Treat Cancer Disease With Effective Healing Techniques

Cancer is a killer disease which has badly affected the lives of human beings around the globe. The word 'cancer' is the most horrifying word that creates fear among patients. When a person is diagnosed from this dreadful disease, then he/she needs a proper treatment with proper diagnosis, care and attention. They prefer to go to the world class cancer care hospitals to treat their disease. World class treatment centers treat each patient in a well versed way and satisfy each patient with best facility.

Various types of cancer treatment methods which are used in different cancer care clinics are following: Surgery

Surgery is the most common type of treatment for the different types of cancer disease which is generally advised to the patients who have strong immune system. This treatment is administered according to the location and type of the tumor. Surgery may have different types according to the diseases. For instance, for breast cancer treatment Lumpectomy, Mastectomy and Lymph node removal are used where as for lung cancer Pneumonectomy, Lobectom and segmentectomy are used.

Radiotherapy

This therapy is also effective for various types of cancer ailments. In this type of treatment, high-energy rays are targeted to destroy the cancerous cells. Radiation beams directly target the tumor and stop the division of malignant cells. This method is either carried out by external beam therapy or internal beam therapy, depending upon the location and type of the tumor.

Chemotherapy

In this method, medicines are given to the patients in several cycles. Medicines can be injected in vein or taken by mouth. Chemotherapy is used after the surgery or before the surgery to cure the patients in an effective way. Some of the anti cancer drugs are recommended to the patients that either kill the those cells or stop the division of the malignant cells. Patients can face some side effects after this treatment like loss of hair, nausea, fatigueless, weakness and other health problems.

Hormone therapy

This therapy is a highly effective for various types of cancer diseases which is also referred as 'anti-hormone therapy'. The treatment is used to block the hormone which stimulates the growth of cancerous cells.

Cryosurgery

It has also been successful for the various types of cancer diseases. In this technique, the malignant parts are cooled to a very low temperature. And the frozen parts are killed with the help of liquid nitrogen.

Summary

The cancer disease is usually treated in the world class cancer care clinic around the globe. Patients take advice from expert oncologists and medical specialist to lead a normal life.

Clinton Cerejo is an expert commentator, allied with health related services for many years. His valuable insights and deep understating for health care services have helped people in a number of ways. His research based article Cancer Treatment is worth to reading. For more information, visit sfrollc.com

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Effective Treatment Methods For Skin Cancer Disease

Skin cancer is the most common form of all cancers which has affected millions of people around the world. This is the most common form of melanoma which occurs in all people regardless of gender, race and age. When the basic unit of life the 'cells' start to divide in an irregular way then it creates a disturbance in the body and forms big mass called as the tumor. The tumor forms in the epithelial cell and creates itching, irritation, pain and inflammation problems in skin. The tumor may go to other parts of the body from its original location in metastatic stage (advance stage).

The treatment of the skin cancer depends upon on its different three types. The Skin cancer has three types such as Squamous Cells Carcinoma, Basal Cells Carcinoma, and Melanoma. Basal cell carcinoma and Squamous cell carcinoma are the most common types of skin melanomas which are benign and don't spread from its original locations.

Causes of skin cancer :

According to a research, the main cause of the skin cancer is over exposure to the sunlight (mainly ultraviolet rays). Other factors also cause this ailment like consumption of high dose of drugs, genetic factors and exposure to chemical elements (mainly carcinogenic).

Skin Cancer Treatment

There are following treatments for skin cancer disease :-

Mohs surgery :

This is a very popular as well as an effective method for the skin cancer treatment in which cancerous cells are removed from the affected areas. This technique is useful when oncologist doesn't know the type, nature and the depth of the tumor.

Photodynamic therapy :

In this technique, chemical is given to the patients through injection. The chemicals go into the blood stream and are absorbed by all cells but these chemicals remain same in the cancerous cells. Now, laser beams are applied on the affected areas and chemicals get activated to kill the cancerous cells and tumor.

Cryosurgery :

Cryosurgery is a very effective method for skin cancer treatment in which the cancerous cells are cooled at very low temperature (about -186 degree Celsius). When cells are frozen at low temperature, then liquid nitrogen is given to the affected parts to kill the malignant cells.

Laser technique :

This is a latest technique for skin cancer treatment which is used when cancer cells don't reach to the inner layers of the skin. In this technique, laser beams are administered on the melanoma parts to stop the cell division of cancerous cells.

