Mastectomy News and Research

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Mastectomy is surgery to remove the breast (or as much of the breast tissue as possible).

Breast cancer risks and management updates

A new report that looks at the environmental factors that affect risk of breast cancer is out. It suggests that women can reduce their risk by avoiding unnecessary medical radiation, forgoing hormone treatments for menopause that combine estrogen and progestin, limiting alcohol intake and minimizing weight gain.

8 Dec 2011

Study raises questions about breast cancer therapy

The study, which looked at Medicare records of more than 130,000 women, found that those who underwent the faster treatment, called brachytherapy, were about twice as likely to have a mastectomy in the following five years -;

8 Dec 2011

First Edition: December 7, 2011

In the news today, a status check on the work -- including the Medicare doc fix -- that Congress still needs to attend to before leaving Washington for the holidays.

7 Dec 2011

Study compares two radiation therapy techniques available to women with breast cancer

Accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) brachytherapy, the localized form of radiation therapy growing increasingly popular as a treatment choice for women with early-stage breast cancer, is associated with higher rate of later mastectomy, increased radiation-related toxicities and post-operative complications, compared to traditional whole breast irradiation (WBI), according to researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

7 Dec 2011

Breast reconstruction after mastectomy safe for older women

Breast cancer is on the rise and 48 percent of all breast cancers occur in women older than 65, but very few of them choose to have breast reconstruction. A new study from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center sought to determine if breast reconstruction after mastectomy is safe for older women. The answer is yes.

7 Dec 2011

Novel breast cancer surgical technique now available in New England

Jennifer Gass, MD, chief of surgery at Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island and a breast surgeon with the Breast Health Center in the hospital's Program in Women's Oncology, recently completed a one-month sabbatical in Paris with the world-renowned breast surgeon Krishna B. Clough, MD, medical director of the Paris Breast Center.

30 Nov 2011

Just couple of glasses of wine a day could raise risk of breast cancer: Study

According to a new major study just two glasses of a wine a day can increase the risk of breast cancer among women by 50%. Researchers also warn that women who drink regularly in their 20s and 30s are far more likely to develop breast cancer in later life, regardless of whether they reduce their alcohol consumption.

7 Nov 2011

No significant evidence of breast cancer after nipple-sparing mastectomy

A modified mastectomy technique provides effective treatment for breast cancer while preserving the nipple and surrounding tissues for use in breast reconstruction, according to a report in the November issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

28 Oct 2011

Nipple sparing mastectomy safe and effective option for breast cancer treatment

A new study suggests some women needing a lumpectomy or mastectomy to treat their breast cancer have another potential option that is safe and effective, say researchers at Georgetown. They say the procedure known as a nipple sparing mastectomy is also a viable surgical option for women who choose to have their breasts removed because of their increased risk of developing the disease.

28 Oct 2011

Invuity's illuminated breast retractor system helps surgeons to better visualize delicate structures

Invuity, a leading developer of state-of-the-art illuminated surgical technology, today introduced its illuminated breast retractor system at the American College of Surgeons' 97th Annual Clinical Congress in San Francisco.

24 Oct 2011

Women can benefit from breast reconstruction after mastectomy

After a mastectomy, women who undergo breast reconstruction with tissue from their own abdomen experience significant gains in psychological, social, and sexual wellbeing as soon as three weeks after surgery.

24 Oct 2011

New sleepwear now available for post-surgery breast cancer patients

For breast cancer patients, surgery is often the first line of treatment. Following surgery, patients must deal not only with the healing process, but also with lasting after effects such as scarring, skin sensitivity and body asymmetry. A new line of sleepwear now available to breast cancer survivors is the result of an ongoing research partnership between Ryerson University and Princess Margaret Hospital that examines how the side effects of surgery and treatment affect women's physical comfort, confidence and sexuality.

22 Oct 2011

BRA Day to promote awareness on breast reconstruction surgery

Only seven per cent of female breast cancer patients opt for breast reconstruction surgery. Dr. Melinda Musgrave is determined to find out why.

20 Oct 2011

Breast-reconstruction procedure can preserve mammary artery for future cardiac surgery

Doctors at Johns Hopkins have shown that during an increasingly popular type of breast-reconstruction surgery, they can safely preserve the internal mammary artery, in case it is needed for future cardiac surgery.

13 Oct 2011

Phyllodes tumors more prevalent among Hispanic women

According to a study published in the October issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, phyllodes tumors - rare breast malignancies accounting for 0.5 to one percent of all breast tumors - tend to be more prevalent in Hispanic patients.

12 Oct 2011

New review explores how nanotechnology may develop safer breast implants

A new review published in WIREs Nanomedicine and Nanobiotechnology explores how nanotechnology may be used to develop safer breast implants as an alternative to silicone rubber, minimizing health complications.

4 Oct 2011

Brave breast cancer survivors on camera – scars and all

David Jay is a fashion photographer who has spent years capturing images of perfectly formed beautiful women. About five years ago, he began shooting young breast cancer survivors after his girlfriend's twin sister was diagnosed with the disease in her late 20s. His motive was to raise awareness that breast cancer can ravage young women as well as old.

3 Oct 2011

The West Clinic forms new comprehensive breast center

The West Clinic, the Mid-South's premier cancer practice, is pleased to announce the formation of The West Clinic Comprehensive Breast Center, a multidisciplinary breast center, which will be the first center of its kind in the region.

1 Oct 2011

Not enough doctors in Australia to follow up on breast cancer cases

Australian women who have undergone surgery for early-stage breast cancer could be monitored afterwards by their GP instead of a hospital clinic, under a federal government project that acknowledges there will not be enough specialist doctors for the coming wave of cancer cases among ageing baby boomers.

26 Sep 2011

Chemotherapy before or after breast-conserving therapy does not impact treatment success

Whether chemotherapy is given before or after breast-conserving therapy (BCT) does not have an impact on long-term local-regional outcomes, suggesting treatment success is due more to biologic factors than chemotherapy timing, according to a study by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

9 Sep 2011