27 December 2015 Patients undergoing chemotherapy for cancer frequently experience side effects. These are normally recorded by physicians and nurses using standardized scoring systems. In a study reported in JAMA Oncology, researchers compared these physician-reported adverse effects with patient-reported side effects and toxicity. They found that physicians and nurses frequently under-estimated the frequency and severity of treatment-related side effects. In the…
Read more11 December 2015 This past week, two well known public figures made announcements regarding their cancer. The actress Rita Wilson, who underwent a bilateral mastectomy in March, stated that “I am cancer free” and “100% healthy”. Former President Jimmy Carter, who is being treated for melanoma with metastasis to his liver and brain, announced that on a recent scan, “they didn’t find any cancer…
Read more7 December 2015 The American Cancer Society and the American Society of Clinical Oncology have just released updated guidelines for breast cancer survivors. The purpose “is to provide recommendations to assist primary care and other clinicians in the care of female adult survivors of breast cancer”. Patients and physicians are well aware that health concerns do not end when cancer treatment…
Read more5 December 2015 Approximately 60% of women undergoing annual screening mammography over a 10 year period will be called back for additional views. Often these are in women with dense breast tissue, which can make it more challenging to read mammograms. Many of these callbacks are false alarms, also known as false positives - the abnormality may resolve with additional…
Read more3 December 2015 Dense breast tissue has been linked to an increased risk of developing breast cancer, although studies report a variable influence of breast density compared to other known risk factors. A new study published in the journal European Radiology calls into question the association of breast density and breast cancer. Researchers evaluated MRI scans to determine breast density…
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