Conclusion :

Medical science has come a long way to treat skin cancer disease. But more research works need to be done by researchers to discover latest and innovative healing techniques, so that patients can fight from this dreadful disease. Today, millions of people are suffering from this disease and seek proper diagnosis and treatment to lead a normal and happy life.

Deep Singh is a one of the top writer, having years of experience in Health industry. He has written lots of books and articles on on Skin Cancer Treatment and other cancer related topics. He spends a lot of his time thinking about and sharing knowledge of Diseases and Treatments. To read more on cancer treatment, visit wederm.com

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How to Treat Lung Cancer With Effective Healing Techniques?

Lung cancer disease has affected a large number of populations around the globe. This dreadful disease has killed millions of people till date, so a patient suffering from this ailment needs a proper diagnosis, care and treatment at the early stage. Medical science has achieved a huge leap in the treatment for this disease and saved lives of many people till date.

Causes :

Smoking has been identified as the main factor for the lung cancer disease and even exposure to pseudo smoking for a long time is also considered as the major cause for this killer disease. Apart from exposure to smoke, factors like, exposure to radon gas, asbestos, chronic chest diseases and excessive consumption of alcohol are also identified as major risks for this ailment.

According to a research of medical science, when cells begin to grow in an irregular way in the lung and form a big mass called as a tumor containing malignant properties, then it is called as a lung cancer.

How to Treat Lung Cancer?

The type of treatment for lung cancer depends on the grade, stage and type of the tumor. Moreover, the treatment also depends on the general health condition of a patient, such as a person with weak immune system cannot be recommended for the surgery technique.

There are various treatment methods available for the lung cancer disease and these are described as follows :-

Surgery :

Surgery is very effective method for lung cancer treatment. There are three methods of surgery such as Lobectomy, Pneumonectomy and segmentectomy. These surgeries are advised according to the types of this cancer.

Lobectomy - Doctors usually suggest this method if the cancer has affected in one part of the chest.

Pneumonectomy - In this method, the whole lung is removed. This is suggested when the malignant tumor is located in the middle part of the chest.

Segmentectomy - In this method, only small piece of the affected areas of the chest are removed.

Side effects

People can feel difficulties in breathing when one or whole lung is removed from the body. But it is possible to breathe from one chest.

Chemotherapy :

It is used to relieve the symptoms of lung cancer and kills the cancerous cells by using anti cancer drugs. The drugs are injected either in the vein or taken by mouth. The drugs are generally given in cycles, so the procedure may take time in curing a patient. There are several ways to use chemotherapy method for the cancer disease, such as it can be suggested before surgery or after the surgery.

Side effects

Some of the side effects that produce after the chemotherapy treatment technique are fatigue, vomiting, nausea, hair loss and mouth ulcers.

Radiotherapy :

It is also a successful method for the lung cancer treatment which is carried out by external beam radiotherapy and internal radiotherapy. In this technique, highly energetic radiation beams are targeted on the cancerous tumor to kill the malignant cells.

Side effects

It causes side effects like weight loss, nausea, hair loss and others.

Cryotherapy :

Cryotherapy is a type of the treatment which is suggested by doctors if the cancer begins to block the airways of the chest parts. This is also called as Endobronchial obstruction. In this method, cancerous cells are cooled at very low temperature and treated with liquid nitrogen.

Side effects

The treatment produces some side effects like cough, breathing problems and coughing problem with blood.

Deep Singh is a one of the top writer, having years of experience in Health industry. He has published many articles and blogs on Lung Cancer Treatment and he spends a lot of his time thinking about and sharing knowledge of Diseases and Treatments. To read more on cancer treatment, visit sfrollc.com

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Virus Combination Effective Against Deadly Brain Tumor, Moffitt Cancer Center Study Shows

Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Also Included In: Neurology / Neuroscience
Article Date: 24 Jun 2013 - 1:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Virus Combination Effective Against Deadly Brain Tumor, Moffitt Cancer Center Study Shows

A combination of the myxoma virus and the immune suppressant rapamycin can kill glioblastoma multiforme, the most common and deadliest malignant brain tumor, according to Moffitt Cancer Center research. Peter A. Forsyth, M.D., of Moffitt's Neuro-Oncology Program, says the combination has been shown to infect and kill both brain cancer stem cells and differentiated compartments of glioblastoma multiforme.

