All articles tagged with #breast cancer
Christina Applegate is releasing a memoir, You With the Sad Eyes, about living with multiple sclerosis since her 2021 diagnosis, including earlier battles like breast cancer; she stresses the book is raw and honest rather than inspirational, detailing daily routines and life with her daughter as she considers life beyond on-camera work.
Boston-based Clairity, led by radiologist Dr. Connie Lehman, has FDA authorization to use an AI system that analyzes mammograms to predict a woman's risk of developing breast cancer, enabling preventive actions and tailored screening. Trained on over 400,000 mammograms with five-year follow-ups and tested on 77,000 images, the deep neural network outperformed traditional risk calculators and could expand to younger ages and more diverse populations, though the model remains a 'black box' in parts; investors include ACE Global Equity and Santé Ventures as Boston's health-tech scene grows.
Ph.D. student LaShae Rolle was diagnosed with breast cancer at 26 and used her powerlifting background to stay strong through surgery and chemotherapy; she published the first case study on elite weightlifting during cancer treatment and now advocates for early cancer screening and exercise for young patients, with remission confirmed.
A North Carolina woman credits her dog, Ceto, with saving her life after the dog’s anxious behavior and nudging of her breast led to a breast cancer diagnosis. She was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, underwent chemotherapy, radiotherapy, a lumpectomy and lymph node removal, and is now cancer-free while participating in a Cleveland Clinic trial for a preventive breast cancer vaccine.
A Science study analyzing nearly 500 feline tumors from five countries across 13 cancer types finds genetic similarities with human cancers, notably FBXW7 mutations in feline mammary tumors that mirror aggressive human cases; two chemotherapy drugs show promise against these tumors in cats, suggesting a potential path for new treatments in humans and enabling faster veterinary testing—highlighting cats as a valuable model for cancer biology and shared environmental factors.
TRICARE explains which breast cancer screenings are covered and how often, including mammograms (typically annually for certain ages or risk factors), breast MRI for high-risk individuals, genetic counseling/testing, and clinical breast exams, and it clarifies the difference between screening and diagnostic tests under preventive care rules.
A Washington Post opinion by Leana S. Wen argues that decades of breast cancer screening centered on annual mammograms may be suboptimal, highlighting new research that suggests non-mammogram tests or risk‑based approaches could reduce the reliance on mammograms while maintaining early detection.
A large Swedish MASAI trial (over 100,000 women aged 40–80) found AI-supported mammography identified more clinically relevant breast cancers and reduced interval cancers, with no rise in false positives, compared with standard double reading. The AI system acted as a second set of eyes, highlighting suspicious areas for radiologists and potentially easing workload, with implications for broader screening and plans for an Ethiopian trial to expand AI-assisted screening in low-resource settings.
An LA OB-GYN promoted a two-minute lifetime breast cancer risk score to patients and tested herself, learning her risk was 37.5%. After facing years of pushback from doctors, she eventually underwent a preventive double mastectomy, only to have a week later pathology reveal invasive stage 1 breast cancer, validating her caution. The case highlights the challenges of imaging in dense breast tissue, the potential limits of risk estimates, and the importance of advocating for one’s own health, a stance she has continued through a health podcast.
A Johns Hopkins study shows Fusobacterium nucleatum, a mouth bacterium linked to gum disease, can travel to breast tissue via the bloodstream, causing inflammation, DNA damage, and cell changes that accelerate tumor growth and spread in mouse models, with BRCA1-mutant breast cells especially vulnerable; findings suggest oral microbes may influence breast cancer risk and progression.
A Swedish Lancet study of over 100,000 women found AI-assisted reading of mammograms increased cancer detection and reduced interval cancers by 12%, suggesting fewer aggressive cancers later and potential health-cost savings; the AI acted as a triage aid (low-risk cases read by one radiologist, high-risk by two). Limitations include single-center data and missing race/ethnicity info, with longer-term mortality and cost-effectiveness to be assessed.
Isla Sneddon, then 15, had a breast lump and chest pain in 2022 that doctors reportedly dismissed as hormonal changes or anxiety. Two years later she was diagnosed with cancer that had spread to the heart lining, lungs, and lymph nodes, with doctors telling her it wasn’t curable; she died at 17. Her family is campaigning for changes to treat pediatric cancer referrals with the same urgency as adults, launching a Change.org petition called Isla’s Law and prompting a meeting with Scotland’s Health Secretary as the petition gains thousands of signatures.
A Swedish randomized trial of 100,000 women found AI-assisted mammography reduced subsequent cancer diagnoses by 12% and increased cancers detected at screening (81% vs 74%), with 27% fewer aggressive subtypes. The study suggests AI can augment radiologists and improve early detection, but researchers caution it should augment rather than replace clinicians and call for broader validation across regions. The Lancet published the findings.
Tracy King recounts being reassured by a charming breast surgeon, only to learn Ian Paterson carried out unnecessary operations on hundreds of women; after his conviction, she joined others in a long fight for accountability and systemic reform.
Researchers mapped hundreds of thousands of cancer-specific small RNAs (oncRNAs) that act as digital barcodes to identify cancer type, subtype, and aggressiveness. Many oncRNAs are secreted into blood, enabling a simple serum test to monitor treatment response and predict survival. The work blended large-scale genome analysis, machine learning, mouse experiments, and data from nearly 200 breast cancer patients, finding about 5% of oncRNAs can drive tumor growth. The discovery points to a new, blood-based approach for real-time cancer monitoring and personalized therapy, with ongoing development in collaboration with Exai Bio.