Early-stage breast cancer patients who exhibit limited lymph node involvement may not require post-surgery radiation therapy (RT) when they receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy before a mastectomy, according to researchers from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.
The findings were reported at the 50th Annual meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.
"Radiation after surgery has been shown to benefit the survival of patients who have more advanced tumors," said Tse-Kuan Yu, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor in M. D. Anderson's Department of Radiation Oncology. "However, administering neoadjuvant chemotherapy prior to surgery has changed how radiation oncologists need to approach treating patients with stage one and two breast cancers."
The retrospective study led by Yu reviewed the cases of 427 women who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy and mastectomy from 1985-2004 to observe the value of treating early-stage breast cancer with RT. Of the 427 women, radiation was administered to 253 due to more aggressive tumor features. Those who received radiation more commonly had four or more pathologically involved lymph nodes or lymphovascular invasion.
Specifically focusing on those who did not receive RT, researchers looked at whether each patient's breast cancer relapsed over the course of five years to determine if radiation contributed to preventing its return. Of the group of patients who were not treated with radiation, 20 percent of those with four or more pathologically involved lymph nodes after pre-surgery chemotherapy relapsed compared to 4.2 percent of those with one to three involved lymph nodes.
Interestingly, researchers noted that patients with zero involved lymph nodes after receiving chemotherapy prior to surgery exhibited a zero percent recurrence rate.
"Our findings indicate neoadjuvant chemotherapy controlled the cancer and radiation would have been unnecessary for patients with early-stage breast cancer and negative lymph nodes after neoadjuvant chemotherapy," said Thomas Buchholz, M.D., Chair, Department of Radiation Oncology at M. D. Anderson, the study's senior author. "Though additional research is warranted, we can begin to surmise that patients can be spared from radiation therapy if they have been treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and have less than three involved lymph nodes."
By analyzing initial tumor characteristics in each patient, researchers can begin to classify which patients require post-mastectomy radiation to prevent recurrence. To expand on these findings, researchers at M. D. Anderson are planning future prospective clinical trials that would confirm whether radiation can be avoided in selected patients with early-stage breast cancer who are treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
In addition to Yu and Buchholz, M. D. Anderson researchers contributing to this study include Elizabeth A. Mittendorf, M.D., Department of Surgical Oncology; Himanshu Nagar, Pepe Gomez, Eric A. Strom, M.D., George Perkins, M.D., Julia L. Oh, M.D., Welela Tereffe, M.D. and Wendy Woodward, M.D., Ph.D., all from the Department of Radiation Oncology.
About M. D. Anderson
The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston ranks as one of the world's most respected centers focused on cancer patient care, research, education and prevention. M. D. Anderson is one of only 41 Comprehensive Cancer Centers designated by the National Cancer Institute. For four of the past six years, M. D. Anderson has ranked No. 1 in cancer care in "America's Best Hospitals," a survey published annually in U.S. News and World Report.
Source: Lindsay Anderson
University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
вторник, 31 мая 2011 г.
понедельник, 30 мая 2011 г.
Do Close Surgical Margins Predict If Breast Cancer Will Return?
A new study published in the August, 2006, issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology * Biology * Physics, the official journal of ASTRO, the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology, says that cancer cells present after additional surgery for breast cancer may predict whether a woman will see her cancer return.
This year, more than 213,000 American women will learn they have breast cancer. Many women with early stage cancer prefer to have a lumpectomy, where only the cancerous lump is surgically removed, followed by radiation therapy and possibly chemotherapy. With a lumpectomy, the surgeon removes the tumor along with some healthy, non-cancerous tissue nearby. Doctors then examine it under a microscope. If the outside of the tumor, or margin, is free of cancer, it's considered to be a negative margin. If the outside of the tumor has cancer cells present, it's considered a positive margin. When it's unclear, or a very small distance, doctors call it a close margin. Women with a positive or close margin often require more surgery to make sure all the cancer is removed. This surgery is called a re-excision. Most patients with close or positive margins would be advised to undergo re-excision.
In this study conducted at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, doctors divided 1,044 patients with stage I-II breast cancer with close or positive margins into three groups. Group 1 included 199 patients who did not have additional surgery, group 2 had 546 patients who had additional surgery proving they were free from cancer and group 3 included 299 patients who had additional surgery and showed evidence of additional cancer. All patients received radiation therapy.
After 10 years, the number of local recurrences was the same for women who had re-excision and for women who did not have re-excision (group 1 versus groups 2 and 3 together). However, the result of the re-excision helped predict whether women would have their cancer return. Women with no residual disease at the time of re-excision (group 2) had a local control of 95 percent, while women found to have residual disease in the breast (group 3) had a local control of 91 percent.
"This study helps to clarify the role of a re-excision for a close or positive margin in women undergoing breast-conserving therapy for early-stage breast cancer," said Derek Chism, M.D., lead author of the study and a radiation oncologist now practicing at North Shore Medical Center in Peabody, Mass.
For more information on breast cancer treatment options, please visit rtanswers/. For a copy of the study, please contact Beth Bukata at bethbastro.
ASTRO is the largest radiation oncology society in the world, with more than 8,500 members who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. As the leading organization in radiation oncology, biology and physics, the Society is dedicated to the advancement of the practice of radiation oncology by promoting excellence in patient care, providing opportunities for educational and professional development, promoting research and disseminating research results and representing radiation oncology in a rapidly evolving healthcare environment.
Contact: Julie Moore
American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology
This year, more than 213,000 American women will learn they have breast cancer. Many women with early stage cancer prefer to have a lumpectomy, where only the cancerous lump is surgically removed, followed by radiation therapy and possibly chemotherapy. With a lumpectomy, the surgeon removes the tumor along with some healthy, non-cancerous tissue nearby. Doctors then examine it under a microscope. If the outside of the tumor, or margin, is free of cancer, it's considered to be a negative margin. If the outside of the tumor has cancer cells present, it's considered a positive margin. When it's unclear, or a very small distance, doctors call it a close margin. Women with a positive or close margin often require more surgery to make sure all the cancer is removed. This surgery is called a re-excision. Most patients with close or positive margins would be advised to undergo re-excision.
In this study conducted at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, doctors divided 1,044 patients with stage I-II breast cancer with close or positive margins into three groups. Group 1 included 199 patients who did not have additional surgery, group 2 had 546 patients who had additional surgery proving they were free from cancer and group 3 included 299 patients who had additional surgery and showed evidence of additional cancer. All patients received radiation therapy.
After 10 years, the number of local recurrences was the same for women who had re-excision and for women who did not have re-excision (group 1 versus groups 2 and 3 together). However, the result of the re-excision helped predict whether women would have their cancer return. Women with no residual disease at the time of re-excision (group 2) had a local control of 95 percent, while women found to have residual disease in the breast (group 3) had a local control of 91 percent.
"This study helps to clarify the role of a re-excision for a close or positive margin in women undergoing breast-conserving therapy for early-stage breast cancer," said Derek Chism, M.D., lead author of the study and a radiation oncologist now practicing at North Shore Medical Center in Peabody, Mass.
For more information on breast cancer treatment options, please visit rtanswers/. For a copy of the study, please contact Beth Bukata at bethbastro.
ASTRO is the largest radiation oncology society in the world, with more than 8,500 members who specialize in treating patients with radiation therapies. As the leading organization in radiation oncology, biology and physics, the Society is dedicated to the advancement of the practice of radiation oncology by promoting excellence in patient care, providing opportunities for educational and professional development, promoting research and disseminating research results and representing radiation oncology in a rapidly evolving healthcare environment.
Contact: Julie Moore
American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology
воскресенье, 29 мая 2011 г.
Innovation In Mathematics Leads To Revolutionary Breast Imaging System
The groundbreaking algorithms developed at TechniScan, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: TSNI) have led to a new arena of whole breast ultrasound technology, as presented at a national medical ultrasound conference in San Diego in March.
TechniScan cofounder and scientist-mathematician, James Wiskin, Ph.D. spoke at the American Institute of Ultrasound Medicine (AIUM) conference held at the San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina about the unique methods in which the company's 3-dimensional whole breast ultrasound captures anatomical images of the breast.
The breakthrough in imaging is a result of Wiskin's and colleagues David Borup, Ph.D., and Steven Johnson's, Ph.D. work in the mathematics of inverse scattering. TechniScan's Warm Bath Ultrasound™ (WBU) system uses a unique combination of traditional B-mode (reflective) ultrasound and two types of transmission ultrasound speed of sound and attenuation of sound, to produce three unique sets of images.
"This revolutionary new method of imaging produces information not available with traditional reflection ultrasound or whole breast ultrasound as it is presently being developed. Uniquely, we can also capture 360 degree compounded coronal images," said Wiskin.
The goal of the new technology is to improve breast imaging and provide tissue characterization that will more accurately distinguish pathological from normal breast tissue. The images are captured in a comfortable, radiation-free method as a woman lies prone on an examination table and ultrasound is directed, using warm water as a coupling medium, into the patient's breast tissue.
"Our quantitative, high-resolution, speed of sound and attenuation estimates are unique to whole breast ultrasound and have the potential to deliver new diagnostic tools to radiologist. There are many possible applications for our technology and we are looking forward to collaborating with the medical community and breast research centers internationally," said Wiskin.
Wiskin is a co-inventor of the fundamental imaging algorithms used by TechniScan to produce whole breast ultrasound images. His research includes inverse scattering theory, image processing, and acoustic, electromagnetic, and elastic wave propagation. His dissertation at the University of Utah (mathematics) established new inverse scattering imaging methods. He currently holds a faculty position in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Utah.
About TechniScan, Inc.
Based in Salt Lake City, TechniScan, Inc. is a medical device company engaged in the development and commercialization of a non-invasive imaging tool designed to provide physicians with automated ultrasound images of the human breast. The Warm Bath Ultrasound system simultaneously collects both transmission and reflection ultrasound images during a single scanning examination. TechniScan's WBU imaging device is limited by U.S. law to investigational use unless, and until, cleared by the FDA.
Source: TechniScan, Inc
TechniScan cofounder and scientist-mathematician, James Wiskin, Ph.D. spoke at the American Institute of Ultrasound Medicine (AIUM) conference held at the San Diego Marriott Hotel and Marina about the unique methods in which the company's 3-dimensional whole breast ultrasound captures anatomical images of the breast.
The breakthrough in imaging is a result of Wiskin's and colleagues David Borup, Ph.D., and Steven Johnson's, Ph.D. work in the mathematics of inverse scattering. TechniScan's Warm Bath Ultrasound™ (WBU) system uses a unique combination of traditional B-mode (reflective) ultrasound and two types of transmission ultrasound speed of sound and attenuation of sound, to produce three unique sets of images.
"This revolutionary new method of imaging produces information not available with traditional reflection ultrasound or whole breast ultrasound as it is presently being developed. Uniquely, we can also capture 360 degree compounded coronal images," said Wiskin.
The goal of the new technology is to improve breast imaging and provide tissue characterization that will more accurately distinguish pathological from normal breast tissue. The images are captured in a comfortable, radiation-free method as a woman lies prone on an examination table and ultrasound is directed, using warm water as a coupling medium, into the patient's breast tissue.
"Our quantitative, high-resolution, speed of sound and attenuation estimates are unique to whole breast ultrasound and have the potential to deliver new diagnostic tools to radiologist. There are many possible applications for our technology and we are looking forward to collaborating with the medical community and breast research centers internationally," said Wiskin.
Wiskin is a co-inventor of the fundamental imaging algorithms used by TechniScan to produce whole breast ultrasound images. His research includes inverse scattering theory, image processing, and acoustic, electromagnetic, and elastic wave propagation. His dissertation at the University of Utah (mathematics) established new inverse scattering imaging methods. He currently holds a faculty position in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Utah.
About TechniScan, Inc.
Based in Salt Lake City, TechniScan, Inc. is a medical device company engaged in the development and commercialization of a non-invasive imaging tool designed to provide physicians with automated ultrasound images of the human breast. The Warm Bath Ultrasound system simultaneously collects both transmission and reflection ultrasound images during a single scanning examination. TechniScan's WBU imaging device is limited by U.S. law to investigational use unless, and until, cleared by the FDA.
Source: TechniScan, Inc
Breast Cancer Common Among Women With Family History But Without BRCA1 Or BRCA2
New data presented at the American Association for Cancer Research's Seventh Annual International Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research meeting outlines new data, which assesses breast cancer risk among women with a strong family history of breast cancer, but without a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation. This may facilitate earlier detection and prevention among high-risk women.
The study, conducted at the University of Toronto, showed that women with a significant family history of breast cancer remain at increased risk for developing the disease, despite having negative BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations. These mutations typically signal a need for preventive treatment. The excess risk was about four-fold higher than that of average women.
"In clinical practice we often see families with a significant history of breast cancer and negative BRCA1 and BRCA2 tests, and it is often difficult to counsel them about their risk without this information," said Steven Narod, M.D., the study's senior author. "It is clear that genes are involved, but it is hard to be more specific."
Narod, who holds the Canada Research Chair in breast cancer at the University of Toronto and Women's College Research Institute, said this new data would help physicians counsel their patients. "Now when we see families such as this, we will be able to offer better advice about their actual risk. It is clear to me that the risk is high enough that we need to discuss options such as breast MRI for screening and chemoprevention with tamoxifen or raloxifene." said Narod.
Narod and his team of researchers followed 1,492 women from 365 families with negative BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic mutations for a minimum of five years. These women had a family history of either two or more cases of breast cancer among close relatives under the age of 50 or three cases among close relatives at any age.
Breast cancer rates among these women were compared with control rates found in local breast cancer registries, and researchers noted a 4.3-fold increase.
The highest relative risk was among women under the age of 40, where the increased risk was nearly 15 times higher. Absolute risk was highest among women age 50 to 70 at one percent per year compared with 0.4 percent per year among women between the ages of 30 and 50. This translates into about 30 to 40 percent over their lifetime.
"For all these women, based on what we've identified, tamoxifen would be a good option, as well as breast screening MRI," said Narod. "Our hope is to be able to prevent or pick up on breast cancer early enough to stop patients from dying. We will see what patients decide to do with this advice." In the future, we will follow women like this closely to evaluate the best methods of prevention.
The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, AACR is the world's oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes nearly 27,000 basic, translational, and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 70 other countries. AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special Conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment, and patient care. AACR publishes five major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; and Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Its most recent publication and its sixth major journal, Cancer Prevention Research, is the only journal worldwide dedicated exclusively to cancer prevention, from preclinical research to clinical trials. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors, patient advocates, their families, physicians, and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship, and advocacy.
Source: Jeremy Moore
American Association for Cancer Research
The study, conducted at the University of Toronto, showed that women with a significant family history of breast cancer remain at increased risk for developing the disease, despite having negative BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations. These mutations typically signal a need for preventive treatment. The excess risk was about four-fold higher than that of average women.
"In clinical practice we often see families with a significant history of breast cancer and negative BRCA1 and BRCA2 tests, and it is often difficult to counsel them about their risk without this information," said Steven Narod, M.D., the study's senior author. "It is clear that genes are involved, but it is hard to be more specific."
Narod, who holds the Canada Research Chair in breast cancer at the University of Toronto and Women's College Research Institute, said this new data would help physicians counsel their patients. "Now when we see families such as this, we will be able to offer better advice about their actual risk. It is clear to me that the risk is high enough that we need to discuss options such as breast MRI for screening and chemoprevention with tamoxifen or raloxifene." said Narod.
Narod and his team of researchers followed 1,492 women from 365 families with negative BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic mutations for a minimum of five years. These women had a family history of either two or more cases of breast cancer among close relatives under the age of 50 or three cases among close relatives at any age.
Breast cancer rates among these women were compared with control rates found in local breast cancer registries, and researchers noted a 4.3-fold increase.
The highest relative risk was among women under the age of 40, where the increased risk was nearly 15 times higher. Absolute risk was highest among women age 50 to 70 at one percent per year compared with 0.4 percent per year among women between the ages of 30 and 50. This translates into about 30 to 40 percent over their lifetime.
"For all these women, based on what we've identified, tamoxifen would be a good option, as well as breast screening MRI," said Narod. "Our hope is to be able to prevent or pick up on breast cancer early enough to stop patients from dying. We will see what patients decide to do with this advice." In the future, we will follow women like this closely to evaluate the best methods of prevention.
The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, AACR is the world's oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. The membership includes nearly 27,000 basic, translational, and clinical researchers; health care professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 70 other countries. AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and educational programs. It funds innovative, meritorious research grants. The AACR Annual Meeting attracts more than 17,000 participants who share the latest discoveries and developments in the field. Special Conferences throughout the year present novel data across a wide variety of topics in cancer research, treatment, and patient care. AACR publishes five major peer-reviewed journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; and Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. Its most recent publication and its sixth major journal, Cancer Prevention Research, is the only journal worldwide dedicated exclusively to cancer prevention, from preclinical research to clinical trials. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer survivors, patient advocates, their families, physicians, and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship, and advocacy.
Source: Jeremy Moore
American Association for Cancer Research
суббота, 28 мая 2011 г.
Vitamin D Levels Lower In African-Americans
African-American women had lower vitamin D levels than white women, and vitamin D deficiency was associated with a greater likelihood for aggressive breast cancer, according to data presented at the Third AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities.
"We know that darker skin pigmentation acts somewhat as a block to producing vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, which is the primary source of vitamin D in most people," said Susan Steck, Ph.D., M.P.H., associate professor of epidemiology at the University of South Carolina.
Steck and colleagues observed 107 women who were all diagnosed with breast cancer in the previous five years. Sixty of these women were African-American, while the remaining 47 were white.
All women donated a blood sample, and vitamin D status was determined using circulating 25 hydroxyvitamin D levels as a marker. The mean serum concentration of vitamin D was 29.8 ng/ml in white women and 19.3 ng/ml in African-American women.