The finding means that barriers to treating the disease, such as resistance to the drug temozolomide, may be overcome. The study, by Forsyth and colleagues in Canada, Texas and Florida, appeared in a recent issue of Neuro-Oncology.

"Although temozolomide improves survival for patients with glioblastoma multiforme, drug resistance is a significant obstacle," said Forsyth, the study lead author. "Oncolytic viruses that infect and break down cancer cells offer promising possibilities for overcoming resistance to targeted therapies."

The authors note that oncolytic viruses have the potential to provoke a multipronged attack on a tumor, with the potential to kill cancer cells directly through viral infection and possibly through inducing the immune system to attack the tumor. The multipronged approach might get around some of the classical resistance mechanisms that have plagued both targeted therapies and conventional chemotherapies.

Several oncolytic viruses, both alone or in combination with small molecule inhibitors, have been tested and show promise for malignant gliomas. However, most have not been effective in killing cancer cells. Two likely obstacles may be the patient's own anti-viral immune response and limited virus distribution.

"Based on our previous work with myxoma virus, we considered it to be an excellent oncolytic virus candidate against brain cancer stem cells," explained Forsyth.

The researchers found that brain cancer stem cells were susceptible to myxoma virus in the laboratory cultures (in vitro) and in animal models (in vivo), including in temozolomide-resistant cell lines.

"We also found that myxoma virus with rapamycin is a potentially useful combination. The idea that cancer cells can be killed by a harmless virus is an exciting prospect for therapy," Forsyth said.

The precise mechanism rapamycin uses to enhance infection in brain cancer stem cells is unknown, and the combination therapy does not result in cures. However, researchers are investigating other drugs that may improve the effectiveness of myxoma virus when used in combination, and they are evaluating the use of other strains of myxoma virus that might be more effective.

"Although our study adds myxoma virus to the list of oncolytic viruses capable of infecting and killing these cells, which strengthens its candidacy for clinical application, our model will need clinical application to determine its safety for patients," concluded the authors. "We expect that intracranial injections of myxoma virus will be safe based on our extensive preclinical work and the demonstrated safety of other oncolytic viruses in clinical trials."

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our cancer / oncology section for the latest news on this subject. This study was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (R01 AI080607, R21 CA149869, and R01 CA138541).

Researchers from the University of Florida, University of Calgary, University of Texas and Ottawa Regional Cancer Centre Research Laboratories contributed to this work and publication.

H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute

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Sorafenib Stops Tumor Growth And Provides The First Effective Treatment For Thyroid Cancer Patients Who Progress Following Standard Therapies

Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Also Included In: Endocrinology;??Ear, Nose and Throat
Article Date: 04 Jun 2013 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for:
Sorafenib Stops Tumor Growth And Provides The First Effective Treatment For Thyroid Cancer Patients Who Progress Following Standard Therapies

The kidney and liver cancer drug sorafenib holds metastatic thyroid cancer at bay for nearly twice as long as a placebo, according to results of a randomized phase III trial, which was presented by a researcher from the Abramson Cancer Center and the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in a plenary session during the American Society of Clinical Oncology's annual meeting (Abstract #4).

If approved for use in thyroid cancer patients by the Food and Drug Administration, sorafenib (Nexavar), a kinase inhibitor that mediates tumor cell division and growth of tumor blood vessels, would be the first effective agent for this patient population. Thyroid cancer is highly curable through surgery and radioactive iodine treatment, but about 10 percent of the 60,000 patients who are diagnosed with the disease each year fail to respond to standard therapies, with tumors eventually appearing in the lymph nodes, bones, lungs, and other sites. The only other drug for advanced thyroid cancer, doxorubicin, which was approved in 1974, is not used because it is highly toxic and is not effective.

"Until we began using sorafenib, we had no medical options for these patients who suffered due to progression of their disease," said Marcia S. Brose, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery and Hematology/Oncology, who led the study, which is known as DECISION. "Now, we can give patients hope - a breakthrough medication that can stop the progression of the disease for 5 months. This trial is the first step in a promising series of clinical trials to identify new drugs that are shifting the horizon for patients with advanced thyroid cancer."

