New Label for Aransep and Procrit, Safety Recall of Procrit Vials
In late July, the FDA ordered Amgen to for its anemia drugs, . Both of these drugs, which are meant to alleviate chemotherapy-induced fatigue, have been called into question recently because of studies suggesting that they may actually increase tumor size or shorten lives. In March, an FDA panel advised more restrictions for these drugs and this new label reflects most of those . More information about the label change is available on the FDA's web site.
Meanwhile, Ortho Biotech is after finding cracks in the necks of some vials.
President Bush Bans Lead, Phthalates from Children's Products
President Bush that will ban six toxic phthalates from children's products. The new law, which is part of a more comprehensive consumer products act, also bans lead from these items. This is a huge victory for public health, and further drives home the message that Americans want government policies that will protect people from harmful chemicals.
Study Examines Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence Past 5 Years
was recently published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The study looked at 2,838 patients whose breast cancer ranged from stage I to III, and had been disease-free for five years after adjuvant therapy.
Overall, 89 percent of the women remained recurrence-free 10 years after diagnosis, and 80 percent remained recurrence-free 15 years after the diagnosis. However, risk of recurrence varied by stage and tumor type. In patients with stage I breast cancer, 7 percent experienced a recurrence, while rates of relapse were 11 percent for women with stage II disease, and 13 percent for patients with stage III.
Hormone receptor status also affected risk. "Women who had ER-positive cancer were more likely to have late recurrences than those with ER-negative," said Dr. Abenaa Brewster, the primary author of the study.
While it is encouraging that the likelihood of recurrence is low, this study affirms the need to that women who are breast cancer-free after five years are "cured." While five-year survival after some cancers does signify a cure, it is not the case for breast cancer. The risk of recurrence of breast cancer is greatest in the first two years after diagnosis, but as this study shows, breast cancer can and does recur at any time, regardless of how many years have passed since an initial diagnosis. Women with breast cancer need honest and accurate information about their risk of recurrence when making treatment decisions.
National African American Breast Cancer Conference, September 19-21, Houston, TX
The Sisters Network is putting together the 10th Anniversary Annual National African American Breast Cancer Conference. This event is the only national annual conference dedicated to the unique needs of African American women with breast cancer. Participants will include patients, advocates, care-givers, and health care providers.
If you are planning on attending the conference and would like to help staff the BCA table in the exhibit hall, please contact Brenda Salgado at .
San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, December 10-14, San Antonio, TX
The San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) is the largest annual medical conference dedicated exclusively to breast cancer research. Participants will include researchers, advocates, physicians, and other health care providers. Housing and registration are now open .
If you are planning on going to SABCS and would like to help staff the BCA table in the exhibit hall, please contact Allison Young at . We have several complimentary passes for the conference, which we will give to the first volunteers to sign up.
What is a prophylactic mastectomy?
A prophylactic mastectomy is elective surgery to remove a breast in which no breast cancer has been found. It may describe the removal of both breasts or a contralateral prophylactic mastectomy, which is the removal of a non-cancerous breast in addition to the cancerous one.
The intention is to preemptively reduce the risk of getting breast cancer, though it is impossible to completely eliminate risk because some breast tissue always remains. A published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology stated that bilateral prophylactic mastectomy reduces the risk of breast cancer in women with BRCA1/2 mutations by approximately 90%.
36 year old actress Christina Applegate , bringing attention to a drastic surgery which has . Women who opt for prophylactic mastectomy tend to have had cancer in one breast, have a family history of breast cancer, have tested positive for the BRCA 1 or 2 mutation, or have found precancerous or abnormal cells and have decided that the anxiety of living with uncertainty and high risk of breast cancer outweighs the option of keeping their breasts and possibly having to undergo cancer treatment. Those who do decide to have a prophylactic mastectomy are then faced with other difficult decisions regarding breast reconstruction. Some insurance companies prophylactic mastectomy.
As with any health decision, the choice to have a prophylactic mastectomy is a deeply personal one. Women weighing this option should have full information about the potential risks and benefits.
Despite sometimes being called a preventive mastectomy, prophylactic mastectomy does not equal true prevention. BCA member Edare Carroll writes in The Source, "No surgery, no magic pill, nothing that we know of currently can guarantee that a person will not get breast cancer. True prevention can only come from discovering what causes breast cancer. We need more viable options than cutting off our breast."
Learn more about prophylactic mastectomy:
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Mayo Clinic:
National Cancer Institute:
Journal of Clinical Oncology: |
