Mastectomy News and Research

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

Additional radiation to surrounding lymph nodes provides added benefit to breast cancer patients

A study has found no increase in overall survival but a reduction in breast cancer recurrence when additional radiation is given to the lymph nodes as well as the standard treatment of whole-breast irradiation after breast-conserving surgery.

23 Jul 2015

Celebrity impact on breast cancer screening

Angelina Jolie received widespread media attention in 2013 when she told the public that she'd tested positive for BRCA1, a gene associated with an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancers, and subsequently had a double mastectomy. Now research shows that this publicity did influence some women's intentions to seek out similar genetic testing.

21 Jul 2015

OBP Medical introduces CLEAR-TRAC family of disposable surgical retractors

OBP Medical, the leading global developer of single-use, self-contained, illuminating medical devices, today announced the launch of its CLEAR-TRAC family of disposable surgical retractors. The line—which includes CLEAR-TRAC SP (surgical pocket), CLEAR-TRAC V (vaginal) and new CLEAR-TRAC B (breast)—is the first on the market to offer a built-in, single-use light source.

8 Jul 2015

New public guide addresses unrealistic expectations of screening tests

Misconceptions about how screening works, its limitations and possible harms are still being perpetuated by media stories and high profile cases, such as Angelina Jolie's double mastectomy and emotive tabloid case studies of women under 25 dying from cervical cancer.

7 Jul 2015

New Internet tool may help analyze genes based on their evolutionary profile

Two major revolutions, one genomic and one in informatics, are completely changing the face of biomedical research. Every day all over the world, millions of genetic sequences -- from disease-related genes to complete genomes of plants, animals, bacteria and viruses -- are resolved, identified and dissected.

26 Jun 2015

Selective use of biomarker testing for breast cancer patients can save millions of dollars in health care spending

A review of medical records for almost 200 patients with breast cancer suggests that more selective use of biomarker testing for such patients has the potential to save millions of dollars in health care spending without compromising care, according to Johns Hopkins researchers.

23 Jun 2015

Researchers highlight important factors that impact early-stage breast cancer patients' access to BCT

The first comprehensive national review of breast-conserving therapy (BCT) shows that over the last 13 years rates of this treatment modality for early-stage breast cancer have increased at a steady pace. However, the review also highlights important demographic factors that impact which patients have access to BCT.

18 Jun 2015

Majority of breast cancer patients unaware of the effect of double mastectomy

A survey of women with breast cancer found that nearly half considered having a double mastectomy. But of those who considered it, only 37 percent knew that the more aggressive procedure does not improve survival for women with breast cancer.

3 Jun 2015

Study: Removing more tissue during partial mastectomy could reduce need for second surgery

Removing more tissue during a partial mastectomy could spare thousands of breast cancer patients a second surgery, according to a Yale Cancer Center study. The findings were published online May 30 in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago.

1 Jun 2015

Removing more tissue during partial mastectomy reduces need for second surgery in breast cancer patients

30 May 2015

Patients want to take more active role in decision-making process, study finds

Patients faced with a choice of surgical options want to engage their physicians and take a more active role in decision-making, according to a study (abstract 567) released at Digestive Disease Week 2015.

19 May 2015

Researchers devise novel method to perform NIR optical measurements of resected breast tissue

Roughly 1 in 4 women having breast conserving surgery (BCS) return to the surgical suite for further resection because of cancerous tissue left behind due to unclear margins. Investigators at the Optics in Medicine Lab at Dartmouth's Thayer School of Engineering and Norris Cotton Cancer Center, led by Brian W. Pogue, PhD and Keith Paulsen PhD, with first author and PhD candidate David M. McClatchy III, devised a novel approach to perform near infrared (NIR) optical measurements of resected breast tissue after the margins have had their traditional marking by the surgeon to preserve information about their orientation for potential follow-up surgeries.

14 May 2015

Research finds link between oestrogen levels and male breast cancer

Men with naturally high levels of the female hormone oestrogen may have a greater risk of developing breast cancer, according to research by an international collaboration including Cancer Research UK published today in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

12 May 2015

Compact Light Source generates X-ray imaging suitable for advanced computer tomography

A new study shows that the recently developed Compact Light Source (CLS) - a commercial X-ray source with roots in research and development efforts at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory - enables computer tomography scans that reveal more detail than routine scans performed at hospitals today.

7 May 2015

Novel genetic datashare initiative launched to improve detection of inherited breast and ovarian cancers

Quest Diagnostics, the world’s leading provider of diagnostic information services, and Inserm, the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research institution, today launched BRCA Share, a novel datashare initiative they co-founded to provide scientists and laboratory organizations around the world with open access to BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic data.

From Quest Diagnostics 22 Apr 2015

Patients who undergo chemo before breast cancer operation more likely to opt for lumpectomy

Patients with larger malignant tumors of the breast who undergo chemotherapy before a breast cancer operation are more likely to opt for a breast-preserving procedure and forgo a mastectomy (surgical removal of the breast), according to a new study published online as an "article in press" in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

28 Feb 2015

Filipino women who move to Canada face breast cancer risk at younger age

Filipinos who move to Canada are diagnosed with breast cancer at a younger age than women from other parts of East Asia or Caucasians, new research has found.

25 Feb 2015

BayCare HomeCare receives HomeCare Elite recognition

BayCare HomeCare offices in Dunedin, Fruitland Park and Tampa have been named top home care agencies in the nation based on publicly available performance measures in quality outcomes, best practice implementation, patient experience, quality improvement and consistency, and financial performance.

19 Feb 2015

Only 65% of breast cancer patients who undergo mastectomy receive postmastectomy radiation therapy

Breast cancer patients who undergo a mastectomy should receive subsequent radiation treatment if their cancer has spread to four or more nearby lymph nodes, however, according to a new study, only 65 percent of these women are getting the recommended postmastectomy radiation therapy (PMRT).

10 Feb 2015

Second opinions can optimize outcomes and avoid needless expenses

Mary Rockland was in a panic when she learned that she was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. Like many patients, she trusted her doctor when he told her that a lump in her breast was cancerous, and relied on his judgment when he recommended a bilateral mastectomy.

6 Feb 2015