Of the 417 metastatic thyroid cancer patients studied in the multicenter, international trial, 207 were randomized to take sorafenib, an oral drug, and 210 to a placebo arm. Twelve percent of patients experienced tumor shrinkage in the sorafenib arm, compared to 0.5 percent of patients taking a placebo. Importantly, the therapy also appeared to thwart disease progression even among many of those whose tumors did not regress: 42 patients who took sorafenib had stable disease after six months, compared to 33 percent of those in the placebo group.

Among patients taking sorafenib, median progression-free survival was 10.8 months, compared to 5.8 months among the placebo group. Patients taking the placebo were allowed to cross over into the sorafenib arm once their disease progressed; 70 percent of them did so. Overall survival data is not yet available.

The most common adverse events observed among patients taking sorafenib included hand-foot skin reaction, diarrhea, alopecia, rash, fatigue, weight loss and hypertension, all of which are consistent with findings from previous trials of the drug for its approved indications.

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. Click 'references' tab above for source.
Visit our cancer / oncology section for the latest news on this subject. Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals and Onyx Pharmaceuticals provided funding for the trial. Editor's note: Dr. Brose has received consulting fees and honoraria from these companies.
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

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5 Jun. 2013. APA
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. (2013, June 4). "Sorafenib Stops Tumor Growth And Provides The First Effective Treatment For Thyroid Cancer Patients Who Progress Following Standard Therapies." Medical News Today. Retrieved from
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/261331.php.

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Herceptin plus Epirubicin and Cyclophosphamide Tolerable and Effective for HER2-positive Metastatic Breast Cancer

For women with metastatic, HER2-positive breast cancer, the combination of HerceptinR (trastuzumab) with epirubicin and cyclophosphamide appears to offer a promising treatment option with a relatively low rate of heart complications. These results were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Twenty to 25 percent of breast cancers overexpress (make too much of) a protein known as HER2. Overexpression of this protein leads to increased growth of cancer cells and a worse breast cancer prognosis. Fortunately, the development of drugs such as Herceptin that specifically target HER2-positive cells has improved prognosis for women with HER2-positive breast cancer.

Herceptin may be used in addition to chemotherapy. Anthracycline-based chemotherapy regimens are effective against breast cancer but can increase the risk of heart problems when combined with Herceptin.

Epirubicin is an anthracycline that may produce fewer heart problems than some other commonly used anthracyclines. To evaluate the combination of Herceptin with epirubicin and cyclophosphamide, researchers in Europe conducted a Phase I/II clinical trial known as HERCULES. The study enrolled 120 women with HER2-positive, metastatic breast cancer and adequate heart function. These women were treated with Herceptin, one of two doses of epirubicin (60 mg/m2 or 90 mg/m2), and cyclophosphamide. Herceptin was then given alone until cancer progression.

Outcomes in the women with HER2-positive breast cancer were compared with outcomes among 60 women with metastatic, HER2-negative breast cancer. The women with HER2-negative breast cancer were treated with the higher dose of epirubicin and cyclophosphamide alone (without Herceptin).

Among women treated with Herceptin plus chemotherapy, dose-limiting heart problems occurred in 5% of women given the higher dose of epirubicin and 1.7% of women given the lower dose of epirubicin. These heart problems were described as “manageable,” and no heart-related deaths occurred. None of the women with HER2-negative cancer (who were treated with chemotherapy without Herceptin) developed dose-limiting heart problems.Tumor response rates were 57% among women treated with Herceptin and the lower dose of epirubicin and 60% among women treated with Herceptin and the higher dose of epirubicin.

The researchers conclude that the combination of Herceptin, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide is a promising approach for the treatment of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer and warrants additional research.

Reference: Untch M, Muscholl M, Tjulandin S et al. First-Line Trastuzumab Plus Epirubicin and Cyclophosphamide Therapy in Patients With Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2–Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer: Cardiac Safety and Efficacy Data From the Herceptin, Cyclophosphamide, and Epirubicin (HERCULES) Trial. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2010; 28:1473-1480.

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Sentinel Node Biopsy Safe and Effective for Breast Cancer

Among women with early breast cancer and no evidence of cancer in the sentinel lymph nodes, sentinel lymph node biopsy alone is as effective as more extensive lymph node surgery. These results were presented at the 2010 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

For women with early breast cancer, determining whether the cancer has spread to the axillary (under the arm) lymph nodes is an important part of cancer staging. Evaluation of the axillary nodes may involve either an axillary lymph node dissection (ALND), in which many lymph nodes are surgically removed and evaluated, or a less extensive procedure known as a sentinel lymph node biopsy.

