Steep drop in breast cancer rates
USA - A steep drop in breast cancer rates between 2002 and 2003 correlates with the decline in hormone therapy use, according to research froma the American Cancer Society (ACS).
Breast cancer
Screening: Patients respond well to web-based reminders
USA - Web-based mail and phone reminder software significantly increased the percentage of patients who received preventive health services, according to a study led by Rajeev Chaudhry MBBS, at the Mayo Clinic, published in May in The Archives of Internal Medicine.
27 th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Senology
This year´s congress of the German Society of Senology (June 21.-23. in Lübeck, Germany) will deal with latest developments in the diagnosis and therapy of breast cancer like screening and early detection methods or new diagnostic modalities.
Electron intra-operative therapy
`ELIOT means that single-fraction radiation of 21 Gy is delivered directly to the tumour bed during a surgical intervention, to a depth of about 3 cm,´ Professor Prott explained.
Low compliance with guidance harms patients
By Henning von Eicke of Roche Diagnostics GmbH
Breast cancer screening
20% of all cancers diagnosed annually among Lithuanian women is cancer of the breast. Screening programms should reduce this number.
A promising outlook for new gentle breast cancer therapies
Targeted medication and gentle surgical procedures are the pillars of modern breast cancer therapy, according to participants at this years German Congress of Senology.
New cancer risk gene found
Carrying a mutated BRIP1 gene doubles the risk of breast cancer — by aged 70 these women's risk rises from 1-in-12 to 1-in-6.
New Cancer Drug Hope
AstraZeneca has been collaborating with researchers who detected a potential Aurora B inhibitor.
EU challenge to worldwide BRCA2 gene patent
An unparalleled legal challenge has been underway in the EU regarding the number of human gene patents held by US-based corporation Myriad Genetics.
Intergroup Exemestane Study (IES) results
Currently, five years of treatment with tamoxifen is considered the 'gold-standard' treatment for postmenopausal women with breast cancer. This drug blocks oestrogen, which can help fuel the growth of tumours in some cases.
Small wireless device to improve cancer treatment
USA - Engineers are developing a tiny wireless device - the size of a rice grain - to be implanted in tumours to indicate the precise radiation dose received and to locate the exact position of tumours during treatment.
New concepts for breast care
The new Emscher-Lippe Breast Care Centre, based in the Marienhospital in Gelsenkirchen, but serving six hospitals* and four private practices, was established following a directive issued by Germany's North Rhine-Westphalia regional government.
All-in-one digital mammography
Siemens Medical Solutions reports that the first installations have been completed in France, Germany, Italy and Sweden of its new all-in-one system for digital full-field mammography, named Mammomat Novation.
Worldwide about 600,000 new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed annually
Mammography plays a critical part in diagnosing breast cancer. Although this does not prevent the disease, diagnosing breast cancer as early as possible can save lives.
PET and recurrent cancer
More sensitive dissemination tests are needed for patients with locoregionally recurrent (LRR) breast cancer, according to a paper by Dutch researchers published online by the European Journal of Cancer (Volume 40, Issue 10 , 7/2004).
Ploughing vigorously forward
The UK - In the 1990s, the nationally co-ordinated NHS Breast Screening Programme was already saving lives - a 21% fall in breast cancer mortality over the last decade and, with the cervical screening programme, this was viewed as among the best cancer screening programmes in the world. However, in that period, the country's cancer services, as a whole did not match up to those of other European…
Mobile mammography goes digital
Financed by the Ministry of Health, nine regional screening organisations arrange and implement the Dutch national breast cancer screening programme, in which, every two years, all women from 50-75 years of age are invited for a free mammogram at one of the 62 screening points, of which 56 are mobile vans.
Automated screening & reduced biopsies
Although X-ray mammography can detect small cancers before they have spread. However, because abnormalities can only be identified non-specifically, percutaneous or surgical breast biopsy must follow - but less than 20% of women recalled for biopsies have cancer.
Weighing up the way to go
Austria is the only 'old' EU Member State that has not implemented a national breast cancer screening programme.
Quality assurance first
Germany's Federal Committee of Physicians and Statutory Health Insurance Funds set up three model projects, based in Bremen, Wiesbaden and Weser-Ems, to trial the third edition of the European guidelines on healthcare within the German system and to develop the necessary organisational structures to make these work.
Why screen?
Mammography as a diagnostic procedure to evaluate detected tumours is not an issue. But because the technique is performed, in screening programmes, on apparently healthy people, for ethical reasons it becomes an issue.
World's lowest radiation doses
The Swedish firm Sectra reports that its digital MicroDose Mammography system reduces radiation by 80%, compared with traditional film-based systems, and that its completely new detection technology allows this without compromising image quality.
Ultrasound CT for early diagnosis
Karlsruhe, Germany - A new type of ultrasound computed tomography (CT) system promising to improve diagnosis significantly is currently being developed at the Research Centre Karlsruhe.