Researchers defined vitamin D deficiency as a serum concentration less than 20 ng/ml, and found this to be the case in 60 percent of African-American women compared with 15 percent of white women. Serum levels were lowest among patients with triple-negative breast cancer, and aggressive disease was eight times more likely among patients with vitamin D deficiency.
Steck said the findings of this study provide a foundation for a possible prevention strategy, but further research would be required.
The study was funded by grants from the National Cancer Institute.
Source: American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
"We know that darker skin pigmentation acts somewhat as a block to producing vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, which is the primary source of vitamin D in most people," said Susan Steck, Ph.D., M.P.H., associate professor of epidemiology at the University of South Carolina.
Steck and colleagues observed 107 women who were all diagnosed with breast cancer in the previous five years. Sixty of these women were African-American, while the remaining 47 were white.
All women donated a blood sample, and vitamin D status was determined using circulating 25 hydroxyvitamin D levels as a marker. The mean serum concentration of vitamin D was 29.8 ng/ml in white women and 19.3 ng/ml in African-American women.
Researchers defined vitamin D deficiency as a serum concentration less than 20 ng/ml, and found this to be the case in 60 percent of African-American women compared with 15 percent of white women. Serum levels were lowest among patients with triple-negative breast cancer, and aggressive disease was eight times more likely among patients with vitamin D deficiency.
Steck said the findings of this study provide a foundation for a possible prevention strategy, but further research would be required.
The study was funded by grants from the National Cancer Institute.
Source: American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)
пятница, 27 мая 2011 г.
Dexela Limited Awarded Technology Strategy Board Grant For Work On Digital Breast Tomosynthesis
Dexela, a leading company in Digital Breast Tomosynthesis, announced that it has been awarded a ВЈ360,000 grant by the Technology Strategy Board as part of a ВЈ1,600,000 collaborative research and development programme with two leading research universities. Support for the Project of ВЈ400,000 is also to be provided by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). The primary aim of the project, Digital Breast Tomosynthesis (DBT), is to improve image quality in DBT and realise its potential for the early detection of breast cancer with improved sensitivity and specificity.
The grant will be used primarily to develop a world-leading, second-generation DBT device which will incorporate several technical innovations, as well as assimilating into the Dexela software a number of the most recent research developments from medical image researchers at UCL and Oxford University. The project will be led by Dexela within its specially designed, web-based medical software and device quality management system.
Dexela's partners in the three-year program are Professor Sir Michael Brady of the Wolfson Medical Vision Laboratory (MVL), the University of Oxford, Professor David Hawkes and Professor Simon Arridge of the Centre for Medical Image Computing, University College London. These collaborators are world leaders and have worked for many years on breast image analysis with a proven track record of successful collaboration and innovation in particular on the EPSRC/MRC Interdisciplinary Research Consortium (IRC) project MIAS1.
Dr Edward Bullard, CEO of Dexela commented: "This award is an endorsement of Dexela's leadership in DBT. The grant, together with the support of our investors provides a platform to take the technology forward and accelerate our product development for acquisition, processing and visualisation of high resolution 3D images of the breast for a range of commercial opportunities."
"The support of the Technology Strategy Board on this project is greatly appreciated", said Dr Jamshid Dehmeshki, Dexela's Chief Scientist and leader of the project: "This research and development program is a unique opportunity to combine our expertise with our partners, two of the UK's leading research Universities (Oxford and UCL), to develop state of the art technology to revolutionise the future of DBT with substantial market potential".
About Dexela
Formed in 2005 to address significant unmet medical need in the early detection of breast cancer, Dexela is developing innovative, low-radiation breast screening techniques that not only may extend the benefits of breast cancer screening to women under fifty, but may also reduce call backs due to false positive results and increase the sensitivity of breast cancer detection, leading to fewer cancers being missed by doctors.
Dexela has a talented and experienced team of award-winning scientists, as well as a strong portfolio of intellectual property and it is this team which has developed world-leading technology for the acquisition, processing and visualisation of high resolution 3-D images of the breast, a type of imaging known as Tomosynthesis. Dexela's novel approach to Tomosynthesis has significant clinical advantages over competing approaches. They now intend to use this position to secure the leading role in the field and establish collaborative agreements with medical device manufacturers. For more information about Dexela Ltd please visit dexelaimaging.
About The Centre for Medical Image Computing at UCL
The Centre for Medical Image Computing is a world class grouping combining excellence in medical imaging sciences with innovative computational methodology. Their research finds application in biomedical research and in healthcare. The research of the group focuses on detailed structural and functional analysis in neurosciences, imaging to guide interventions, image analysis in drug discovery, imaging in cardiology and imaging in oncology with a strong emphasis on e-science technologies. The Centre, which is a joint initiative between the Departments of Medical Physics and Computer Science, has very close links with the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, the Faculty of Life Sciences and associated Clinical Institutes, in particular the Institute of Neurology and the Institute of Child Health. They have links with the Centre for Neuroimaging Techniques (CNT), London Centre for Nanotechnology and the Centre for Healthcare Informatics and Medical Education (CHIME).
About Oxford University Wolfson Medical Vision Laboratory (MVL)
The Wolfson Medical Vision Laboratory (MVL) is part of the Department of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford and is based in the new Information Engineering Building. They conduct inter-disciplinary basic and applied research in medical imaging and image analysis.
About Technology Strategy Board
The Technology Strategy Board is a business-led executive non-departmental public body, established by the government. Its mission is to promote and support research into, and development and exploitation of, technology and innovation for the benefit of UK business, in order to increase economic growth and improve the quality of life. It is sponsored by the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS).
dexelaimaging
The grant will be used primarily to develop a world-leading, second-generation DBT device which will incorporate several technical innovations, as well as assimilating into the Dexela software a number of the most recent research developments from medical image researchers at UCL and Oxford University. The project will be led by Dexela within its specially designed, web-based medical software and device quality management system.
Dexela's partners in the three-year program are Professor Sir Michael Brady of the Wolfson Medical Vision Laboratory (MVL), the University of Oxford, Professor David Hawkes and Professor Simon Arridge of the Centre for Medical Image Computing, University College London. These collaborators are world leaders and have worked for many years on breast image analysis with a proven track record of successful collaboration and innovation in particular on the EPSRC/MRC Interdisciplinary Research Consortium (IRC) project MIAS1.
Dr Edward Bullard, CEO of Dexela commented: "This award is an endorsement of Dexela's leadership in DBT. The grant, together with the support of our investors provides a platform to take the technology forward and accelerate our product development for acquisition, processing and visualisation of high resolution 3D images of the breast for a range of commercial opportunities."
"The support of the Technology Strategy Board on this project is greatly appreciated", said Dr Jamshid Dehmeshki, Dexela's Chief Scientist and leader of the project: "This research and development program is a unique opportunity to combine our expertise with our partners, two of the UK's leading research Universities (Oxford and UCL), to develop state of the art technology to revolutionise the future of DBT with substantial market potential".
About Dexela
Formed in 2005 to address significant unmet medical need in the early detection of breast cancer, Dexela is developing innovative, low-radiation breast screening techniques that not only may extend the benefits of breast cancer screening to women under fifty, but may also reduce call backs due to false positive results and increase the sensitivity of breast cancer detection, leading to fewer cancers being missed by doctors.
Dexela has a talented and experienced team of award-winning scientists, as well as a strong portfolio of intellectual property and it is this team which has developed world-leading technology for the acquisition, processing and visualisation of high resolution 3-D images of the breast, a type of imaging known as Tomosynthesis. Dexela's novel approach to Tomosynthesis has significant clinical advantages over competing approaches. They now intend to use this position to secure the leading role in the field and establish collaborative agreements with medical device manufacturers. For more information about Dexela Ltd please visit dexelaimaging.
About The Centre for Medical Image Computing at UCL
The Centre for Medical Image Computing is a world class grouping combining excellence in medical imaging sciences with innovative computational methodology. Their research finds application in biomedical research and in healthcare. The research of the group focuses on detailed structural and functional analysis in neurosciences, imaging to guide interventions, image analysis in drug discovery, imaging in cardiology and imaging in oncology with a strong emphasis on e-science technologies. The Centre, which is a joint initiative between the Departments of Medical Physics and Computer Science, has very close links with the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, the Faculty of Life Sciences and associated Clinical Institutes, in particular the Institute of Neurology and the Institute of Child Health. They have links with the Centre for Neuroimaging Techniques (CNT), London Centre for Nanotechnology and the Centre for Healthcare Informatics and Medical Education (CHIME).
About Oxford University Wolfson Medical Vision Laboratory (MVL)
The Wolfson Medical Vision Laboratory (MVL) is part of the Department of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford and is based in the new Information Engineering Building. They conduct inter-disciplinary basic and applied research in medical imaging and image analysis.
About Technology Strategy Board
The Technology Strategy Board is a business-led executive non-departmental public body, established by the government. Its mission is to promote and support research into, and development and exploitation of, technology and innovation for the benefit of UK business, in order to increase economic growth and improve the quality of life. It is sponsored by the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS).
dexelaimaging
четверг, 26 мая 2011 г.
Odanacatib, An Investigational Cathepsin K Inhibitor, Reduced Markers Of Bone Turnover In Women With Breast Cancer And Bone Metastases
Merck & Co., Inc, Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA, which operates in many countries as Merck Sharp & Dohme or MSD, announced results of a new study in which its investigational selective cathepsin K inhibitor odanacatib reduced measures of bone turnover (breakdown and rebuilding of bone) in women with breast cancer that has spread to the bones (bone metastases). Study results were presented today during an oral session at the VII International Meeting on Cancer Induced Bone Disease.
"Bone metastases represent a frequent and serious complication for patients with breast cancer," said Christopher Wynne, M.D., study investigator and clinical oncologist, Christchurch Clinical Studies Trust, New Zealand. "These findings show that odanacatib reduced several well characterised biochemical markers of bone turnover in cancer patients with metastasis to bone, indicating this investigational medicine has the potential to slow the accelerated rate of bone destruction associated with bone metastases."
Odanacatib is a highly selective, potent inhibitor of the cathepsin K enzyme. Cathepsin K enzyme plays a key role in breaking down the protein in bone. In cancer that has spread to the bones, tumour cells speed up the normal process of bone breakdown and formation, which in turn results in further tumour growth and bone destruction. By inhibiting cathepsin K activity, odanacatib represents a potential novel therapeutic approach for metastatic bone disease that works differently from other commonly used medicines.
In this study, treatment with oral odanacatib 5 mg once daily (n=29) reduced the level of urinary N-telopeptide (uNTx), a commonly used marker of bone resorption (breakdown), by 77 percent from baseline levels over four weeks. These results were seen as early as day seven, the first measurement point. Treatment with intravenous zoledronic acid 4 mg (n=14) reduced uNTx by 73 percent. In addition, responses to other markers of bone turnover, including the marker of bone resorption urinary deoxpyridinoline (uDPD), the marker of bone formation serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (sBSAP) and the marker of cathepsin K activity serum crosslinked C-terminal peptide (s1CTP) were evaluated in the study. The most common clinical adverse events reported with odanacatib included nausea, vomiting, headache, and bone pain.
This randomised, double-blind, multicenter study included 43 women with breast cancer and metastatic bone disease who received oral odanacatib 5 mg daily or intravenous zoledronic acid 4 mg on Day 1. The mean age of women was 60 years. The primary endpoints of the study were the marker of bone resorption urinary N-telopeptide of type I collagen corrected for creatinine (uNTx; pmol BCE/Вµmol creatinine) and safety.
"This is the first study to evaluate odanacatib in cancer patients," said Antonio Lombardi, M.D., senior director, Merck Research Laboratories. "Based on these findings, larger Phase III studies using the 5 mg daily dose of odanacatib are being planned for patients with breast and prostate cancer."
About bone metastases
Metastatic bone disease occurs when cancer cells from the primary tumour spread to the bone. Bone is a common site for cancer to spread in patients with breast cancer. Up to three-quarters of women with advanced breast cancer are affected and two-thirds of these women develop skeletal-related events or serious complications, such as excruciating pain, bone loss leading to fractures, nerve damage including spinal cord compression, surgery or radiation therapy for bone complications or dangerously high levels of calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia).
Commitment to oncology research
MSD is committed to all aspects of cancer care - prevention, treatment and supportive care. Through strong internal research capabilities, selective alliances and acquisitions, and enabling technologies such as the molecular profiling platform of Rosetta, MSD is looking to lead in the discovery, development and delivery of targeted anticancer therapies customised for patient subpopulations.
About Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA
Merck & Co., Inc. (Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA), which operates in many countries as Merck Sharp & Dohme or MSD, is a global research-driven pharmaceutical company dedicated to putting patients first. Established in 1891, the Company currently discovers, develops, manufactures and markets vaccines and medicines to address unmet medical needs. The Company devotes extensive efforts to increase access to medicines through far-reaching programs that not only donate its medicines but help deliver them to the people who need them. Merck & Co., Inc. (Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA) also publishes unbiased health information as a not-for-profit service. For more information, visit merck.
Forward-Looking Statement
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause results to differ materially from those set forth in the statements. The forward-looking statements may include statements regarding product development, product potential or financial performance. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed, and actual results may differ materially from those projected. Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA (the "Company") undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect the Company's business, particularly those mentioned in the risk factors and cautionary statements in Item 1A of the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2007 and in any risk factors or cautionary statements contained in the Company's periodic reports on Form 10-Q or current reports on Form 8-K, which the Company incorporates by reference.
merck
"Bone metastases represent a frequent and serious complication for patients with breast cancer," said Christopher Wynne, M.D., study investigator and clinical oncologist, Christchurch Clinical Studies Trust, New Zealand. "These findings show that odanacatib reduced several well characterised biochemical markers of bone turnover in cancer patients with metastasis to bone, indicating this investigational medicine has the potential to slow the accelerated rate of bone destruction associated with bone metastases."
Odanacatib is a highly selective, potent inhibitor of the cathepsin K enzyme. Cathepsin K enzyme plays a key role in breaking down the protein in bone. In cancer that has spread to the bones, tumour cells speed up the normal process of bone breakdown and formation, which in turn results in further tumour growth and bone destruction. By inhibiting cathepsin K activity, odanacatib represents a potential novel therapeutic approach for metastatic bone disease that works differently from other commonly used medicines.
In this study, treatment with oral odanacatib 5 mg once daily (n=29) reduced the level of urinary N-telopeptide (uNTx), a commonly used marker of bone resorption (breakdown), by 77 percent from baseline levels over four weeks. These results were seen as early as day seven, the first measurement point. Treatment with intravenous zoledronic acid 4 mg (n=14) reduced uNTx by 73 percent. In addition, responses to other markers of bone turnover, including the marker of bone resorption urinary deoxpyridinoline (uDPD), the marker of bone formation serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (sBSAP) and the marker of cathepsin K activity serum crosslinked C-terminal peptide (s1CTP) were evaluated in the study. The most common clinical adverse events reported with odanacatib included nausea, vomiting, headache, and bone pain.
This randomised, double-blind, multicenter study included 43 women with breast cancer and metastatic bone disease who received oral odanacatib 5 mg daily or intravenous zoledronic acid 4 mg on Day 1. The mean age of women was 60 years. The primary endpoints of the study were the marker of bone resorption urinary N-telopeptide of type I collagen corrected for creatinine (uNTx; pmol BCE/Вµmol creatinine) and safety.
"This is the first study to evaluate odanacatib in cancer patients," said Antonio Lombardi, M.D., senior director, Merck Research Laboratories. "Based on these findings, larger Phase III studies using the 5 mg daily dose of odanacatib are being planned for patients with breast and prostate cancer."
About bone metastases
Metastatic bone disease occurs when cancer cells from the primary tumour spread to the bone. Bone is a common site for cancer to spread in patients with breast cancer. Up to three-quarters of women with advanced breast cancer are affected and two-thirds of these women develop skeletal-related events or serious complications, such as excruciating pain, bone loss leading to fractures, nerve damage including spinal cord compression, surgery or radiation therapy for bone complications or dangerously high levels of calcium in the blood (hypercalcemia).
Commitment to oncology research
MSD is committed to all aspects of cancer care - prevention, treatment and supportive care. Through strong internal research capabilities, selective alliances and acquisitions, and enabling technologies such as the molecular profiling platform of Rosetta, MSD is looking to lead in the discovery, development and delivery of targeted anticancer therapies customised for patient subpopulations.
About Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA
Merck & Co., Inc. (Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA), which operates in many countries as Merck Sharp & Dohme or MSD, is a global research-driven pharmaceutical company dedicated to putting patients first. Established in 1891, the Company currently discovers, develops, manufactures and markets vaccines and medicines to address unmet medical needs. The Company devotes extensive efforts to increase access to medicines through far-reaching programs that not only donate its medicines but help deliver them to the people who need them. Merck & Co., Inc. (Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA) also publishes unbiased health information as a not-for-profit service. For more information, visit merck.
Forward-Looking Statement
This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause results to differ materially from those set forth in the statements. The forward-looking statements may include statements regarding product development, product potential or financial performance. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed, and actual results may differ materially from those projected. Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA (the "Company") undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Forward-looking statements in this press release should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect the Company's business, particularly those mentioned in the risk factors and cautionary statements in Item 1A of the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2007 and in any risk factors or cautionary statements contained in the Company's periodic reports on Form 10-Q or current reports on Form 8-K, which the Company incorporates by reference.
merck
Minister Harney Launches National Quality Assurance Standards For Symptomatic Breast Disease Services, Ireland
The Minister for Health & Children, Mary Harney, today (Friday, 18th May 2007) launched 'Quality Assurance Standards for Symptomatic Breast Disease Services in Ireland'.
The Standards are about improving the quality of care for women with breast disease in Ireland and addressing the current fragmentation of services nationally.
The Minister welcomed the Standards saying 'The most important objective in the delivery of breast disease services is that all patients get the best treatment and have the best opportunity for best outcome, regardless of where they live. National and international evidence shows that patients with breast cancer have the best chance of survival if they are treated in centres with multi-disciplinary teams of medical professionals working in partnership and treating high numbers of patients.'
Recent analysis undertaken by the Department of Health & Children demonstrates that there is a year on year increase in the national volume of cancer related procedures carried out by hospitals and surgeons across the country between 1997 and 2005. This can be anticipated to continue.
The Minister said: 'This trend creates urgency for change. The fragmentation in the delivery of cancer treatment services must be addressed to improve the quality and outcome of cancer care while still assuring relative ease of geographical access. Care of women with breast disease should be managed by specialist centres which will also allow as much care as is appropriate to be delivered locally.'
There have been improvements since 1997 - for example, the percentage of clinicians undertaking treatment for breast cancer who performed at least 50 procedures per year, rose from 4% in 1997 to 23% in 2005. As a result, while in 1997, 23% of patients treated for breast cancer had procedures performed by clinicians who performed at least 50 procedures per year, this proportion was 71% by 2005.
The National Cancer Control Strategy which I published last year articulated a clear mandate for the improved organisation and delivery of quality cancer care nationally. The Health Information and Quality Authority, which I established on 15 May will have a major role in monitoring compliance with the Standards by the HSE.'
Professor Niall O' Higgins, Chair of the Expert Group, said 'Breast cancer remains the most common fatal cancer in women and the incidence of the disease is increasing. Patients are more likely to survive if they are treated in specialised centres. This report set out the requirements of a functioning specialist breast centre and defines how the quality of service provided in such centres can be measured. It deals with administrative, clinical and technical indices needed to assess performance.
Defined indicators of good quality (i) allow the performance of centres to be compared with each other, (ii) help provide reassurance to patients and the general public of the standard of care (iii) assist formulation of public health policy and (iv) lead to improvements in standards.
As result of this important initiative taken by the Minister for Health and Children, it is now of critical importance that a small number of Specialist Breast Centres be officially designated and that the staffing and infrastructural needs for the functioning of such centres be provided in a purposeful fashion. An integrated information technology arrangement is necessary so that the performance of centres can be assessed and compared with each other regularly. It is hoped that external review of centres by international expert groups will also take place from time to time as occurs with the BreastCheck screening programme. I look forward to the implementation plan from the HSE to ensure the co-ordinated and speedy establishment of this system of critically important patient care. These Standards should also be applied and adopted in the private sector.'
Dr. Tracey Cooper, Chief Executive of the Health Information & Quality Authority, said 'Implementation of these Standards will ensure that women have access to the best quality breast care. The Standards will be formally mandated by the Authority shortly. Discussions have already taken place between the Authority, the Department of Health and Children and the HSE in order to ensure effective implementation and compliance.'
Dr. Mary Hynes, HSE Assistant National Director of Quality Risk & Customer Care, welcomed the Standards and said 'The HSE is fully committed to ensuring women receive the best quality care for breast disease and will ensure compliance with the Standards as rapidly as possible. This will involve evaluating the current provision of services to ensure quality and equity of provision in breast disease services across the country. This will be the central focus of our Implementation Plan for Quality Breast Disease Services, which will include provision for the performance management of specialist centres and will be submitted to HIQA and the Department of Health & Children in June.'
The Standards were prepared by the National Quality Assurance Group for Symptomatic Breast Disease Services established by the Minister. The Group was comprised of experts in the major cancer disciplines, including surgery, pathology, radiology, medical oncology, radiation oncology, nursing and general practice. It also included patient advocates from the Irish Cancer Society and Europa Donna.
-- View the Document
dohc.ie
The Standards are about improving the quality of care for women with breast disease in Ireland and addressing the current fragmentation of services nationally.
The Minister welcomed the Standards saying 'The most important objective in the delivery of breast disease services is that all patients get the best treatment and have the best opportunity for best outcome, regardless of where they live. National and international evidence shows that patients with breast cancer have the best chance of survival if they are treated in centres with multi-disciplinary teams of medical professionals working in partnership and treating high numbers of patients.'
Recent analysis undertaken by the Department of Health & Children demonstrates that there is a year on year increase in the national volume of cancer related procedures carried out by hospitals and surgeons across the country between 1997 and 2005. This can be anticipated to continue.
The Minister said: 'This trend creates urgency for change. The fragmentation in the delivery of cancer treatment services must be addressed to improve the quality and outcome of cancer care while still assuring relative ease of geographical access. Care of women with breast disease should be managed by specialist centres which will also allow as much care as is appropriate to be delivered locally.'
There have been improvements since 1997 - for example, the percentage of clinicians undertaking treatment for breast cancer who performed at least 50 procedures per year, rose from 4% in 1997 to 23% in 2005. As a result, while in 1997, 23% of patients treated for breast cancer had procedures performed by clinicians who performed at least 50 procedures per year, this proportion was 71% by 2005.
The National Cancer Control Strategy which I published last year articulated a clear mandate for the improved organisation and delivery of quality cancer care nationally. The Health Information and Quality Authority, which I established on 15 May will have a major role in monitoring compliance with the Standards by the HSE.'
Professor Niall O' Higgins, Chair of the Expert Group, said 'Breast cancer remains the most common fatal cancer in women and the incidence of the disease is increasing. Patients are more likely to survive if they are treated in specialised centres. This report set out the requirements of a functioning specialist breast centre and defines how the quality of service provided in such centres can be measured. It deals with administrative, clinical and technical indices needed to assess performance.
Defined indicators of good quality (i) allow the performance of centres to be compared with each other, (ii) help provide reassurance to patients and the general public of the standard of care (iii) assist formulation of public health policy and (iv) lead to improvements in standards.
As result of this important initiative taken by the Minister for Health and Children, it is now of critical importance that a small number of Specialist Breast Centres be officially designated and that the staffing and infrastructural needs for the functioning of such centres be provided in a purposeful fashion. An integrated information technology arrangement is necessary so that the performance of centres can be assessed and compared with each other regularly. It is hoped that external review of centres by international expert groups will also take place from time to time as occurs with the BreastCheck screening programme. I look forward to the implementation plan from the HSE to ensure the co-ordinated and speedy establishment of this system of critically important patient care. These Standards should also be applied and adopted in the private sector.'
Dr. Tracey Cooper, Chief Executive of the Health Information & Quality Authority, said 'Implementation of these Standards will ensure that women have access to the best quality breast care. The Standards will be formally mandated by the Authority shortly. Discussions have already taken place between the Authority, the Department of Health and Children and the HSE in order to ensure effective implementation and compliance.'
Dr. Mary Hynes, HSE Assistant National Director of Quality Risk & Customer Care, welcomed the Standards and said 'The HSE is fully committed to ensuring women receive the best quality care for breast disease and will ensure compliance with the Standards as rapidly as possible. This will involve evaluating the current provision of services to ensure quality and equity of provision in breast disease services across the country. This will be the central focus of our Implementation Plan for Quality Breast Disease Services, which will include provision for the performance management of specialist centres and will be submitted to HIQA and the Department of Health & Children in June.'
The Standards were prepared by the National Quality Assurance Group for Symptomatic Breast Disease Services established by the Minister. The Group was comprised of experts in the major cancer disciplines, including surgery, pathology, radiology, medical oncology, radiation oncology, nursing and general practice. It also included patient advocates from the Irish Cancer Society and Europa Donna.
-- View the Document
dohc.ie
среда, 25 мая 2011 г.
MAMMOMAT Inspiration Designed To Optimise Breast Screening Procedures Via Smoother Workflow And Increased Patient Comfort
The first Full-Field Direct Digital Mammography system from Siemens has been unveiled. The MAMMOMAT Inspiration has been developed from the input and inspiration of healthcare professionals to combine speed, superior image quality and examination comfort.
The new system is fresh in design to meet the needs of the patient, the user and clinician. New compression technologies, paddle design and mood lighting offer the latest in patient comfort; the isocentric rotation of the X-ray tube and examination functionality have been enhanced to offer easy and fast workflow to improve patient throughput and image resolution of the whole breast is advanced for detailed diagnosis.
The MAMMOMAT Inspiration is also a future proof solution for stereotactic biopsy and to provide 3D imaging using tomosynthesis. A simple upgrade will ensure seamless transition so that the system can offer screening, diagnosis and tomosynthesis on a single digital platform.
Offering 27 seconds between exposure times and 18 seconds between exposure and display of high resolution digital images, the MAMMOMAT Inspiration can examine more than 15 patients per hour. This is highly beneficial in high throughput screening environments that demand speed. Furthermore, a special X-ray tube with a tungsten anode and new AEC algorithms, which individually compute the dose according to the size of the breast and the type of tissue, ensure the lowest possible dose.
"The Inspiration has been inspired directly from the feedback of the people that use mammography systems on a daily basis," said Andrew Pattison, Director of Diagnostic Ultrasound & Women's Health at Siemens. "Every stage of the development process incorporates the views and experiences of mammographers to ensure that our technical offering is ready to embrace the clinical and market challenges."
Barbara Eckersley, Superintendent Radiographer at the Nightingale Centre, Wythenshawe Hospital was a UK member of the Siemens Inspiration product design focus group held in Germany. She states, "It was a fantastic experience to be part of an international feedback group providing views on the ergonomic development of a new mammography system. Many of our ideas on the mammography gantry, user interface, buttons and lighting were absorbed into the development and will assist with eliminating operator stresses and enhance the patient examination experience."
The imaging functionality, compact size and open design of the system is complemented by a unique MoodLight feature that emits soothing colours into the patient examination area. Colour tones can be personally selected by the user to change throughout the screening process to promote relaxation.
The MAMMOMAT Inspiration operates alongside a slender syngo-based Acquisition Workstation. This can be customised to the user's desired height and offers an easy-to-use interface.
The workstation's intuitive interface streamlines workflow to drive patient throughput and simplify the examination process. After one exam is complete, the system will automatically open the scheduler in order to select the next patient. A one-click-to-image function ensures images are gathered quickly, also facilitating improved workflow.
For further detailed product information visit siemens/mammomatinspiration.
Siemens Healthcare is one of the world's largest suppliers to the healthcare industry. The company is a renowned medical solutions provider with core competence and innovative strength in diagnostic and therapeutic technologies as well as in knowledge engineering, including information technology and system integration. With its laboratory diagnostics acquisitions, Siemens Healthcare is the first fully integrated diagnostics company, bringing together imaging and lab diagnostics, therapy and healthcare information technology solutions, supplemented by consulting and support services. Siemens Healthcare delivers solutions across the entire continuum of care - from prevention and early detection, to diagnosis, therapy and care. The company employs more than 49,000 people worldwide and operates in 130 countries.
Siemens Healthcare
The new system is fresh in design to meet the needs of the patient, the user and clinician. New compression technologies, paddle design and mood lighting offer the latest in patient comfort; the isocentric rotation of the X-ray tube and examination functionality have been enhanced to offer easy and fast workflow to improve patient throughput and image resolution of the whole breast is advanced for detailed diagnosis.
The MAMMOMAT Inspiration is also a future proof solution for stereotactic biopsy and to provide 3D imaging using tomosynthesis. A simple upgrade will ensure seamless transition so that the system can offer screening, diagnosis and tomosynthesis on a single digital platform.
Offering 27 seconds between exposure times and 18 seconds between exposure and display of high resolution digital images, the MAMMOMAT Inspiration can examine more than 15 patients per hour. This is highly beneficial in high throughput screening environments that demand speed. Furthermore, a special X-ray tube with a tungsten anode and new AEC algorithms, which individually compute the dose according to the size of the breast and the type of tissue, ensure the lowest possible dose.
"The Inspiration has been inspired directly from the feedback of the people that use mammography systems on a daily basis," said Andrew Pattison, Director of Diagnostic Ultrasound & Women's Health at Siemens. "Every stage of the development process incorporates the views and experiences of mammographers to ensure that our technical offering is ready to embrace the clinical and market challenges."
Barbara Eckersley, Superintendent Radiographer at the Nightingale Centre, Wythenshawe Hospital was a UK member of the Siemens Inspiration product design focus group held in Germany. She states, "It was a fantastic experience to be part of an international feedback group providing views on the ergonomic development of a new mammography system. Many of our ideas on the mammography gantry, user interface, buttons and lighting were absorbed into the development and will assist with eliminating operator stresses and enhance the patient examination experience."
The imaging functionality, compact size and open design of the system is complemented by a unique MoodLight feature that emits soothing colours into the patient examination area. Colour tones can be personally selected by the user to change throughout the screening process to promote relaxation.
The MAMMOMAT Inspiration operates alongside a slender syngo-based Acquisition Workstation. This can be customised to the user's desired height and offers an easy-to-use interface.
The workstation's intuitive interface streamlines workflow to drive patient throughput and simplify the examination process. After one exam is complete, the system will automatically open the scheduler in order to select the next patient. A one-click-to-image function ensures images are gathered quickly, also facilitating improved workflow.
For further detailed product information visit siemens/mammomatinspiration.
Siemens Healthcare is one of the world's largest suppliers to the healthcare industry. The company is a renowned medical solutions provider with core competence and innovative strength in diagnostic and therapeutic technologies as well as in knowledge engineering, including information technology and system integration. With its laboratory diagnostics acquisitions, Siemens Healthcare is the first fully integrated diagnostics company, bringing together imaging and lab diagnostics, therapy and healthcare information technology solutions, supplemented by consulting and support services. Siemens Healthcare delivers solutions across the entire continuum of care - from prevention and early detection, to diagnosis, therapy and care. The company employs more than 49,000 people worldwide and operates in 130 countries.
Siemens Healthcare
вторник, 24 мая 2011 г.
Minister For Health & Children Opens New BreastCheck Screening Units In Cork And Galway, Ireland
Mary Harney TD, Minister for Health & Children yesterday officially opened two new BreastCheck screening units which will provide free breast screening services to women in the Western and Southern Regions of the country. The new purpose built static units are located at the South Infirmary Victoria Hospital, Cork and at University College Hospital Galway. Screening from both units has already commenced.
The Southern Unit will provide services to women in counties Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Waterford and Tipperary South Riding. The Western Unit will provide services to women in counties Clare, Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo, and Tipperary North Riding.
Speaking at the launch of the units in Cork and Galway, the Minister said: "BreastCheck's aim is to detect and treat breast cancer as early as possible and as such is a key element of our Cancer Control Strategy. The effectiveness of this model of care has been demonstrated through rigorous published quality assurance which shows that it is on a par with the best in the world. It therefore provides a benchmark for cancer services nationally."
The BreastCheck programme delivers screening to women in their local community through the use of static and mobile screening units. The 4% of women who need follow-on treatment receive it at one of the four BreastCheck static units nationally.
An additional €26.7 million capital funding was provided to BreastCheck for the construction of the two new clinical units, eight additional mobile units and the provision of state of the art digital equipment. Construction to final handover of the two units took just over one year to complete in Cork and Galway.
A total of €15 million additional revenue funding has been allocated to the National Cancer Screening Service to cater for national roll-out of the programme. The full complement of 111 staff for roll-out has been approved and recruitment is underway. Staffing already appointed include Clinical Directors, Consultant Radiologists, Consultant Surgeons, Consultant Histopathologists, Consultant Anaesthetists, Medical Scientists, Breast Care Nurses and Radiographers.
The Minister paid tribute to the Board of the National Cancer Screening Service, its Chair, Dr. Sheelah Ryan, the CEO of the Service, Mr. Tony O'Brien and his clinical and administrative team for their absolute dedication and commitment to ensuring that the project was completed on schedule.
The Minister added "I am delighted that the target date of 2007 for commencement of the roll-out of the programme to the regions has been met. This will ensure that all women in the relevant age group in every county have access to breast screening and follow up treatment where appropriate."
dohc.ie
The Southern Unit will provide services to women in counties Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Waterford and Tipperary South Riding. The Western Unit will provide services to women in counties Clare, Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo, and Tipperary North Riding.
Speaking at the launch of the units in Cork and Galway, the Minister said: "BreastCheck's aim is to detect and treat breast cancer as early as possible and as such is a key element of our Cancer Control Strategy. The effectiveness of this model of care has been demonstrated through rigorous published quality assurance which shows that it is on a par with the best in the world. It therefore provides a benchmark for cancer services nationally."
The BreastCheck programme delivers screening to women in their local community through the use of static and mobile screening units. The 4% of women who need follow-on treatment receive it at one of the four BreastCheck static units nationally.
An additional €26.7 million capital funding was provided to BreastCheck for the construction of the two new clinical units, eight additional mobile units and the provision of state of the art digital equipment. Construction to final handover of the two units took just over one year to complete in Cork and Galway.
A total of €15 million additional revenue funding has been allocated to the National Cancer Screening Service to cater for national roll-out of the programme. The full complement of 111 staff for roll-out has been approved and recruitment is underway. Staffing already appointed include Clinical Directors, Consultant Radiologists, Consultant Surgeons, Consultant Histopathologists, Consultant Anaesthetists, Medical Scientists, Breast Care Nurses and Radiographers.
The Minister paid tribute to the Board of the National Cancer Screening Service, its Chair, Dr. Sheelah Ryan, the CEO of the Service, Mr. Tony O'Brien and his clinical and administrative team for their absolute dedication and commitment to ensuring that the project was completed on schedule.
The Minister added "I am delighted that the target date of 2007 for commencement of the roll-out of the programme to the regions has been met. This will ensure that all women in the relevant age group in every county have access to breast screening and follow up treatment where appropriate."
dohc.ie
понедельник, 23 мая 2011 г.
Media Outlets Examine Report On Risks, Benefits Of Breast, Prostate Screening
On Wednesday, the American Cancer Society and several health experts reacted to a report in the New York Times that ACS is developing a plan to modify its message about the risks and benefits of breast and prostate cancer screenings. The plan is spurred in part by an analysis published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggesting that screening may be increasing the burden of low-risk cancers without significantly reducing the burden of more aggressively growing cancers. The JAMA report also said that new approaches for screening, early detection and prevention for both diseases might be needed to reduce morbidity and mortality.
However, ACS Vice President Victor Vogel told NBC's "Nightly News With Brian Williams" on Wednesday that the group stands by its guidelines. Vogel said, "Our guidelines, our recommendations are on our Web site, and we are not planning to make revisions to those current recommendations at this time" (Bazell, "Nightly News With Brian Williams," NBC, 10/21).
In a discussion on NPR's "All Things Considered," Martin Solomon, a professor of internal medicine at Harvard Medical School and medical director at Brigham and Women's Hospital's Primary Care Center, said the JAMA analysis that prompted the debate does not substantially change what he would recommend for patients. Solomon said until it is known how to select out which populations that would benefit the most, doctors need to continue to screen everyone (Norris, "All Things Considered," NPR, 10/21). PBS' "NewsHour With Jim Lehrer" also featured a discussion with health experts about the report (Ifill, "NewsHour With Jim Lehrer," PBS, 10/21).
Reprinted with kind permission from nationalpartnership. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.
© 2009 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.
воскресенье, 22 мая 2011 г.
Cancer Research Publishes Purdue Study On Detecting Breast Cancer Recurrence
Connie Krabbe understands the fear and foreboding breast cancer survivors feel when visiting their physicians for post-treatment check-ups. Two of her four sisters died of metastatic cancer related to breast cancer, enduring bone, brain and ovarian cancer before succumbing to the disease in their early 50s.
"The original diagnosis was devastating, but the panic they felt during follow-up visits was even worse. It was agony to find a recurrence," said Krabbe, who is a retired insurance executive. "For me, it wasn't if the cancer would come back, it was when and would there be time to treat it."
According to the American Association of Cancer Research, breast cancer recurrence occurs in more than 20 percent of breast cancer survivors.
So the news that a cancer recurrence detection blood test developed by Matrix-Bio Inc. has the potential to detect the recurrence of breast cancer a year in advance of currently available clinical diagnostic tests is something Krabbe applauds.
"Catching the recurrence of cancer early can make all the difference in the world. It can save lives," she said.
Matrix Bio, which is based in the Purdue Research Park of West Lafayette, uses technology that company founder Dan Raftery discovered at Purdue University, where he also is a professor of chemistry.
On Tuesday (Oct. 19) the peer-reviewed journal Cancer Research, a publication of the American Association of Cancer Research, will publish Matrix-Bio's findings, Early Detection of Recurrent Breast Cancer Using Metabolite Profiling. Authored by Raftery with Vincent M. Asiago, Leiddy Z. Alvarado, Naraimhamurthy Shanaiah, G. A. Nagana Gowda, Kwadwo Owusu-Sarfo and Robert Ballas, the study's findings support the importance of early breast cancer detection and recurrence.
Using metabolite-profiling methods, Matrix-Bio's VeraMarkerTM-BCR blood test correctly predicted a recurrence of breast cancer in 55 percent of the patient survivors an average of 13 months before a clinical diagnosis.
Matrix Bio's cancer monitoring test was developed using a powerful combination of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry analytical methods. The test also can be run on a single mass spectrometry platform.
A mass spectrometer in Dan Raftery's research facility collects early data through blood samples that could help detect cancer or its recurrence in its earliest stages. The research, conducted at Purdue University, is being used by Raftery's Purdue Research Park-based company Matrix-Bio Inc. (Photo provided by Purdue Research Foundation
In the study, the test demonstrated the ability to identify metabolite signals between the recurrence of cancer and no evidence of cancer with a sensitivity of 86 percent and a specificity of 84 percent. This result is two times more sensitive than the current cancer monitoring blood tests CA 27.29 and CA 15-3. In addition, the BCR test opens up a window for second-line therapy by over one year compared to these tests.
"It's important to note that current blood tests do not pick up recurrence in the 20 percent of breast cancer survivors who do express the protein targeted by these CA tests," Raftery said.
For the more than 2.4 million breast cancer survivors in the United States and their physicians, the results of Matrix-Bio's research are extremely promising, according to Raftery, who also is a member of the Purdue Center for Cancer Research and Purdue's Oncological Sciences Center.
"Knowing there's a test that can detect the recurrence of cancer at a far earlier stage when the cancer is more treatable should provide tremendous hope to breast cancer survivors and also relieve the tremendous worry they feel with each visit to their doctor," he said. "Its accuracy and early stage detection offers a much better window for treatment."
Matrix-Bio's cancer monitoring test is non-invasive, simple to administer and non-threatening to patients. Blood is drawn from the patient and sent to a lab for analysis. If the test yields positive results, the oncologist will order additional tests such as a bone scan, MRI, CAT scan, chest X-ray or liver blood tests to identify and locate the tumor.
Most breast cancers recur in the first three to five years after treatment following an original diagnosis. During this time women are closely monitored, visiting their oncologist once a quarter for up to three years and once a year after. Breast cancer can come back in the treated breast or near the mastectomy scar or as a distant recurrence somewhere else in the body (metastatic breast cancer). The most common sites of metastasis include the lymph nodes, bones, liver and lungs.
Matrix-Bio's VeraMarker-BCR test will now be clinically validated in a CLIA licensed laboratory. The company's goal is to make the test commercially available in the United States by mid- to late-2011.
Dr. Kathy Miller, a medical oncologist and associate professor of medicine at the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, commented on Matrix-Bio's findings, saying, "Truly early detection of breast cancer has been an elusive goal. This study offers hope for real progress."
Matrix-Bio has received funding from Main Street Venture Fund, Fort Wayne, Ind., and Purdue University's Emerging Innovations Fund.
Raftery, like Krabbe, has experienced cancer in his own family, which serves as a powerful motivator for his research.
"The existing cancer recurrence tests are inadequate to meet the needs of a large and growing population of breast cancer survivors," he said. "Making a difference for the estimated 10 million women who are breast cancer survivors globally is the starting point for Matrix-Bio's VeraMarker Platform in the field of metabolite molecular diagnostics blood tests for many forms of cancer that affect both women and men."
Source:
Cancer Research
Matrix-Bio, Inc.
"The original diagnosis was devastating, but the panic they felt during follow-up visits was even worse. It was agony to find a recurrence," said Krabbe, who is a retired insurance executive. "For me, it wasn't if the cancer would come back, it was when and would there be time to treat it."
According to the American Association of Cancer Research, breast cancer recurrence occurs in more than 20 percent of breast cancer survivors.
So the news that a cancer recurrence detection blood test developed by Matrix-Bio Inc. has the potential to detect the recurrence of breast cancer a year in advance of currently available clinical diagnostic tests is something Krabbe applauds.
"Catching the recurrence of cancer early can make all the difference in the world. It can save lives," she said.
Matrix Bio, which is based in the Purdue Research Park of West Lafayette, uses technology that company founder Dan Raftery discovered at Purdue University, where he also is a professor of chemistry.
On Tuesday (Oct. 19) the peer-reviewed journal Cancer Research, a publication of the American Association of Cancer Research, will publish Matrix-Bio's findings, Early Detection of Recurrent Breast Cancer Using Metabolite Profiling. Authored by Raftery with Vincent M. Asiago, Leiddy Z. Alvarado, Naraimhamurthy Shanaiah, G. A. Nagana Gowda, Kwadwo Owusu-Sarfo and Robert Ballas, the study's findings support the importance of early breast cancer detection and recurrence.
Using metabolite-profiling methods, Matrix-Bio's VeraMarkerTM-BCR blood test correctly predicted a recurrence of breast cancer in 55 percent of the patient survivors an average of 13 months before a clinical diagnosis.
Matrix Bio's cancer monitoring test was developed using a powerful combination of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectrometry analytical methods. The test also can be run on a single mass spectrometry platform.
A mass spectrometer in Dan Raftery's research facility collects early data through blood samples that could help detect cancer or its recurrence in its earliest stages. The research, conducted at Purdue University, is being used by Raftery's Purdue Research Park-based company Matrix-Bio Inc. (Photo provided by Purdue Research Foundation
In the study, the test demonstrated the ability to identify metabolite signals between the recurrence of cancer and no evidence of cancer with a sensitivity of 86 percent and a specificity of 84 percent. This result is two times more sensitive than the current cancer monitoring blood tests CA 27.29 and CA 15-3. In addition, the BCR test opens up a window for second-line therapy by over one year compared to these tests.
"It's important to note that current blood tests do not pick up recurrence in the 20 percent of breast cancer survivors who do express the protein targeted by these CA tests," Raftery said.
For the more than 2.4 million breast cancer survivors in the United States and their physicians, the results of Matrix-Bio's research are extremely promising, according to Raftery, who also is a member of the Purdue Center for Cancer Research and Purdue's Oncological Sciences Center.
"Knowing there's a test that can detect the recurrence of cancer at a far earlier stage when the cancer is more treatable should provide tremendous hope to breast cancer survivors and also relieve the tremendous worry they feel with each visit to their doctor," he said. "Its accuracy and early stage detection offers a much better window for treatment."
Matrix-Bio's cancer monitoring test is non-invasive, simple to administer and non-threatening to patients. Blood is drawn from the patient and sent to a lab for analysis. If the test yields positive results, the oncologist will order additional tests such as a bone scan, MRI, CAT scan, chest X-ray or liver blood tests to identify and locate the tumor.
Most breast cancers recur in the first three to five years after treatment following an original diagnosis. During this time women are closely monitored, visiting their oncologist once a quarter for up to three years and once a year after. Breast cancer can come back in the treated breast or near the mastectomy scar or as a distant recurrence somewhere else in the body (metastatic breast cancer). The most common sites of metastasis include the lymph nodes, bones, liver and lungs.
Matrix-Bio's VeraMarker-BCR test will now be clinically validated in a CLIA licensed laboratory. The company's goal is to make the test commercially available in the United States by mid- to late-2011.
Dr. Kathy Miller, a medical oncologist and associate professor of medicine at the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, commented on Matrix-Bio's findings, saying, "Truly early detection of breast cancer has been an elusive goal. This study offers hope for real progress."
Matrix-Bio has received funding from Main Street Venture Fund, Fort Wayne, Ind., and Purdue University's Emerging Innovations Fund.
Raftery, like Krabbe, has experienced cancer in his own family, which serves as a powerful motivator for his research.
"The existing cancer recurrence tests are inadequate to meet the needs of a large and growing population of breast cancer survivors," he said. "Making a difference for the estimated 10 million women who are breast cancer survivors globally is the starting point for Matrix-Bio's VeraMarker Platform in the field of metabolite molecular diagnostics blood tests for many forms of cancer that affect both women and men."
Source:
Cancer Research
Matrix-Bio, Inc.
суббота, 21 мая 2011 г.
Better-Adapted Treatment For Breast Cancer With MRI Before Surgery
The early use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in women diagnosed with breast cancer can often lead to a better adapted surgical approach to the tumour, a scientist told the 6th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-6) on April 16. Dr. David Martinez-Cecilia, a surgeon from the General Surgery Service, directed by Prof. Rufian-PeГ±a, in the Hospital Universitario Reina Sofia, Cordoba, Spain, said that this technique should become standard in determining the stage of the tumour before any operation.
Dr. Martinez-Cecilia and his team studied 249 patients who were undergoing surgery for breast cancer, and carried out routine MRI as soon as a biopsy showed malignancy. If additional lesions were discovered, a further biopsy was carried out on them.
"Using MRI, we found 20 additional malignant lesions in 18 patients," he said, "and that meant that for 15 patients we were able to change the surgical treatment to one which took care of all the tumours, as opposed to the single one that had originally been diagnosed." Three patients needed surgery in both breasts, one required a second lumpectomy in the same breast, and 11 changed from lumpectomy to mastectomy. The surgical treatment also changed in those patients where the MRI showed up a larger tumour than that which was originally identified; 16 other patients changed from lumpectomy to mastectomy, and one from lumpectomy to quadrantectomy, a partial mastectomy where the tumour and some surrounding breast tissue is removed to be sure that the margins around the tumour are cancer-free.
The scientists then carried out a retrospective analysis of the surgical outcomes. "We found that the changes in surgical treatment had been beneficial in 22 patients (9%), non beneficial in 6 patients (2.4%), and uncertain in 4 patients (1.6%)," said Dr. Martinez-Cecilia. "The results also showed us that MRI is the best imaging technique for measuring tumour size, better than mammography or ultrasound. MRI is being used more frequently in breast cancer pre-operative staging these days, and we thought it was important to validate its efficacy."
MRI is expensive, but with results such as these it should be used as widely as possible pre-surgery, say the scientists. "It will not only improve the surgical treatment, which was our main aim, but in the long run it will probably reduce costs to healthcare systems by allowing us to identify exactly what needs to be treated, and in what way, to avoid possible recurrences of the cancer and the costs associated with its treatment," said Dr. Martinez-Cecilia. "We will continue working prospectively with this issue as we would like to see MRI become a standard preoperative treatment for breast cancer, along with biopsy, mammography, and ultrasound."
Source: Mary Rice
ECCO-the European CanCer Organisation
Dr. Martinez-Cecilia and his team studied 249 patients who were undergoing surgery for breast cancer, and carried out routine MRI as soon as a biopsy showed malignancy. If additional lesions were discovered, a further biopsy was carried out on them.
"Using MRI, we found 20 additional malignant lesions in 18 patients," he said, "and that meant that for 15 patients we were able to change the surgical treatment to one which took care of all the tumours, as opposed to the single one that had originally been diagnosed." Three patients needed surgery in both breasts, one required a second lumpectomy in the same breast, and 11 changed from lumpectomy to mastectomy. The surgical treatment also changed in those patients where the MRI showed up a larger tumour than that which was originally identified; 16 other patients changed from lumpectomy to mastectomy, and one from lumpectomy to quadrantectomy, a partial mastectomy where the tumour and some surrounding breast tissue is removed to be sure that the margins around the tumour are cancer-free.
The scientists then carried out a retrospective analysis of the surgical outcomes. "We found that the changes in surgical treatment had been beneficial in 22 patients (9%), non beneficial in 6 patients (2.4%), and uncertain in 4 patients (1.6%)," said Dr. Martinez-Cecilia. "The results also showed us that MRI is the best imaging technique for measuring tumour size, better than mammography or ultrasound. MRI is being used more frequently in breast cancer pre-operative staging these days, and we thought it was important to validate its efficacy."
MRI is expensive, but with results such as these it should be used as widely as possible pre-surgery, say the scientists. "It will not only improve the surgical treatment, which was our main aim, but in the long run it will probably reduce costs to healthcare systems by allowing us to identify exactly what needs to be treated, and in what way, to avoid possible recurrences of the cancer and the costs associated with its treatment," said Dr. Martinez-Cecilia. "We will continue working prospectively with this issue as we would like to see MRI become a standard preoperative treatment for breast cancer, along with biopsy, mammography, and ultrasound."
Source: Mary Rice
ECCO-the European CanCer Organisation
пятница, 20 мая 2011 г.
Nebraska Women Benefit From Efforts To Close Gaps In Cancer Screening
A decade-long Nebraska study that showed disparities in breast and cervical cancer screenings could have spurred changes that raised the percentage of women screened in the state.
"Disparities in screening between racial and ethnic groups, even in a homogeneous state such as Nebraska, are a problem and by digging into some of the differences we were able to have an impact on breast and cervical cancer screening," said lead study author Shingairai Feresu, Ph.D., an assistant professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.
The research team crunched the numbers of low-income, uninsured, and in some cases, less educated women screened by Pap smear, clinical breast exam and mammogram between 1993 and 2004.
Native American women were more likely than white women to have mammograms ordered, while African-American and Native American women were less likely than white women to have a clinical breast exam. African-American women were less likely than white women to have a Pap test, the researchers found.
Their findings appear in the August issue of the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved.
Melissa Leypoldt, R.N.,is the program director of Every Woman Matters in Nebraska, a health screening and awareness initiative with 67 programs nationwide. She called the study "a snapshot of the women served through the program and the services they received." Consequently, "we have used the data to direct program resources and manpower," she said.
In 2006, the state had its lowest rate of death from breast cancer since 1967, Leypoldt said.
"Programs such as EWM, together with other outreach efforts in the state might have helped to improve or increase preventive services such as screening for breast and cervical cancer to the point where Nebraska ranked 26th in screening for these conditions in 1990 and now ranks 16th nationwide," Feresu said.
Despite some changes in eligibility requirements for this program such as a midstream change in the age of women who could get a mammogram and the requirement that women re-qualify every year the number of women who had not had a Pap test in the state dropped from 20 percent in 1991 to 15 percent in 2002. In 1990, 45 percent of women had not gotten a mammogram; by 2002, that figure was 20 percent, according to Feresu.
For Native Americans, Every Woman Matters has been on the reservations since it began and mobile mammogram units may account for the superior access to mammograms in this group. Nebraska has recently experienced an influx of Hispanic immigrants, and EWM has now incorporated Hispanic women into its efforts.
Direct mailings have proved very effective in reaching women, Leypoldt said: "We look for eligible populations, then see who is not being screened, and target them."
The program is adding cardiovascular and diabetes screening to its services.
Feresu SA, et al. Breast and cervical cancer screening among low-income women in Nebraska: findings from the Every Woman Matters program, 1993-2004. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved 19(3), 2008.
Health Behavior News Service
Center for the Advancement of Health, 2000 Florida Ave. NW, Ste. 210
Washington, DC 20009
United States
hbns
"Disparities in screening between racial and ethnic groups, even in a homogeneous state such as Nebraska, are a problem and by digging into some of the differences we were able to have an impact on breast and cervical cancer screening," said lead study author Shingairai Feresu, Ph.D., an assistant professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.
The research team crunched the numbers of low-income, uninsured, and in some cases, less educated women screened by Pap smear, clinical breast exam and mammogram between 1993 and 2004.
Native American women were more likely than white women to have mammograms ordered, while African-American and Native American women were less likely than white women to have a clinical breast exam. African-American women were less likely than white women to have a Pap test, the researchers found.
Their findings appear in the August issue of the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved.
Melissa Leypoldt, R.N.,is the program director of Every Woman Matters in Nebraska, a health screening and awareness initiative with 67 programs nationwide. She called the study "a snapshot of the women served through the program and the services they received." Consequently, "we have used the data to direct program resources and manpower," she said.
In 2006, the state had its lowest rate of death from breast cancer since 1967, Leypoldt said.
"Programs such as EWM, together with other outreach efforts in the state might have helped to improve or increase preventive services such as screening for breast and cervical cancer to the point where Nebraska ranked 26th in screening for these conditions in 1990 and now ranks 16th nationwide," Feresu said.
Despite some changes in eligibility requirements for this program such as a midstream change in the age of women who could get a mammogram and the requirement that women re-qualify every year the number of women who had not had a Pap test in the state dropped from 20 percent in 1991 to 15 percent in 2002. In 1990, 45 percent of women had not gotten a mammogram; by 2002, that figure was 20 percent, according to Feresu.
For Native Americans, Every Woman Matters has been on the reservations since it began and mobile mammogram units may account for the superior access to mammograms in this group. Nebraska has recently experienced an influx of Hispanic immigrants, and EWM has now incorporated Hispanic women into its efforts.
Direct mailings have proved very effective in reaching women, Leypoldt said: "We look for eligible populations, then see who is not being screened, and target them."
The program is adding cardiovascular and diabetes screening to its services.
Feresu SA, et al. Breast and cervical cancer screening among low-income women in Nebraska: findings from the Every Woman Matters program, 1993-2004. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved 19(3), 2008.
Health Behavior News Service
Center for the Advancement of Health, 2000 Florida Ave. NW, Ste. 210
Washington, DC 20009
United States
hbns
четверг, 19 мая 2011 г.
Hologic Announces Long-term, Five-year Results From MammoSite® ASBS Registry Study
Hologic, Inc. (Hologic or the Company) (Nasdaq: HOLX), a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of premium diagnostics products, medical imaging systems and surgical products dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of women, today announced the long-term, five-year results from the American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBS) MammoSite® Breast Brachytherapy Registry Trial (ASBS Registry) while showcasing the MammoSite ML (multi-lumen) system at the 52nd ASTRO (American Society for Radiation Oncology) Annual Meeting in San Diego October 31 through November 4, 2010. The ASBS Registry Trial represents the largest compilation of MammoSite patients to date and demonstrates promising results for breast cancer patients. The MammoSite system is the only breast brachytherapy balloon with five-year efficacy data. Of the 1,449 patients (1,440 treated) with early-stage breast cancer, 37 patients had an ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR), for a five-year actuarial rate of 3.80 percent. A subset analysis of the first 400 consecutive cases had a median follow-up of 60.5 months and demonstrated a five-year actuarial rate of IBTR of 3.04 percent.
According to Frank Vicini, M.D., principal investigator of the study, "The data are promising and add further clinical support for the use of accelerated partial breast irradiation in appropriate patients."
Carter Houghton, Vice President and General Manager of Hologic's Interventional Breast Solutions business, added, "The five-year ASBS Registry findings are a significant milestone for the MammoSite technology. Good local cancer control rates and cosmetic results are critical outcomes in breast cancer therapy. We look forward to expanding the utilization of accelerated partial breast irradiation by breast cancer patients that may have previously been disqualified for treatment."
The study concludes that treatment efficacy, cosmesis, and toxicity five years after treatment with APBI using the MammoSite device are good and similar to those reported with other forms of APBI with similar follow-up.
Vicini F, et al. Five-year analysis of treatment efficacy and cosmesis by the American Society of Breast Surgeons MammoSite breast brachytherapy registry trial in patients treated with accelerated partial breast irradiation. International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics
About MammoSite Radiation Therapy
Hologic's MammoSite therapy system, first cleared by the FDA in 2002, is the most widely utilized and accepted method of accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) in the United States. With its multi-lumen design, the new MammoSite ML device gives radiation oncologists the ability to shape the radiation dose for typical cases and treat patients who are otherwise not appropriate candidates for traditional brachytherapy.
By employing the MammoSite system, the radiation oncologist can deliver targeted radiation therapy directly to the area where cancer is most likely to recur, allowing a full course of radiation to be delivered in just five days. Additionally, targeted therapy of the breast limits radiation exposure to normal, healthy tissue. This targeting helps minimize side effects such as skin discoloration and scarring, burning, fatigue, and damage to surrounding organs.
Forward Looking Statement Disclaimer
This News Release may contain forward-looking information that involves risks and uncertainties, including statements about the use of the MammoSite radiation therapy system. There can be no assurance that the system will achieve the benefits described herein and that such benefits will be replicated in any particular manner with respect to an individual patient as the actual effect of the use of the MammoSite radiation therapy system can only be determined on a case-by-case basis depending on the particular circumstances of the procedure and patient in question. Hologic expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to the data or statements presented herein to reflect any change in the Company's expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such data or statements are based. Certain factors that could adversely affect the Company's business and prospects are described in Hologic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Source: Hologic, In
According to Frank Vicini, M.D., principal investigator of the study, "The data are promising and add further clinical support for the use of accelerated partial breast irradiation in appropriate patients."
Carter Houghton, Vice President and General Manager of Hologic's Interventional Breast Solutions business, added, "The five-year ASBS Registry findings are a significant milestone for the MammoSite technology. Good local cancer control rates and cosmetic results are critical outcomes in breast cancer therapy. We look forward to expanding the utilization of accelerated partial breast irradiation by breast cancer patients that may have previously been disqualified for treatment."
The study concludes that treatment efficacy, cosmesis, and toxicity five years after treatment with APBI using the MammoSite device are good and similar to those reported with other forms of APBI with similar follow-up.
Vicini F, et al. Five-year analysis of treatment efficacy and cosmesis by the American Society of Breast Surgeons MammoSite breast brachytherapy registry trial in patients treated with accelerated partial breast irradiation. International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology, Physics
About MammoSite Radiation Therapy
Hologic's MammoSite therapy system, first cleared by the FDA in 2002, is the most widely utilized and accepted method of accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) in the United States. With its multi-lumen design, the new MammoSite ML device gives radiation oncologists the ability to shape the radiation dose for typical cases and treat patients who are otherwise not appropriate candidates for traditional brachytherapy.
By employing the MammoSite system, the radiation oncologist can deliver targeted radiation therapy directly to the area where cancer is most likely to recur, allowing a full course of radiation to be delivered in just five days. Additionally, targeted therapy of the breast limits radiation exposure to normal, healthy tissue. This targeting helps minimize side effects such as skin discoloration and scarring, burning, fatigue, and damage to surrounding organs.
Forward Looking Statement Disclaimer
This News Release may contain forward-looking information that involves risks and uncertainties, including statements about the use of the MammoSite radiation therapy system. There can be no assurance that the system will achieve the benefits described herein and that such benefits will be replicated in any particular manner with respect to an individual patient as the actual effect of the use of the MammoSite radiation therapy system can only be determined on a case-by-case basis depending on the particular circumstances of the procedure and patient in question. Hologic expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to the data or statements presented herein to reflect any change in the Company's expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such data or statements are based. Certain factors that could adversely affect the Company's business and prospects are described in Hologic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Source: Hologic, In
среда, 18 мая 2011 г.
Government-Run Screening Programs Might Lead To Overtreatment Of Breast Cancer, Danish Study Says
One in three breast cancer patients identified in certain nations' public screening programs might have undergone unnecessary treatment, according to a study published Friday in BMJ, the AP/Google reports. For the study, Karsten Jorgensen and Peter Gotzsche of Copenhagen's Nordic Cochrane Centre examined breast cancer trends at least seven years before and after the launch of government-run screening programs in parts of Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Norway and Sweden. The programs usually test women ages 50 to 69.
According to the AP/Google, effective screening programs should detect more cases and result in a decline in advanced cancer cases detected in older women, whose cancers would have been caught in earlier screenings. However, the study found that the national screening systems simply detected thousands more cases than previously identified.
Experts say that overtreatment of cancer occurs wherever there are widespread screening programs, including in the U.S. Some cancers develop too slowly to ever cause symptoms or death, the AP/Google reports. However, it is impossible to determine which cancers will be deadly, so all detected cases are treated. Jorgensen said that there is "significant harm in making women cancer patients without good reason" and that the "information needs to get to women so they can make an informed choice."
Gilbert Welch of the VA Outcomes Group and the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Research wrote in an accompanying editorial that although mammography "undoubtedly helps some women," it "hurts others." Welch wrote that it is "one of medicine's 'close calls,' ... where different people in the same situation might reasonably make different choices."
Britain's National Health Service recently stopped distributing breast cancer screening pamphlets in response to criticism that they included too little information on cancer overtreatment. Laura Bell of Cancer Research UK said that although the organization still urges women to be screened, it is important that they be made aware of potential benefits and harms (Cheng, AP/Google, 7/9).
Reprinted with kind permission from nationalpartnership. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.
© 2009 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.
According to the AP/Google, effective screening programs should detect more cases and result in a decline in advanced cancer cases detected in older women, whose cancers would have been caught in earlier screenings. However, the study found that the national screening systems simply detected thousands more cases than previously identified.
Experts say that overtreatment of cancer occurs wherever there are widespread screening programs, including in the U.S. Some cancers develop too slowly to ever cause symptoms or death, the AP/Google reports. However, it is impossible to determine which cancers will be deadly, so all detected cases are treated. Jorgensen said that there is "significant harm in making women cancer patients without good reason" and that the "information needs to get to women so they can make an informed choice."
Gilbert Welch of the VA Outcomes Group and the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Research wrote in an accompanying editorial that although mammography "undoubtedly helps some women," it "hurts others." Welch wrote that it is "one of medicine's 'close calls,' ... where different people in the same situation might reasonably make different choices."
Britain's National Health Service recently stopped distributing breast cancer screening pamphlets in response to criticism that they included too little information on cancer overtreatment. Laura Bell of Cancer Research UK said that although the organization still urges women to be screened, it is important that they be made aware of potential benefits and harms (Cheng, AP/Google, 7/9).
Reprinted with kind permission from nationalpartnership. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.
© 2009 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.
вторник, 17 мая 2011 г.
Hot Flashes May Be Welcome Sign In Women With Breast Cancer, Study Says
Women on tamoxifen therapy who reported having hot flashes were less likely to develop recurrent breast cancer than those who did not report hot flashes, according to a study from the Moores Cancer Center at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Moreover, hot flashes were a stronger predictor of outcome than age, hormone receptor status or even how advanced the breast cancer was at diagnosis.
The study results were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago.
"Hot flashes are a very common and disruptive problem in breast cancer survivors," said the study's first author Joanne Mortimer, M.D., medical director of the Moores Cancer Center and professor of medicine with the UCSD School of Medicine. "About two-thirds of women with breast cancer say hot flashes compromise their quality of life. The most common request for additional treatment we get is for relief from these symptoms."
The study was based upon data from the comparison group of the Women's Healthy Eating and Living (WHEL) study - a multi-site randomized trial of the impact of a diet high in vegetables, fruits and fiber, and low in fat on the recurrence of breast cancer. The WHEL participating institutions are University of California, San Diego and Davis, Stanford University, Kaiser Permanente in Oakland and Portland, University of Arizona at Tucson, and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
Of the 1,551 women with early-stage breast cancer who were randomized to the comparison group of the WHEL study, more than half (864, or 56 percent) were taking tamoxifen, and more than three-quarters of those (674, or 78 percent) reported hot flashes.
Cancer recurrence among women who reported hot flashes was about 12.9 percent, compared with 21 percent for women not reporting hot flashes. These data were consistent across all years of follow-up, regardless of age or menopausal status.
"This study provides the first evidence that hot flashes may be an indicator of a better prognosis in women with early stage breast cancer," said the study's senior author, John P. Pierce, Ph.D, director of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program at the Moores UCSD Cancer Center. "Our data support the possibility of a significant association between hot flashes and disease outcome."
As a next step, the researchers plan to further study the relationship between hot flashes and breast cancer progression by measuring the tamoxifen metabolites in breast cancer survivors.
Besides Mortimer and Pierce, authors on the paper are Shirley W. Flatt, M.S., Barbara A. Parker, M.D., Linda Wasserman, M.D., Ph.D., and Loki Natarajan, Ph.D., of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Moores UCSD Cancer Center; and Ellen B. Gold of the Department of Public Health Sciences at University of California, Davis. This work was supported by the Walton Family Foundation and a National Cancer Institute grant.
Founded in 1979, the Moores UCSD Cancer Center is one of just 40 centers in the United States to hold a National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation as a Comprehensive Cancer Center. As such, it ranks among the top centers in the nation conducting basic, translational and clinical cancer research, providing advanced patient care and serving the community through innovative outreach and education programs.
Contact: Nancy Stringer
University of California - San Diego
The study results were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago.
"Hot flashes are a very common and disruptive problem in breast cancer survivors," said the study's first author Joanne Mortimer, M.D., medical director of the Moores Cancer Center and professor of medicine with the UCSD School of Medicine. "About two-thirds of women with breast cancer say hot flashes compromise their quality of life. The most common request for additional treatment we get is for relief from these symptoms."
The study was based upon data from the comparison group of the Women's Healthy Eating and Living (WHEL) study - a multi-site randomized trial of the impact of a diet high in vegetables, fruits and fiber, and low in fat on the recurrence of breast cancer. The WHEL participating institutions are University of California, San Diego and Davis, Stanford University, Kaiser Permanente in Oakland and Portland, University of Arizona at Tucson, and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
Of the 1,551 women with early-stage breast cancer who were randomized to the comparison group of the WHEL study, more than half (864, or 56 percent) were taking tamoxifen, and more than three-quarters of those (674, or 78 percent) reported hot flashes.
Cancer recurrence among women who reported hot flashes was about 12.9 percent, compared with 21 percent for women not reporting hot flashes. These data were consistent across all years of follow-up, regardless of age or menopausal status.
"This study provides the first evidence that hot flashes may be an indicator of a better prognosis in women with early stage breast cancer," said the study's senior author, John P. Pierce, Ph.D, director of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program at the Moores UCSD Cancer Center. "Our data support the possibility of a significant association between hot flashes and disease outcome."
As a next step, the researchers plan to further study the relationship between hot flashes and breast cancer progression by measuring the tamoxifen metabolites in breast cancer survivors.
Besides Mortimer and Pierce, authors on the paper are Shirley W. Flatt, M.S., Barbara A. Parker, M.D., Linda Wasserman, M.D., Ph.D., and Loki Natarajan, Ph.D., of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Moores UCSD Cancer Center; and Ellen B. Gold of the Department of Public Health Sciences at University of California, Davis. This work was supported by the Walton Family Foundation and a National Cancer Institute grant.
Founded in 1979, the Moores UCSD Cancer Center is one of just 40 centers in the United States to hold a National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation as a Comprehensive Cancer Center. As such, it ranks among the top centers in the nation conducting basic, translational and clinical cancer research, providing advanced patient care and serving the community through innovative outreach and education programs.
Contact: Nancy Stringer
University of California - San Diego
понедельник, 16 мая 2011 г.
Study Shows Pre-Operative Assessment Of Patients With Breast Cancer Allows Early Diagnosis And Successful Treatment Of Lymphedema
A recent study shows that pre-operative assessments of patients with breast cancer by physical therapists allow for early diagnosis and successful treatment of lymphedema.
The study, conducted by the National Naval Medical Center (NNMC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and in collaboration with the University of Michigan-Flint and George Mason University, was published in the journal, Cancer (April 25, 2008). The authors demonstrated the effectiveness of a surveillance program that included pre-operative limb volume measurement and interval post-operative follow-up to successfully detect and treat lymphedema, a chronic and often irreversible condition that can cause significant swelling of the upper and lower extremities due to the build-up of excess lymph fluid.
"This study is significant for several reasons, but none more so than it showing that detection and management of lymphedema at early stages may prevent the condition from progressing to a chronic, disabling stage and may enable a more cost-effective, conservative intervention," said American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) spokesperson and the study's lead author, Nicole L Stout Gergich, PT, MPT, CLT-LANA, of the National Naval Medical Center (NNMC) Breast Care Center, in Bethesda, Maryland.
Breast cancer related lymphedema is associated with decreased arm function, disability and diminished quality of life. If the condition is not diagnosed early and managed, it can progress to a situation where the patient is at risk for infection and further shoulder complications. The swelling is disfiguring and many times prohibits patients from finding clothes that fit properly.
Stout noted that the baseline pre-operative assessment of 196 patients with breast cancer participating in the study - which was conducted from 2001 to 2005 - included basic strength, range of motion, limb volume, and physical activity level. "To measure limb volume, we employed infra-red technology that scans the limbs using beams and sensors, providing us with very accurate information," she said. All study participants were monitored one month post-surgery and at three-month intervals thereafter for one year even if they exhibited no swelling. "Using both the pre- and post-operative assessments enabled us to diagnose lymphedema before it became visible, which is an unprecedented accomplishment," Stout noted.
Once lymphedema was diagnosed in 43 of the patients participating in the study, the condition was managed using a conservative compression garment, atypical of lymphedema treatment, observed Stout. A light-grade compression sleeve and gauntlet, fitted by the physical therapist, were prescribed for daily wear. "Lymphedema is normally treated with more aggressive and often costly and time-consuming techniques, such as complete decongestive therapy, which requires the patient to attend daily therapy sessions for weeks and wear bulky compression bandages. This study clearly demonstrates that the condition can be managed with a more conservative treatment option when it is diagnosed at its earliest presentation, which will be good news to breast cancer patients," she added.
"What we hope to garner from publicizing this study is that it will encourage patients with breast cancer to ask the questions that need to be asked regarding their treatment, as well as galvanize physicians, surgeons, oncologists and other physical therapists to make early intervention and conservative treatment of lymphedema the standard of care in breast cancer care," Stout concluded.
Physical therapists are health care professionals who diagnose and manage individuals of all ages, from newborns to elders, who have medical problems or other health-related conditions that limit their abilities to move and perform functional activities in their daily lives. Physical therapists examine each individual and develop a plan of care using treatment techniques to promote the ability to move, reduce pain, restore function, and prevent disability. Physical therapists also work with individuals to prevent the loss of mobility by developing fitness- and wellness-oriented programs for healthier and more active lifestyles.
The American Physical Therapy Association is a national organization representing physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and students nationwide. Its goal is to foster advancements in physical therapist education, practice, and research. Consumers can visit findapt.us to find a physical therapist in their area, as well as apta/consumer for physical therapy news and information.
American Physical Therapy Association
The study, conducted by the National Naval Medical Center (NNMC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and in collaboration with the University of Michigan-Flint and George Mason University, was published in the journal, Cancer (April 25, 2008). The authors demonstrated the effectiveness of a surveillance program that included pre-operative limb volume measurement and interval post-operative follow-up to successfully detect and treat lymphedema, a chronic and often irreversible condition that can cause significant swelling of the upper and lower extremities due to the build-up of excess lymph fluid.
"This study is significant for several reasons, but none more so than it showing that detection and management of lymphedema at early stages may prevent the condition from progressing to a chronic, disabling stage and may enable a more cost-effective, conservative intervention," said American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) spokesperson and the study's lead author, Nicole L Stout Gergich, PT, MPT, CLT-LANA, of the National Naval Medical Center (NNMC) Breast Care Center, in Bethesda, Maryland.
Breast cancer related lymphedema is associated with decreased arm function, disability and diminished quality of life. If the condition is not diagnosed early and managed, it can progress to a situation where the patient is at risk for infection and further shoulder complications. The swelling is disfiguring and many times prohibits patients from finding clothes that fit properly.
Stout noted that the baseline pre-operative assessment of 196 patients with breast cancer participating in the study - which was conducted from 2001 to 2005 - included basic strength, range of motion, limb volume, and physical activity level. "To measure limb volume, we employed infra-red technology that scans the limbs using beams and sensors, providing us with very accurate information," she said. All study participants were monitored one month post-surgery and at three-month intervals thereafter for one year even if they exhibited no swelling. "Using both the pre- and post-operative assessments enabled us to diagnose lymphedema before it became visible, which is an unprecedented accomplishment," Stout noted.
Once lymphedema was diagnosed in 43 of the patients participating in the study, the condition was managed using a conservative compression garment, atypical of lymphedema treatment, observed Stout. A light-grade compression sleeve and gauntlet, fitted by the physical therapist, were prescribed for daily wear. "Lymphedema is normally treated with more aggressive and often costly and time-consuming techniques, such as complete decongestive therapy, which requires the patient to attend daily therapy sessions for weeks and wear bulky compression bandages. This study clearly demonstrates that the condition can be managed with a more conservative treatment option when it is diagnosed at its earliest presentation, which will be good news to breast cancer patients," she added.
"What we hope to garner from publicizing this study is that it will encourage patients with breast cancer to ask the questions that need to be asked regarding their treatment, as well as galvanize physicians, surgeons, oncologists and other physical therapists to make early intervention and conservative treatment of lymphedema the standard of care in breast cancer care," Stout concluded.
Physical therapists are health care professionals who diagnose and manage individuals of all ages, from newborns to elders, who have medical problems or other health-related conditions that limit their abilities to move and perform functional activities in their daily lives. Physical therapists examine each individual and develop a plan of care using treatment techniques to promote the ability to move, reduce pain, restore function, and prevent disability. Physical therapists also work with individuals to prevent the loss of mobility by developing fitness- and wellness-oriented programs for healthier and more active lifestyles.
The American Physical Therapy Association is a national organization representing physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and students nationwide. Its goal is to foster advancements in physical therapist education, practice, and research. Consumers can visit findapt.us to find a physical therapist in their area, as well as apta/consumer for physical therapy news and information.
American Physical Therapy Association
воскресенье, 15 мая 2011 г.
Black Women In South Carolina More Likely To Develop, Die From Breast, Cervical Cancers, Study Says
Black women living in South Carolina are more likely to develop and die from breast and cervical cancers, compared to white women, according to a study published in the Journal of the South Carolina Medical Association, the AP/WHNS reports (AP/WHNS, 9/13). James Herbert of the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health and colleagues examined data from the South Carolina Central Cancer Registry to determine if health disparities exist among black and white residents diagnosed with cancer (USC release, 9/13). The study finds that black women are 60% more likely to die of breast cancer than white women in the state. In addition, black women are more likely to develop and die from cervical cancer than white women in the state, despite similar screening rates, the study finds. "While some of the differences, especially in mortality, are related to socio-economic factors that determine access to health care, we are pretty much in the dark regarding many of the underlying causes," Herbert said (AP/WHNS, 9/13). The researchers also found disparities among blacks and whites in the state diagnosed with colorectal, esophageal, lung, oral cavity and prostate cancers (USC release, 9/13).
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . © 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
суббота, 14 мая 2011 г.
Genetic Testing Best Left Out Of Pharmacies/Internet, SLU Geneticist Warns
In the age of the Internet, where cybercondriacs are just a mouse click away from a diagnosis, do-it-yourself home genetics test may seem like the next logical step in managing health. But these tests, which are relatively new and available online, are often not comprehensive and may cause unnecessary stress, warns Suzanne Mahon, DNSc., a clinical professor of hematology and oncology at Saint Louis University.
According to Mahon, a recent undercover investigation by the Government Accountability Office, found that home genetic tests from the top four genetic test companies often provided incomplete, conflicting and misleading information to consumers.
"Sometimes a little bit of knowledge can be a dangerous thing. This is one of those cases," said Mahon, who provides genetic counseling at the Saint Louis University Cancer Center.
"When geneticists order testing, they have selected the appropriate test based on a family and personal history. He or she also can help you understand the results and decide what to do next."
Unlike home pregnancy tests which are fairly simple and test for the presence of a specific hormone, genetic tests are much more complicated. Typically, home genetic tests are not capable of providing complete DNA sequencing, which according to Mahon, is the best way to define hereditary risk. For example, home genetic tests do not test for all forms of hereditary breast cancer. Without comprehensive testing, Mahon says the results are not meaningful.
Mahon also worries that home genetic test users will not be prepared for the results or know what to do with the information.
Using Genetics to Assess Breast Cancer Risk
The discovery of the breast cancer genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 has made breast cancer one of the most commonly requested genetic tests for disease susceptibility. Women who are diagnosed with breast cancer before age 50, have bilateral cancer, have a family history of breast cancer should talk with their health care provider about genetic testing.
"Approximately 10 percent of the population has a hereditary risk for developing cancer especially cancers of the breast, colon, ovary, uterus, and malignant melanoma. If you think you may be at risk, you should talk with your health care provider about genetic testing. He or she might then refer you to a geneticist, who will conduct a risk assessment to see if genetic testing might be helpful," Mahon said.
Source: Saint Louis University Medical Center
According to Mahon, a recent undercover investigation by the Government Accountability Office, found that home genetic tests from the top four genetic test companies often provided incomplete, conflicting and misleading information to consumers.
"Sometimes a little bit of knowledge can be a dangerous thing. This is one of those cases," said Mahon, who provides genetic counseling at the Saint Louis University Cancer Center.
"When geneticists order testing, they have selected the appropriate test based on a family and personal history. He or she also can help you understand the results and decide what to do next."
Unlike home pregnancy tests which are fairly simple and test for the presence of a specific hormone, genetic tests are much more complicated. Typically, home genetic tests are not capable of providing complete DNA sequencing, which according to Mahon, is the best way to define hereditary risk. For example, home genetic tests do not test for all forms of hereditary breast cancer. Without comprehensive testing, Mahon says the results are not meaningful.
Mahon also worries that home genetic test users will not be prepared for the results or know what to do with the information.
Using Genetics to Assess Breast Cancer Risk
The discovery of the breast cancer genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 has made breast cancer one of the most commonly requested genetic tests for disease susceptibility. Women who are diagnosed with breast cancer before age 50, have bilateral cancer, have a family history of breast cancer should talk with their health care provider about genetic testing.
"Approximately 10 percent of the population has a hereditary risk for developing cancer especially cancers of the breast, colon, ovary, uterus, and malignant melanoma. If you think you may be at risk, you should talk with your health care provider about genetic testing. He or she might then refer you to a geneticist, who will conduct a risk assessment to see if genetic testing might be helpful," Mahon said.
Source: Saint Louis University Medical Center
пятница, 13 мая 2011 г.
Diseased Brain Cells Selectively Targeted By Tumor-Killing Virus
New findings show that a specialized virus with the ability to reproduce its tumor-killing genes can selectively target tumors in the brains of mice and eliminate them. Healthy brain tissue remained virtually untouched, according to a Feb. 20 report in The Journal of Neuroscience. With more research, the technique could one day offer a novel way of treating brain cancer in humans.
"Most importantly, this study finds that the virus can penetrate into the brain, where it even reaches cells that have migrated away from the main tumor," says Harald Sontheimer, PhD, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, who was not affiliated with the study. "Assuming that the virus behaves similarly in humans, in the future, it may provide a novel and highly efficacious way to treat resistant tumors."
The study is the culmination of six years of basic research into the fundamental processes of viruses and the cells they target, conducted by senior author Anthony van den Pol, PhD, and his team at Yale University School of Medicine. They set out to test the vesicular stomatis virus, which was selected for its ability to attack brain tumors and leave healthy tissue largely uninfected.
Tumor cells from brain cancers commonly found both in people and in mice were implanted into immune-compromised mice, which then received an injection of the virus in the tail. By viewing fluorescent proteins embedded in both tumor and virus cells in the brains of living mice, van den Pol's team watched as the virus infected multiple sites in the brain, spreading across an entire tumor within three days, killing tumor cells in its wake. The virus did not target normal mouse tissue or non-cancerous human brain cells transplanted into the mouse brain, the team found. They speculated that, unlike those in healthy brain tissue, blood vessels within brain tumors may leak, allowing the virus to cross the usually impenetrable protective barrier around the brain.
The virus was equally effective in destroying tissue from cancers that start in the breast or lung and spread to the brain - the two cancers most likely to metastasize to the brain - and targeted tumors at different sites throughout the body. Each year in the United States, more than 20,000 new cases of brain or nervous system cancers are diagnosed, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Future research will focus on understanding potential safety risks, such as whether the virus could eventually infect normal brain cells, as well exploring potential changes to the virus that could mitigate such risk. "We have some ideas for making the virus safer in the human brain," says van den Pol. "This is important to prevent the virus from potentially infecting normal brain cells after it has targeted the brain tumor."
The work was a supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health.
The Journal of Neuroscience is published by the Society for Neuroscience, an organization of more than 38,000 basic scientists and clinicians who study the brain and nervous system.
Source: Sara Harris
Society for Neuroscience
"Most importantly, this study finds that the virus can penetrate into the brain, where it even reaches cells that have migrated away from the main tumor," says Harald Sontheimer, PhD, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, who was not affiliated with the study. "Assuming that the virus behaves similarly in humans, in the future, it may provide a novel and highly efficacious way to treat resistant tumors."
The study is the culmination of six years of basic research into the fundamental processes of viruses and the cells they target, conducted by senior author Anthony van den Pol, PhD, and his team at Yale University School of Medicine. They set out to test the vesicular stomatis virus, which was selected for its ability to attack brain tumors and leave healthy tissue largely uninfected.
Tumor cells from brain cancers commonly found both in people and in mice were implanted into immune-compromised mice, which then received an injection of the virus in the tail. By viewing fluorescent proteins embedded in both tumor and virus cells in the brains of living mice, van den Pol's team watched as the virus infected multiple sites in the brain, spreading across an entire tumor within three days, killing tumor cells in its wake. The virus did not target normal mouse tissue or non-cancerous human brain cells transplanted into the mouse brain, the team found. They speculated that, unlike those in healthy brain tissue, blood vessels within brain tumors may leak, allowing the virus to cross the usually impenetrable protective barrier around the brain.
The virus was equally effective in destroying tissue from cancers that start in the breast or lung and spread to the brain - the two cancers most likely to metastasize to the brain - and targeted tumors at different sites throughout the body. Each year in the United States, more than 20,000 new cases of brain or nervous system cancers are diagnosed, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Future research will focus on understanding potential safety risks, such as whether the virus could eventually infect normal brain cells, as well exploring potential changes to the virus that could mitigate such risk. "We have some ideas for making the virus safer in the human brain," says van den Pol. "This is important to prevent the virus from potentially infecting normal brain cells after it has targeted the brain tumor."
The work was a supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health.
The Journal of Neuroscience is published by the Society for Neuroscience, an organization of more than 38,000 basic scientists and clinicians who study the brain and nervous system.
Source: Sara Harris
Society for Neuroscience
среда, 11 мая 2011 г.
Risk Factors For Cancer In Unaffected Breast Of Breast Cancer Patients
A new study identifies certain patient and tumor characteristics that may help indicate which breast cancer patients would be the most likely to benefit from preventive surgery to remove the unaffected breast. Published in the March 1, 2009 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study could help patients with breast cancer make more informed treatment choices.
Women diagnosed with breast cancer are known to be at increased risk of developing breast cancer in the opposite breast, either at the time of diagnosis or some time in the future. Identifying which women are most at risk of cancer in the other breast could help patients decide whether to have preventive treatment, including mastectomy to remove the unaffected breast. While a fairly drastic measure, some women may choose this option due to a variety of factors, such as advice from their physician, fear of another breast cancer diagnosis, desire for cosmetic symmetry and family history of breast or other cancers.
While most breast cancer patients would not experience any survival benefit from such a contralateral prophylactic mastectomy, it is difficult to determine which patients should consider the procedure. If physicians could predict which patients are at the highest risk of developing contralateral breast cancer and which are not, many patients could preserve their unaffected breast if desired.
To identify the factors that predict contralateral breast cancer, Dr. Kelly K. Hunt and colleagues at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston studied 542 patients who had breast cancer in one breast and who had both breasts removed between 2000 and 2007.
From the prophylactic mastectomy specimen, the researchers found that twenty-five patients (5 percent) had contralateral breast cancer, and 82 patients (15 percent) had cells in the other breast that were abnormal and could signify higher risk for breast cancer development.
When the investigators looked for clinical features associated with contralateral breast cancer, they found three independent factors: when the cancer cells had certain histologic invasive characteristics; when the cancer was present in more than one quadrant of the breast; and when the patient had a 5-year Gail risk of 1.67 percent or greater. The Gail model is a breast cancer risk assessment tool used for women without a cancer diagnosis that takes into consideration a woman's medical history, age, race and other characteristics.
Also, women aged 50 years or older at the initial cancer diagnosis or who had additional moderate- to high-risk cells in their affected breast were likely to have abnormal cells in the other breast that could potentially develop into cancer.
Article: "Predictors of contralateral breast cancer in patients with unilateral breast cancer undergoing contralateral prophylactic mastectomy." Min Yi, Funda Meric-Bernstam, Lavinia P. Middleton, Banu K. Arun, Isabelle Bedrosian, Gildy V. Babiera, Rosa F. Hwang, Henry M. Kuerer, Wei Yang, and Kelly K. Hunt. CANCER; Published Online: January 26, 2009 (DOI: 10.002/cncr.24129); Print Issue Date: March 1, 2009.
Source: David Sampson
American Cancer Society
Women diagnosed with breast cancer are known to be at increased risk of developing breast cancer in the opposite breast, either at the time of diagnosis or some time in the future. Identifying which women are most at risk of cancer in the other breast could help patients decide whether to have preventive treatment, including mastectomy to remove the unaffected breast. While a fairly drastic measure, some women may choose this option due to a variety of factors, such as advice from their physician, fear of another breast cancer diagnosis, desire for cosmetic symmetry and family history of breast or other cancers.
While most breast cancer patients would not experience any survival benefit from such a contralateral prophylactic mastectomy, it is difficult to determine which patients should consider the procedure. If physicians could predict which patients are at the highest risk of developing contralateral breast cancer and which are not, many patients could preserve their unaffected breast if desired.
To identify the factors that predict contralateral breast cancer, Dr. Kelly K. Hunt and colleagues at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston studied 542 patients who had breast cancer in one breast and who had both breasts removed between 2000 and 2007.
From the prophylactic mastectomy specimen, the researchers found that twenty-five patients (5 percent) had contralateral breast cancer, and 82 patients (15 percent) had cells in the other breast that were abnormal and could signify higher risk for breast cancer development.
When the investigators looked for clinical features associated with contralateral breast cancer, they found three independent factors: when the cancer cells had certain histologic invasive characteristics; when the cancer was present in more than one quadrant of the breast; and when the patient had a 5-year Gail risk of 1.67 percent or greater. The Gail model is a breast cancer risk assessment tool used for women without a cancer diagnosis that takes into consideration a woman's medical history, age, race and other characteristics.
Also, women aged 50 years or older at the initial cancer diagnosis or who had additional moderate- to high-risk cells in their affected breast were likely to have abnormal cells in the other breast that could potentially develop into cancer.
Article: "Predictors of contralateral breast cancer in patients with unilateral breast cancer undergoing contralateral prophylactic mastectomy." Min Yi, Funda Meric-Bernstam, Lavinia P. Middleton, Banu K. Arun, Isabelle Bedrosian, Gildy V. Babiera, Rosa F. Hwang, Henry M. Kuerer, Wei Yang, and Kelly K. Hunt. CANCER; Published Online: January 26, 2009 (DOI: 10.002/cncr.24129); Print Issue Date: March 1, 2009.
Source: David Sampson
American Cancer Society
вторник, 10 мая 2011 г.
Acupuncture Helps Ease Side Effects And Symptoms Of Some Cancers
Recent studies have shown that acupuncture can help control a number of symptoms and side effects -- such as pain, fatigue, dry mouth, nausea, and vomiting -- associated with a variety of cancers and their treatments. Experts from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center's Integrative Medicine Service, who have either conducted or reviewed many of those studies, recommend that cancer patients interested in acupuncture seek a certified or licensed acupuncturist who has training or past experience working with individuals with cancer.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture treatment, a two-thousand-year-old component of traditional Chinese medicine, involves stimulating one or more predetermined points on the body, called acupoints, with needles for therapeutic effect. Heat, pressure, or electricity may be added to intensify the effect of the acupuncture needles. According to traditional Chinese medicine beliefs, energy flows throughout the body along channels, or "meridians." Specific acupoints are stimulated to increase energy flow along various channels throughout the body to a particular tissue, organ, or organ system.
Treatment is usually customized to treat each patient's particular symptoms. A typical acupuncture session, which takes about 30 minutes, involves the insertion of ten to 20 very thin, stainless steel needles. Most patients receiving acupuncture experience no pain from the insertion of the needles, and there is minimal risk of injury from acupuncture treatments, with reports of fewer than one adverse event in more than 10,000 treatments.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year more than eight million Americans use acupuncture to treat different ailments. Studies have demonstrated its effectiveness in the treatment of a host of non-cancer-related health issues, such as back pain, chronic headaches, osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, infertility, and hot flashes. Its use for the treatment of symptoms and side effects of a variety of cancers has recently been investigated in a number of studies and reviews.
Acupuncture for Head and Neck Cancer
For many of the more than 100,000 individuals diagnosed with head and neck cancer each year in the United States, the cancer spreads from its primary location to lymph nodes in the neck. When this occurs, nerves known as spinal accessory nerves must also be removed along with the affected lymph node, which can lead to shoulder function problems.
A study conducted by Memorial Sloan-Kettering investigators and published in the April 2010 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology sought to determine if acupuncture could reduce pain and dysfunction in individuals with cancer of the head or neck who had received a surgical dissection of lymph nodes in their neck. The study evaluated 58 patients who were suffering from chronic pain or dysfunction as a result of neck dissection. For four weeks, study participants were randomly assigned into one of two groups: those receiving weekly acupuncture sessions and those receiving standard care, which included physical therapy, as well as pain and antiinflammatory medication.
The study found that individuals in the group receiving acupuncture experienced significant reductions in pain and dysfunction when compared with individuals receiving standard care. Individuals in the acupuncture group also reported significant improvement in xerostomia, a condition in which patients receiving adjuvant radiation therapy experience extreme dry mouth.
Acupuncture and Leukemia
Many people with leukemia try additional treatments outside their standard care, hoping to manage symptoms and, in some cases, to improve their treatment outcome. In a commentary on the subject in the September 2009 issue of Expert Reviews Anticancer Therapies, Memorial Sloan-Kettering investigators examined the results from available studies testing the effectiveness of such approaches. They report that among the complementary therapies used to decrease symptoms and side effects, acupuncture is very beneficial for symptom management.
For some leukemia patients, cancer chemotherapy drugs can damage the peripheral nervous system (a condition known as peripheral neuropathy), causing pain, numbness, tingling, swelling, and muscle weakness in various parts of the body, especially in the hands and feet. In some cases, doctors must reduce the chemotherapy dose in order to prevent the neuropathy from progressing further. Acupuncture has been found to decrease these difficult neuropathy symptoms, allowing the maximum amount of chemotherapy to be used, thereby increasing the patient's chance for a successful outcome.
Acupuncture is also known to reduce the effects of nausea caused by a variety of chemotherapy agents used to treat leukemia. Research has shown that timing the acupuncture sessions one to two days before chemotherapy infusion and continued weekly throughout the chemotherapy regimen produces the best results. In addition, the authors note that acupuncture has been proven safe for patients receiving the anticoagulation drugs Coumadin® or heparin during their leukemia treatment.
The review's authors note that, in general, it is important to distinguish between complementary therapies -- including acupuncture, self-hypnosis, yoga, meditation, and therapeutic massage -- and alternative therapies, which are unproven and ineffective, and may interfere with mainstream cancer treatments.
Acupuncture and Breast Cancer
A significant number of breast cancers have receptors for the hormone estrogen. These receptor-positive breast tumors are more likely to respond to therapy with anti-estrogen medications, which take advantage of the cancer cells' dependence on hormones for growth. Women with these tumors are often given treatment that blocks the production of estrogen, which is meant to slow the growth of the tumor. These treatments can induce early menopause, leading to symptoms such as hot flashes, fatigue, and excessive sweating. Because these women cannot receive hormone replacement therapy, which is usually used to treat such symptoms, doctors typically prescribe antidepressants such as the drug venlafaxine (Effexor).
A recent study examined whether acupuncture reduces some of these common side effects and produces fewer adverse effects than antidepressants. In the study, published in the February 2010 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology, 50 women with hormone-receptor positive breast cancer were assigned into one of two groups. The first group received 12 weeks of acupuncture, and the second group received treatment with venlafaxine.
Both groups experienced significant decreases in hot flashes, depressive symptoms, and other quality-of-life symptoms. However, women in the group taking venlafaxine began to re-experience their symptoms about two weeks after stopping drug therapy. In comparison, it took 15 weeks for the symptoms to return for women in the group receiving acupuncture. In addition, women in the acupuncture group reported no significant side effects during treatment, while the group taking venlafaxine experienced 18 incidences of adverse effects, including nausea, dry mouth, dizziness, and anxiety.
Finding the Right Acupuncturist for Cancer Patients
The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) provides a list of practitioners who are nationally certified in Oriental medicine, acupuncture, Chinese herbology, and Asian bodywork therapy. The Integrative Medicine Service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center has trained thousands of acupuncturists from across the United States and many other countries. Its previously face-to-face, three-day courses were replaced in April 2010 with Internet-based courses to facilitate international requests. The Integrative Medicine Service also maintains a list of cancer-trained acupuncturists. Our integrative medicine specialists stress the importance of using an acupuncturist who is NCCAOM certified or licensed and who has training in working with cancer patients.
Source: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
View drug information on Effexor.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture treatment, a two-thousand-year-old component of traditional Chinese medicine, involves stimulating one or more predetermined points on the body, called acupoints, with needles for therapeutic effect. Heat, pressure, or electricity may be added to intensify the effect of the acupuncture needles. According to traditional Chinese medicine beliefs, energy flows throughout the body along channels, or "meridians." Specific acupoints are stimulated to increase energy flow along various channels throughout the body to a particular tissue, organ, or organ system.
Treatment is usually customized to treat each patient's particular symptoms. A typical acupuncture session, which takes about 30 minutes, involves the insertion of ten to 20 very thin, stainless steel needles. Most patients receiving acupuncture experience no pain from the insertion of the needles, and there is minimal risk of injury from acupuncture treatments, with reports of fewer than one adverse event in more than 10,000 treatments.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year more than eight million Americans use acupuncture to treat different ailments. Studies have demonstrated its effectiveness in the treatment of a host of non-cancer-related health issues, such as back pain, chronic headaches, osteoarthritis, high blood pressure, infertility, and hot flashes. Its use for the treatment of symptoms and side effects of a variety of cancers has recently been investigated in a number of studies and reviews.
Acupuncture for Head and Neck Cancer
For many of the more than 100,000 individuals diagnosed with head and neck cancer each year in the United States, the cancer spreads from its primary location to lymph nodes in the neck. When this occurs, nerves known as spinal accessory nerves must also be removed along with the affected lymph node, which can lead to shoulder function problems.
A study conducted by Memorial Sloan-Kettering investigators and published in the April 2010 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology sought to determine if acupuncture could reduce pain and dysfunction in individuals with cancer of the head or neck who had received a surgical dissection of lymph nodes in their neck. The study evaluated 58 patients who were suffering from chronic pain or dysfunction as a result of neck dissection. For four weeks, study participants were randomly assigned into one of two groups: those receiving weekly acupuncture sessions and those receiving standard care, which included physical therapy, as well as pain and antiinflammatory medication.
The study found that individuals in the group receiving acupuncture experienced significant reductions in pain and dysfunction when compared with individuals receiving standard care. Individuals in the acupuncture group also reported significant improvement in xerostomia, a condition in which patients receiving adjuvant radiation therapy experience extreme dry mouth.
Acupuncture and Leukemia
Many people with leukemia try additional treatments outside their standard care, hoping to manage symptoms and, in some cases, to improve their treatment outcome. In a commentary on the subject in the September 2009 issue of Expert Reviews Anticancer Therapies, Memorial Sloan-Kettering investigators examined the results from available studies testing the effectiveness of such approaches. They report that among the complementary therapies used to decrease symptoms and side effects, acupuncture is very beneficial for symptom management.
For some leukemia patients, cancer chemotherapy drugs can damage the peripheral nervous system (a condition known as peripheral neuropathy), causing pain, numbness, tingling, swelling, and muscle weakness in various parts of the body, especially in the hands and feet. In some cases, doctors must reduce the chemotherapy dose in order to prevent the neuropathy from progressing further. Acupuncture has been found to decrease these difficult neuropathy symptoms, allowing the maximum amount of chemotherapy to be used, thereby increasing the patient's chance for a successful outcome.
Acupuncture is also known to reduce the effects of nausea caused by a variety of chemotherapy agents used to treat leukemia. Research has shown that timing the acupuncture sessions one to two days before chemotherapy infusion and continued weekly throughout the chemotherapy regimen produces the best results. In addition, the authors note that acupuncture has been proven safe for patients receiving the anticoagulation drugs Coumadin® or heparin during their leukemia treatment.
The review's authors note that, in general, it is important to distinguish between complementary therapies -- including acupuncture, self-hypnosis, yoga, meditation, and therapeutic massage -- and alternative therapies, which are unproven and ineffective, and may interfere with mainstream cancer treatments.
Acupuncture and Breast Cancer
A significant number of breast cancers have receptors for the hormone estrogen. These receptor-positive breast tumors are more likely to respond to therapy with anti-estrogen medications, which take advantage of the cancer cells' dependence on hormones for growth. Women with these tumors are often given treatment that blocks the production of estrogen, which is meant to slow the growth of the tumor. These treatments can induce early menopause, leading to symptoms such as hot flashes, fatigue, and excessive sweating. Because these women cannot receive hormone replacement therapy, which is usually used to treat such symptoms, doctors typically prescribe antidepressants such as the drug venlafaxine (Effexor).
A recent study examined whether acupuncture reduces some of these common side effects and produces fewer adverse effects than antidepressants. In the study, published in the February 2010 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology, 50 women with hormone-receptor positive breast cancer were assigned into one of two groups. The first group received 12 weeks of acupuncture, and the second group received treatment with venlafaxine.
Both groups experienced significant decreases in hot flashes, depressive symptoms, and other quality-of-life symptoms. However, women in the group taking venlafaxine began to re-experience their symptoms about two weeks after stopping drug therapy. In comparison, it took 15 weeks for the symptoms to return for women in the group receiving acupuncture. In addition, women in the acupuncture group reported no significant side effects during treatment, while the group taking venlafaxine experienced 18 incidences of adverse effects, including nausea, dry mouth, dizziness, and anxiety.
Finding the Right Acupuncturist for Cancer Patients
The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) provides a list of practitioners who are nationally certified in Oriental medicine, acupuncture, Chinese herbology, and Asian bodywork therapy. The Integrative Medicine Service at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center has trained thousands of acupuncturists from across the United States and many other countries. Its previously face-to-face, three-day courses were replaced in April 2010 with Internet-based courses to facilitate international requests. The Integrative Medicine Service also maintains a list of cancer-trained acupuncturists. Our integrative medicine specialists stress the importance of using an acupuncturist who is NCCAOM certified or licensed and who has training in working with cancer patients.
Source: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
View drug information on Effexor.
понедельник, 9 мая 2011 г.
Discovery Of Protein That Contributes To Cancer Spread
In an important finding published online in Developmental Cell, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, along with collaborators at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, have identified a protein likely responsible for causing breast cancer to spread.
Metastatic cancer occurs when cancer cells from the original tumor travel to distant sites via the blood system. Most cancer deaths are due to cancer that has spread to other organs. Trying to stop cancer before it metastasizes is the main goal of cancer treatments. Upon diagnosis, 6 out of 10 breast cancer patients have cancer that is still in its primary location making the potential discovery of a marker for invasive cancer of tremendous value that could better inform treatment options.
Until now, early markers of metastatic breast cancer have been hard to find. However, in the Einstein-led study, researchers have identified a protein that is a promising candidate for a metastatic breast cancer marker.
The protein, called Menainv is present in invasive cells within a breast tumor. These cells move into surrounding tissue and eventually to blood vessels. Menainv is not on breast tumor cells that stay put (resident cells). This is the first time that a protein has been shown to contribute to the invasive and metastatic ability of tumor cells, rather than just being an 'innocent bystander' that shows up when cells are invading, strengthening the potential use of this protein as a marker.
The research was conducted under the direction of and in the laboratories of John S. Condeelis, Ph.D., Einstein professor and co-chair of anatomy and structural biology and co-director of Gruss Lipper Biophotonics Center and Frank B. Gertler, Ph.D., Ross Scholar Professor of Biology at MIT.
The latest research was aided considerably by the work of Jeffrey B. Wyckoff, principal associate, department of anatomy and structural biology at Einstein who, with Dr. Condeelis, developed the in vivo invasion assay used to isolate metastatic tumor cells from breast tumors thereby implicating Mena as an important gene for metastasis.
Evanthia T. Roussos, an M.D.-Ph.D. student in Dr. Condeelis' lab and primary co-author of the study, explains, "We have micro-needles filled with growth factors and tissue that we insert into a tumor on an anesthetized mouse. If a cell is invasive, within four hours, it will crawl into the needles. We found that mouse breast tumor cells that we engineered to contain Menainv were invasive whereas cells that did not have Menainv were not."
Another finding from the study that has important implications for patient treatment is that tumor cells harboring Menainv are less likely to be responsive to newer breast cancer treatments that inhibit epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR). Epidermal growth factor (EGF) has been shown to increase a breast cancer cell's invasive potential. The study investigators propose that drugs which inhibit EGF may lack effectiveness on tumor cells that express Menainv. That's because Menainvcells are so sensitive to EGF that even the small amount of EGF signal that the drugs fail to block may be enough to stimulate EGF receptor and promote tumor cell migration and metastasis.
If Menainv behaves similarly in humans as it does in mice, it would be an especially attractive marker for metastatic breast cancer because the structure of Menainv would enable an antibody or a PCR assay to be developed to identify it. Such an antibody or PCR assay could be used to diagnose the presence of Menainv in biopsies and blood samples allowing doctors to identify breast cancer patients who are more likely to have progressive disease and recommend the appropriate treatment.
The current study builds on previous research by Dr. Condeelis' group which identified Menainv as the isoform of Mena that is over expressed in the invasive and metastatic subpopulation of tumor cells in breast tumors. The current study shows that Menainv forces tumor cells in mammary tumors of mice to become invasive and eventually metastasize to the lung.
The primary co-authors of the paper are Ulrike Philippar, MIT, Merck Research Laboratories and Evanthia Roussos, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Department of Anatomy and Structural biology, Gruss Lipper Biophotonics Center. Other authors include Matthew Oser, Yarong Wang and Jeffrey B. Wyckoff of Einstein; Sumanta Goswami of Einstein and Department of Biology, Yeshiva University; Hideki Yamaguchi, Einstein and now at Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences; Hyung Do Kim and Douglas A. Lauffenburger, MIT; Silvia Giampieri, Cancer Research UK, London Research Institute; and Erik Sahai, Einstein and Cancer Research UK, London Research Institute.
About Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University
Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University is one of the nation's premier centers for research, medical education and clinical investigation. It is the home to some 2,000 faculty members, 750 M.D. students, 350 Ph.D. students (including 125 in combined M.D./Ph.D. programs) and 380 postdoctoral investigators. Last year, Einstein received more than $130 million in support from the NIH. This includes the funding of major research centers at Einstein in diabetes, cancer, liver disease, and AIDS. Other areas where the College of Medicine is concentrating its efforts include developmental brain research, neuroscience, cardiac disease, and initiatives to reduce and eliminate ethnic and racial health disparities. Through its extensive affiliation network involving five hospital centers in the Bronx, Manhattan and Long Island - which includes Montefiore Medical Center, Einstein's officially designated University Hospital - the College runs one of the largest post-graduate medical training program in the United States, offering approximately 150 residency programs to more than 2,500 physicians in training. For more information, please visit aecom.yu.
Source: Michael Heller
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Metastatic cancer occurs when cancer cells from the original tumor travel to distant sites via the blood system. Most cancer deaths are due to cancer that has spread to other organs. Trying to stop cancer before it metastasizes is the main goal of cancer treatments. Upon diagnosis, 6 out of 10 breast cancer patients have cancer that is still in its primary location making the potential discovery of a marker for invasive cancer of tremendous value that could better inform treatment options.
Until now, early markers of metastatic breast cancer have been hard to find. However, in the Einstein-led study, researchers have identified a protein that is a promising candidate for a metastatic breast cancer marker.
The protein, called Menainv is present in invasive cells within a breast tumor. These cells move into surrounding tissue and eventually to blood vessels. Menainv is not on breast tumor cells that stay put (resident cells). This is the first time that a protein has been shown to contribute to the invasive and metastatic ability of tumor cells, rather than just being an 'innocent bystander' that shows up when cells are invading, strengthening the potential use of this protein as a marker.