The sentinel nodes are the first lymph nodes to which cancer is likely to spread. A sentinel lymph node biopsy involves the removal of only these nodes. If cancer is found in the sentinel nodes, most women undergo additional lymph node removal. If the sentinel nodes are free of cancer, however, women may not require any additional lymph node removal. Avoidance of extensive lymph node removal reduces the risk of side effects such as lymphedema (swelling).?

To explore whether the two approaches to lymph node evaluation (sentinel lymph node biopsy and axillary lymph node dissection) produce similar breast cancer outcomes, researchers conducted a study among 5,611 women with operable, clinically node-negative, invasive breast cancer. Study participants were assigned to sentinel lymph node biopsy and axillary lymph node dissection or sentinel lymph node biopsy alone (with axillary lymph node dissection only if the sentinel node was positive).

Seventy-one percent of the study participants had negative sentinel lymph nodes and have been followed for an average of close to eight years.

Compared with women who underwent axillary lymph node dissection, women who underwent sentinel node biopsy alone had similar rates of breast cancer recurrence and overall survival. Women who underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy alone had lower rates of side effects from lymph node removal.

These results suggest that when the sentinel lymph node is negative, sentinel lymph node biopsy alone (with no additional lymph node removal) is safe and effective.

Reference: Krag DN, Anderson SJ, Julian TB et al. Primary outcome results of NSABP B-32, a randomized phase III clinical trial to compare sentinel node resection (SNR) to conventional axillary dissection (AD) in clinically node-negative breast cancer patients. Presented at the 2010 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. June 4-8, 2010. Chicago, IL. Abstract LBA 505.

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Higher Dose of Faslodex® More Effective for Advanced Breast Cancer

Among postmenopausal women with advanced, estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer that has progressed or recurred after prior hormonal therapy, a 500 mg dose of FaslodexR (fulvestrant) appears to be more effective than the originally approved 250 mg dose. These results were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. As a result of these findings, the 500 mg dose was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Each year roughly 200,000 U.S. women are diagnosed with breast cancer. Many of these breast cancers will be hormone receptor-positive, meaning that they are stimulated to grow by the circulating female hormones estrogen and/or progesterone. Treatment of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer often involves hormonal therapies that suppress or block the action of estrogen.

Faslodex—a type of hormonal therapy known as an estrogen receptor antagonist—blocks the actions of estrogen. It’s used for the treatment of metastatic, hormone receptor-positive breast cancer in postmenopausal women who experience cancer progression or recurrence after prior hormone therapy. Until recently, a standard dose of Faslodex was 250 mg.

In order to assess the effects of a higher dose of Faslodex, researchers conducted a Phase III clinical trial known as CONFIRM (Comparison of Faslodex in Recurrent or Metastatic breast cancer). The study compared the 250 mg dose of Faslodex to a 500 mg dose among 736 women in 17 countries.

Compared with the lower dose, the higher dose of Faslodex delayed cancer progression. Median time to cancer progression was 6.5 months among patients treated with the 500 mg dose and 5.5 months among patients treated with the 250 mg dose.After one year 34% of patients treated with the 500 mg dose were alive and free of cancer progression compared with 25% of patients treated with the 250 mg dose.No new safety concerns were identified with the 500 mg dose. The most common side effects included nausea, bone pain, back pain, and injection site pain.

The results of this study indicate that the 500 mg dose of Faslodex improves progression-free survival without increasing side effects. Based on these findings, the FDA approved the 500 mg dose for postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive, metastatic breast cancer that has progressed after antiestrogen therapy.

Reference: Di Leo A, Jerusalem G, Petruzelka L et al. Results of the CONFIRM Phase III trial compared fulvestrant 250 mg with fulvestrant 500 mg in postmenopausal women with estrogen receptor-positive advanced breast cancer. Journal of Clinical Oncology [early online publication]. September 20, 2010.

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Chemotherapy Effective Whether Given Before or After Breast Cancer Surgery

Giving chemotherapy before breast-conserving surgery is as effective against breast cancer recurrence as giving chemotherapy after breast-conserving surgery. These results were presented at the 2011 Breast Cancer Symposium.?

