A website for breast cancer patients

For women (or friends and relatives of women with breast cancer),

the Susan B. Komen website (www.komen.org) contains an extraordinary resource: message boards that contain thousands of topics. In October 2007, over 170,000 message posts on over 20,000 topics. A robust search engine facilitates research on topics of interest, which range from the clinical to commiseration. The experiences of such a large group of participants about treatment options, surgical experiences, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and treatment reactions, and reconstruction are useful for both the patient to the professional.
Registration is free and participation can be anonymous. The site is in English; its constituency is global.

30.10.2007

News • Patient-derived samples

New ‘explant’ technique predicts breast cancer therapy response

A new study measured how well breast cancer patients’ tumour ‘explants’ respond to chemotherapy or HER2 antibody therapy in the laboratory. This could help improve clinical outcomes.

News • Precision oncology research

Breast cancer chemotherapy receives boost from localised magnetic fields

Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have developed a non-invasive method to improve the effectiveness of breast cancer chemotherapy while reducing its harmful side effects.

News • Taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy

New tool predicts nerve damage after breast cancer chemotherapy

Researchers have developed a tool that can predict the risk level for side effects in the nervous system of women treated for breast cancer using taxanes. This could help adapt treatment.