The research was conducted under the direction of and in the laboratories of John S. Condeelis, Ph.D., Einstein professor and co-chair of anatomy and structural biology and co-director of Gruss Lipper Biophotonics Center and Frank B. Gertler, Ph.D., Ross Scholar Professor of Biology at MIT.
The latest research was aided considerably by the work of Jeffrey B. Wyckoff, principal associate, department of anatomy and structural biology at Einstein who, with Dr. Condeelis, developed the in vivo invasion assay used to isolate metastatic tumor cells from breast tumors thereby implicating Mena as an important gene for metastasis.
Evanthia T. Roussos, an M.D.-Ph.D. student in Dr. Condeelis' lab and primary co-author of the study, explains, "We have micro-needles filled with growth factors and tissue that we insert into a tumor on an anesthetized mouse. If a cell is invasive, within four hours, it will crawl into the needles. We found that mouse breast tumor cells that we engineered to contain Menainv were invasive whereas cells that did not have Menainv were not."
Another finding from the study that has important implications for patient treatment is that tumor cells harboring Menainv are less likely to be responsive to newer breast cancer treatments that inhibit epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR). Epidermal growth factor (EGF) has been shown to increase a breast cancer cell's invasive potential. The study investigators propose that drugs which inhibit EGF may lack effectiveness on tumor cells that express Menainv. That's because Menainvcells are so sensitive to EGF that even the small amount of EGF signal that the drugs fail to block may be enough to stimulate EGF receptor and promote tumor cell migration and metastasis.
If Menainv behaves similarly in humans as it does in mice, it would be an especially attractive marker for metastatic breast cancer because the structure of Menainv would enable an antibody or a PCR assay to be developed to identify it. Such an antibody or PCR assay could be used to diagnose the presence of Menainv in biopsies and blood samples allowing doctors to identify breast cancer patients who are more likely to have progressive disease and recommend the appropriate treatment.
The current study builds on previous research by Dr. Condeelis' group which identified Menainv as the isoform of Mena that is over expressed in the invasive and metastatic subpopulation of tumor cells in breast tumors. The current study shows that Menainv forces tumor cells in mammary tumors of mice to become invasive and eventually metastasize to the lung.
The primary co-authors of the paper are Ulrike Philippar, MIT, Merck Research Laboratories and Evanthia Roussos, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Department of Anatomy and Structural biology, Gruss Lipper Biophotonics Center. Other authors include Matthew Oser, Yarong Wang and Jeffrey B. Wyckoff of Einstein; Sumanta Goswami of Einstein and Department of Biology, Yeshiva University; Hideki Yamaguchi, Einstein and now at Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences; Hyung Do Kim and Douglas A. Lauffenburger, MIT; Silvia Giampieri, Cancer Research UK, London Research Institute; and Erik Sahai, Einstein and Cancer Research UK, London Research Institute.
About Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University
Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University is one of the nation's premier centers for research, medical education and clinical investigation. It is the home to some 2,000 faculty members, 750 M.D. students, 350 Ph.D. students (including 125 in combined M.D./Ph.D. programs) and 380 postdoctoral investigators. Last year, Einstein received more than $130 million in support from the NIH. This includes the funding of major research centers at Einstein in diabetes, cancer, liver disease, and AIDS. Other areas where the College of Medicine is concentrating its efforts include developmental brain research, neuroscience, cardiac disease, and initiatives to reduce and eliminate ethnic and racial health disparities. Through its extensive affiliation network involving five hospital centers in the Bronx, Manhattan and Long Island - which includes Montefiore Medical Center, Einstein's officially designated University Hospital - the College runs one of the largest post-graduate medical training program in the United States, offering approximately 150 residency programs to more than 2,500 physicians in training. For more information, please visit aecom.yu.
Source: Michael Heller
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
воскресенье, 8 мая 2011 г.
Many women would consider breast removal to reduce breast cancer risk
A new international survey - connected to a study taking place at the University of Dundee - reveals that around one in
five women would consider having both breasts removed to help reduce their risk of developing breast cancer if told they were
at an increased risk of developing the disease.
The survey asked over 1500 women from around the world what choices they would make if told they were at high risk of
developing breast cancer. Of the UK women who were questioned, up to one in three said they would consider having a double
mastectomy.
Breast cancer experts wanted to learn more about women's attitudes to breast cancer worldwide as they take the first step in
trying to prevent up to 80 per cent of hormone sensitive breast cancers. With nearly half the women saying they were
concerned about developing breast cancer, the study highlights the need for all prevention options, particularly new ones, to
be clearly explained. Women in the UK are particularly worried with around 60 per cent saying they are concerned about breast
cancer.
When asked if they would consider taking part in a trial investigating a preventive treatment for breast cancer, around 50
per cent of the women said they would consider it. Around 45 per cent of the women in the survey said they would consider
taking a daily tablet as a preventive step against breast cancer.
In the UK there are around 41,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer every year. Around 80 per cent of these are
post-menopausal women.
Scientists based at the University of Dundee are involved in one of the first worldwide prevention trials, called IBIS-II1,
which is investigating whether a drug already used to treat breast cancer may have the ability to prevent the disease.
This landmark trial involves postmenopausal, high risk women taking a once-a-day pill containing the drug anastrozole.
Previous trials investigating this drug as a treatment for breast cancer have shown that it reduces the risk of developing
cancer in the opposite breast by over 50 per cent2.
The female hormone, oestrogen, is known to be the most important cause of breast cancer in post-menopausal women and
anastrozole works by stopping oestrogen being produced.
This is the first time the drug is being investigated as a preventive measure. Cancer Research UK scientists are looking for
6,000 women from around the world to take part in the trial.
"The IBIS-II study is extremely important for women with an increased risk of developing breast cancer" commented Professor
Jack Cuzick, Cancer Research UK's lead researcher on the trial. "It is vitally important that women come forward to
participate in the trial. It could provide them with a valuable option in helping to control breast cancer. Many of us
already take medications to prevent heart disease so just imagine the possibilities if, in the future, we could use a simple,
once-a-day medication, to reduce the occurrence of breast cancer. For those women faced with the reality of being at high
risk of developing breast cancer, this trial has the potential to change their lives."
He adds: "With over 30,000 post-menopausal women being diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK every year, i t's vital that we
look for effective ways of preventing the disease."
Dr Lesley Walker, Director of Cancer Information at Cancer Research UK, says: "It is extremely rare for women to undergo a
double mastectomy for preventive reasons and as an option, it is most relevant to women with a very strong family history of
breast cancer. The global launch of IBIS-II aims to provide women with a new, far less radical option for preventing breast
cancer at a time when numbers of women being diagnosed with the disease and concern about it, is so high. Through trials like
this, women and researchers are working together to help discover clear and safe options for helping to prevent breast
cancer."
Professor Alastair Thompson, Professor of Surgical Oncology at Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, is the local trial
co-ordinator in Dundee. He said, "We urge all women who are concerned about breast cancer to speak with their doctor.
Understanding your risk of developing breast cancer and knowing what options are available are essential for all women. We
are asking those women who are eligible for the trial to come forward and help us to find a way to help prevent breast
cancer."
To be eligible to take part in the IBIS II programme, women must be post-menopausal, not taking HRT and have at least twice
the normal risk of breast cancer - for example someone whose mother or sister had breast cancer before the age of 50, or who
has two family members with the disease.
Post-menopausal women who are interested in taking part should contact research nurses Gillian Little and Mhairi Hawkes on
01382 633850.
For more information on the trial log on to the IBIS website (ibis-trials), CancerHelp UK (cancerhelp.uk)
About the survey
Research was carried out by NOP World, a global market research agency, in April 2005 using their Telebus survey. The
nationally representative survey was conducted in six countries (Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Germany, Italy and the United
Kingdom) via the telephone with 1,565 women aged 45+.
Worldwide, more than a million women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, accounting for a tenth of all new cancers
and 23 per cent of all female cancer cases.
1 IBIS-II
The International Breast Cancer Intervention Study II (IBIS-II) has been designed to investigate the new breast cancer drug,
anastrozole, in women in 25 countries, who are at an increased risk of breast cancer.
The study is currently recruiting women and will run for 4-6 years.
The IBIS II study is a randomised, blinded placebo controlled clinical trial.
The study is divided into two parts:
The IBIS-II Prevention part of the study aims to recruit 6,000 post-menopausal women who are at increased risk of developing
breast cancer. A number of factors for increased risk can make a woman eligible to enter the study and these are set
according to the different age groups. Women can take part in the trial if they are aged between 40-70 years and are not on
HRT.
The second part of the study, IBIS-II (DCIS), will recruit 4,000 women who have been diagnosed with and had surgery to remove
a particular early form of breast cancer, which is not growing or spreading, known as DCIS (Ductal carcinoma in situ). As
well as being at high risk of developing more advanced forms of breast cancer, these women are also more likely to develop a
new tumour in the opposite breast. This part of the trial is designed to determine which of the two drugs, anastrozole or
tamoxifen, can best prevent new cancers, both in the breast affected by DCIS and in the opposite breast.
UK trial centres currently open for recruitment are:
-- Belfast City Hospital, Belfast
-- Royal Bournemouth Hospital, Bournemouth
-- Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton
-- Frenchay Breast Care Centre, Bristol
-- Bristol Royal Infirmary, Bristol
-- University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff
-- Essex County Hospital, Colchester
-- Chelmsford & Essex Centre, Chelmsford
-- Cheltenham General Hospital, Cheltenham
-- Countess of Chester Hospital, Breast Unit, Chester
-- Derby City General Hospital, Derby
-- Ninewells Hospital, Dundee
-- Western General Hospital, Edinburgh
-- St Margaret's Hospital, Epping
-- Western Infirmary, Glasgow (prevention only)
-- Guy's NHS Trust, London
-- Royal Marsden, London
-- The Academic Surgical Unit, University of Hull, Hull
-- Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds
-- St. James's Hospital, Leeds
-- Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool
-- Macclesfield Hospital, Macclesfield
-- Withington Hospital, Manchester
-- Northwick Park & St Marks Hospitals, Harrow
-- Royal Oldham Hospital, Oldham
-- Weston Park Hospital, Sheffield
-- Royal South Hants Hospital, Southampton (DCIS only)
-- Morriston Hospital, Swansea
-- Mermaid centre, Truro
-- Worthing Hospital, Worthing
-- Yeovil Hospital, Yeovil
2ATAC study - Arimidex and Tamoxifen Alone or in Combination, results published ATAC Trialists' Group. Results of the ATAC
(Arimidex, Tamoxifen, Alone or in Combination) trial after completion of 5 years' adjuvant treatment for breast cancer.
Lancet 2005; 365 (9453): 60-62.
University of Dundee Press
Release
DUNDEE UNIVERSITY
Nethergate,
Dundee,
Scotland,
DD1 4HN,
pressdundee.ac.uk
dundee.ac.uk
View drug information on Arimidex.
five women would consider having both breasts removed to help reduce their risk of developing breast cancer if told they were
at an increased risk of developing the disease.
The survey asked over 1500 women from around the world what choices they would make if told they were at high risk of
developing breast cancer. Of the UK women who were questioned, up to one in three said they would consider having a double
mastectomy.
Breast cancer experts wanted to learn more about women's attitudes to breast cancer worldwide as they take the first step in
trying to prevent up to 80 per cent of hormone sensitive breast cancers. With nearly half the women saying they were
concerned about developing breast cancer, the study highlights the need for all prevention options, particularly new ones, to
be clearly explained. Women in the UK are particularly worried with around 60 per cent saying they are concerned about breast
cancer.
When asked if they would consider taking part in a trial investigating a preventive treatment for breast cancer, around 50
per cent of the women said they would consider it. Around 45 per cent of the women in the survey said they would consider
taking a daily tablet as a preventive step against breast cancer.
In the UK there are around 41,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer every year. Around 80 per cent of these are
post-menopausal women.
Scientists based at the University of Dundee are involved in one of the first worldwide prevention trials, called IBIS-II1,
which is investigating whether a drug already used to treat breast cancer may have the ability to prevent the disease.
This landmark trial involves postmenopausal, high risk women taking a once-a-day pill containing the drug anastrozole.
Previous trials investigating this drug as a treatment for breast cancer have shown that it reduces the risk of developing
cancer in the opposite breast by over 50 per cent2.
The female hormone, oestrogen, is known to be the most important cause of breast cancer in post-menopausal women and
anastrozole works by stopping oestrogen being produced.
This is the first time the drug is being investigated as a preventive measure. Cancer Research UK scientists are looking for
6,000 women from around the world to take part in the trial.
"The IBIS-II study is extremely important for women with an increased risk of developing breast cancer" commented Professor
Jack Cuzick, Cancer Research UK's lead researcher on the trial. "It is vitally important that women come forward to
participate in the trial. It could provide them with a valuable option in helping to control breast cancer. Many of us
already take medications to prevent heart disease so just imagine the possibilities if, in the future, we could use a simple,
once-a-day medication, to reduce the occurrence of breast cancer. For those women faced with the reality of being at high
risk of developing breast cancer, this trial has the potential to change their lives."
He adds: "With over 30,000 post-menopausal women being diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK every year, i t's vital that we
look for effective ways of preventing the disease."
Dr Lesley Walker, Director of Cancer Information at Cancer Research UK, says: "It is extremely rare for women to undergo a
double mastectomy for preventive reasons and as an option, it is most relevant to women with a very strong family history of
breast cancer. The global launch of IBIS-II aims to provide women with a new, far less radical option for preventing breast
cancer at a time when numbers of women being diagnosed with the disease and concern about it, is so high. Through trials like
this, women and researchers are working together to help discover clear and safe options for helping to prevent breast
cancer."
Professor Alastair Thompson, Professor of Surgical Oncology at Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, is the local trial
co-ordinator in Dundee. He said, "We urge all women who are concerned about breast cancer to speak with their doctor.
Understanding your risk of developing breast cancer and knowing what options are available are essential for all women. We
are asking those women who are eligible for the trial to come forward and help us to find a way to help prevent breast
cancer."
To be eligible to take part in the IBIS II programme, women must be post-menopausal, not taking HRT and have at least twice
the normal risk of breast cancer - for example someone whose mother or sister had breast cancer before the age of 50, or who
has two family members with the disease.
Post-menopausal women who are interested in taking part should contact research nurses Gillian Little and Mhairi Hawkes on
01382 633850.
For more information on the trial log on to the IBIS website (ibis-trials), CancerHelp UK (cancerhelp.uk)
About the survey
Research was carried out by NOP World, a global market research agency, in April 2005 using their Telebus survey. The
nationally representative survey was conducted in six countries (Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Germany, Italy and the United
Kingdom) via the telephone with 1,565 women aged 45+.
Worldwide, more than a million women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, accounting for a tenth of all new cancers
and 23 per cent of all female cancer cases.
1 IBIS-II
The International Breast Cancer Intervention Study II (IBIS-II) has been designed to investigate the new breast cancer drug,
anastrozole, in women in 25 countries, who are at an increased risk of breast cancer.
The study is currently recruiting women and will run for 4-6 years.
The IBIS II study is a randomised, blinded placebo controlled clinical trial.
The study is divided into two parts:
The IBIS-II Prevention part of the study aims to recruit 6,000 post-menopausal women who are at increased risk of developing
breast cancer. A number of factors for increased risk can make a woman eligible to enter the study and these are set
according to the different age groups. Women can take part in the trial if they are aged between 40-70 years and are not on
HRT.
The second part of the study, IBIS-II (DCIS), will recruit 4,000 women who have been diagnosed with and had surgery to remove
a particular early form of breast cancer, which is not growing or spreading, known as DCIS (Ductal carcinoma in situ). As
well as being at high risk of developing more advanced forms of breast cancer, these women are also more likely to develop a
new tumour in the opposite breast. This part of the trial is designed to determine which of the two drugs, anastrozole or
tamoxifen, can best prevent new cancers, both in the breast affected by DCIS and in the opposite breast.
UK trial centres currently open for recruitment are:
-- Belfast City Hospital, Belfast
-- Royal Bournemouth Hospital, Bournemouth
-- Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton
-- Frenchay Breast Care Centre, Bristol
-- Bristol Royal Infirmary, Bristol
-- University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff
-- Essex County Hospital, Colchester
-- Chelmsford & Essex Centre, Chelmsford
-- Cheltenham General Hospital, Cheltenham
-- Countess of Chester Hospital, Breast Unit, Chester
-- Derby City General Hospital, Derby
-- Ninewells Hospital, Dundee
-- Western General Hospital, Edinburgh
-- St Margaret's Hospital, Epping
-- Western Infirmary, Glasgow (prevention only)
-- Guy's NHS Trust, London
-- Royal Marsden, London
-- The Academic Surgical Unit, University of Hull, Hull
-- Leeds General Infirmary, Leeds
-- St. James's Hospital, Leeds
-- Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool
-- Macclesfield Hospital, Macclesfield
-- Withington Hospital, Manchester
-- Northwick Park & St Marks Hospitals, Harrow
-- Royal Oldham Hospital, Oldham
-- Weston Park Hospital, Sheffield
-- Royal South Hants Hospital, Southampton (DCIS only)
-- Morriston Hospital, Swansea
-- Mermaid centre, Truro
-- Worthing Hospital, Worthing
-- Yeovil Hospital, Yeovil
2ATAC study - Arimidex and Tamoxifen Alone or in Combination, results published ATAC Trialists' Group. Results of the ATAC
(Arimidex, Tamoxifen, Alone or in Combination) trial after completion of 5 years' adjuvant treatment for breast cancer.
Lancet 2005; 365 (9453): 60-62.
University of Dundee Press
Release
DUNDEE UNIVERSITY
Nethergate,
Dundee,
Scotland,
DD1 4HN,
pressdundee.ac.uk
dundee.ac.uk
View drug information on Arimidex.
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