Breast-conserving surgery (also referred to as lumpectomy) involves removal of the breast cancer and some surrounding normal tissue. For some women, giving chemotherapy prior to surgery can shrink the cancer and make it easier to remove. There’s been some uncertainty, however, about whether chemotherapy followed by breast-conserving surgery is as effective against local-regional recurrence (cancer recurrence in or near the breast) as breast-conserving surgery followed by chemotherapy.?????

To evaluate whether risk of breast cancer recurrence varies by timing of chemotherapy, researchers collected information about roughly 3,000 women who underwent breast-conserving surgery and radiation therapy between 1987 and 2005. Roughly three-quarters of the patients underwent surgery first and the remaining patients underwent chemotherapy first. Women who received chemotherapy first tended to have cancers with worse prognostic features.????

Factors that were linked with an increased risk of breast cancer recurrence were young age (less than 50 years), clinical stage III cancer, grade 3 cancer, cancer that was estrogen receptor-negative, and close or positive surgical margins (cancer at or near the edge of the tissue that was surgically removed).?After accounting for tumor characteristics, risk of breast cancer recurrence was similar among women who underwent surgery first and women who underwent chemotherapy first.?

These results suggest that tumor characteristics—rather than the timing of chemotherapy—influence risk of breast cancer recurrence.?????

Reference: Mittendorf EA, Buchholz TA, Tucker SL et al. Impact of chemotherapy timing on local-regional failures in patients with breast cancer undergoing breast-conserving therapy. Paper presented at: 2011 Breast Cancer Symposium; September 8-10, 2011; San Francisco, CA. Abstract 82.?

Posted September 12, 2011

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Breast-Conserving Therapy Effective in Young Women with Breast Cancer

Two studies presented at the 2011 Breast Cancer Symposium provide evidence that breast-conserving therapy (lumpectomy plus radiation therapy) is as effective as mastectomy for young women with early-stage breast cancer. ?

Surgery for early-stage breast cancer may consist of mastectomy or lumpectomy. A?mastectomy involves removal of the entire breast, whereas a?lumpectomy?involves removal of the cancer and some surrounding tissue. A lumpectomy is usually followed by radiation therapy in order to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence in or near the breast. The combination of lumpectomy and radiation therapy is referred to as breast-conserving therapy. ?

Studies have indicated that mastectomy and breast-conserving therapy produce similar long-term survival among women with early-stage breast cancer. Some research has suggested, however, that young women may have a higher risk of breast cancer recurrence than older women after breast-conserving therapy. Concerns about recurrence risk may be contributing to the increasing use of mastectomy among young women.?

Two studies that will be presented at the 2011 Breast Cancer Symposium explore whether type of surgery affects outcomes among young women with breast cancer. The first study involved 628 women age 40 and younger who were treated for early-stage breast cancer at Massachusetts General Hospital.[1] ?

Risk of a local breast cancer recurrence (a recurrence in or near the breast) did not vary significantly by type of surgery. By five years, the risk of a local breast cancer recurrence was 4.6% among women treated with breast-conserving therapy and 8.5% among women treated with mastectomy. By ten years, the risk was 13.3% among women treated with breast-conserving therapy and 10.8% among women treated with mastectomy. ?

The second study collected information from a large national database about more than 14,000 breast cancer patients under the age of 40. [2] After accounting for patient and tumor characteristics, breast-conserving therapy and mastectomy produced similar overall survival. Ten-year overall survival was 83.5% among women treated with breast-conserving therapy and 83.6% among women treated with mastectomy.?

Together, these studies suggest that mastectomy and breast-conserving therapy produce similar outcomes among young women with early-stage breast cancer. Young women may wish to take this information into account when making decisions about breast cancer treatment.?

References: ??

[1] Buckley JM, Coopey S, Samphao S et al. Recurrence rates and long-term survival in women diagnosed with breast cancer at age 40 and younger. Paper presented at: 2011 Breast Cancer Symposium; September 8-10, 2011; San Francisco, CA. Abstract 70.?

[2] Mahmood U, Morris CG, Neuner GA et al. Equivalent survival with breast-conservation therapy or mastectomy in the management of young women with early-stage breast cancer. Paper presented at: 2011 Breast Cancer Symposium; September 8-10, 2011; San Francisco, CA. Abstract 85.?

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