generally regarded as being behind the increase in breast cancer in Western countries.

Their recommendations were that in order to prevent and curtail the spread of breast cancer, women should consume diets that consist largely of fruits, vegetables, and cereals; foods rich in lignans should be encouraged.

Cancer

Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation