Hormonal Therapy News and Research

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Hormonal Therapy is treatment that adds, blocks, or removes hormones. For certain conditions (such as diabetes or menopause), hormones are given to adjust low hormone levels. To slow or stop the growth of certain cancers (such as prostate and breast cancer), synthetic hormones or other drugs may be given to block the body’s natural hormones. Sometimes surgery is needed to remove the gland that makes a certain hormone. Also called endocrine therapy, hormone therapy, and hormone treatment.

Discrimination leads to dangerous health consequences among transgender Americans

Despite a surge in public attention toward the transgender population, transgender adults continue to face both major and daily discrimination that often directly leads to dangerous health consequences.

30 Sep 2015

Tailorx trial data supports use of Oncotype DX test in patients with early stage breast cancer

Initial results were announced today from the Trial Assigning IndividuaLized Options for Treatment (Rx), or TAILORx, a multi-center prospectively conducted trial of more than 10,000 women with early stage breast cancer sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, and led by the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group with support from Genomic Health, Inc.

29 Sep 2015

Hormonal therapy may protect women's ovaries, increase chances of pregnancy after breast cancer treatment

Young women undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer may be more likely to remain fertile if they also receive hormonal treatment, according to new research presented to the 2015 European Cancer Congress on Monday and published simultaneously in Annals of Oncology.

28 Sep 2015

BWH, DFCI researchers receive $10 million to test effectiveness of aspirin in women with breast cancer

Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have received a $10 million Breakthrough Award from the Department of Defense's Office of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program to test whether aspirin helps women with breast cancer avoid recurrence and live longer.

22 Sep 2015

New assessment tool under development can help detect physical traits of Klinefelter syndrome

Klinefelter syndrome is the most common disorder of the male sex chromosomes, yet is rarely diagnosed in children. A new assessment tool is being developed by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) to help pediatricians detect the physical traits of the syndrome. The tool could pave the way for early interventions that prevent and treat a range of physical, psychological, social, and cognitive impairments.

26 Aug 2015

Education intervention can improve physicians’ understanding of transgender issues

The term "transgender" has made its way into mainstream media thanks to Caitlyn Jenner, previously known as Bruce Jenner, who came out as a transgender woman earlier this year.

11 Aug 2015

Study: Breast cancer survivors experience post-treatment weight gain compared with cancer-free peers

Among women with a family history of breast cancer, those diagnosed with breast cancer gained weight at a greater rate compared with cancer-free women of the same age and menopausal status.

15 Jul 2015

International study provides evidence of clear link between smoking and risk of prostate cancer

Smoking is a known risk factor for the development of various forms of cancer. However, when it comes to the link between smoking and prostate cancer, the findings of previous studies have been contradictory. Now, for the first time, an international study led by MedUni Vienna and Basle University Hospital, has provided evidence of a clear link.

22 Jun 2015

Advanced prostate cancer patients who have AR-V7 gene variant respond to chemotherapy

In a small clinical trial, scientists at Johns Hopkins' Kimmel Cancer Center and James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute found that men with advanced prostate cancer and detection of androgen receptor splice variant-7 (AR-V7) respond to chemotherapy just as well as men who lack the variant.

9 Jun 2015

Current menopausal hormone therapy users at increased risk of experiencing GI bleeding

Current users of menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) are more than twice as likely than non-users to develop lower gastrointestinal bleeding and ischemic colitis, especially if they use the therapy for longer durations, according to a study at Digestive Disease Week 2015.

19 May 2015

Botanical formula improves effect of tamoxifen drug in ER+ human breast cancer

Researchers at the Cancer Research Laboratory, Methodist Research Institute, Indiana University Health found that a botanical formula for breast health inhibited the growth of estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) human breast cancer cells. More importantly, the researchers also found that the formula enhanced the anti-cancer benefits of the drug tamoxifen in the treatment of breast cancer.

22 Apr 2015

Penn State surgeon provides guidelines for diagnosis, management of endometriosis

Endometriosis is difficult to diagnose, with women often being told for years that they are experiencing their 'normal period.' According to the Endometriosis Foundation of America, it affects one in ten women.

30 Mar 2015

Study identifies 10 new cases of breast cancer in transgender veterans

A study of breast cancer in transgender veterans has identified ten new cases, increasing the total number of published cases in both female-to-male and male-to-female transgender persons.

9 Mar 2015

Study reveals how household net worth affects breast cancer care

Household net worth is a major and overlooked factor in adherence to hormonal therapy among breast cancer patients and partially explains racial disparities in quality of care. The findings suggest that physicians, health insurers, and policy makers need to pay more attention to this economic variable to ensure that breast cancer patients receive this potentially life-saving treatment.

24 Feb 2015

Palbociclib extends progression-free survival in advanced breast cancer patients

Palbociclib, an investigational oral medication that works by blocking molecules responsible for cancer cell growth, is well tolerated and extends progression-free survival (PFS) in newly diagnosed, advanced breast cancer patients, including those whose disease has stopped responding to traditional endocrine treatments.

21 Feb 2015

Study sheds light on clinical and biological characteristics of male breast cancer

Results of the EORTC10085/TBCRC/BIG/NABCG International Male Breast Cancer Program conducted in both Europe and in the United States and presented at the 2014 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium found significant improvement in survival for men with breast cancer, but this improvement was not as good as that observed for women.

14 Dec 2014

Heat-shock protein 90 enables ER+ breast cancers to develop resistance to hormonal therapy

Long known for its ability to help organisms successfully adapt to environmentally stressful conditions, the highly conserved molecular chaperone heat-shock protein 90 (HSP90) also enables estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancers to develop resistance to hormonal therapy.

10 Dec 2014

New studies offer hope for breast cancer survivors struggling with cancer-related pain, swelling

Two new studies from the Abramson Cancer Center and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania offer hope for breast cancer survivors struggling with cancer-related pain and swelling, and point to ways to enhance muscular strength and body image.

5 Nov 2014

Generic aromatase inhibitors increase breast cancer treatment adherence by 50%

Although oral hormonal therapy is known to substantially reduce breast cancer recurrence in women with hormone receptor-positive tumors, about one-half of patients fail to take their medications as directed. A new study by Columbia University Medical Center researchers has found that the introduction of generic aromatase inhibitors (the most common type of hormone therapy), which are considerably less expensive than their brand name counterparts, increased treatment adherence by 50 percent.

28 Oct 2014

NAMS set to launch first-ever menopause mobile app

The North American Menopause Society is set to launch a first-ever menopause mobile app designed for use by both clinicians and patients to help manage menopausal symptoms and assess risk factors.

12 Oct 2014