Scientists Study Causes, Impact of Breast Cancer Recurrence

Although a number of significant strides have been made in the detection and treatment of breast cancer in recent years, the disease remains a serious threat to women's health. Among female populations worldwide, breast cancer rates second only to lung cancer in terms of prevalence, morbidity, and mortality.

With early intervention and effective care, many cases of breast cancer are treatable and survivable. However, the odds for breast cancer survival decrease considerably when the disease recurs after an initial round of treatment. Often, physicians regard a recurrence of breast cancer as a failure of the primary treatment. In some cases, this can mean that the cancer turned out to be stronger or more widespread than originally believed.

Because of the much higher risk of complications and death associated with breast cancer recurrence, scientists around the world have focused a great deal of research attention on this problem. This week, we?ll take a look at the results of recent breast cancer research that focused specifically on breast cancer recurrence.

New Cancer Classification Method May Help Treat Recurrent Breast Cancers

In the process of treating recurrences of breast cancer and other types of cancer, it is important that doctors be able to determine whether a tumor is a newly-developed growth, or a lasting growth that survived the initial round of treatment. This is because different treatment methods are necessary based on the ?age? and durability of the tumor. However, traditional classification methods often made these variables difficult to determine.

Marc Bollet, M.D., a researcher at the Institut Curie in Paris, France, recently discovered a new method that might solve this longstanding problem. According to an article published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Bollet?s team devised a method that uses an analysis of DNA breakpoints to test the age of tumors. In the experiment, the DNA breakpoint method was shown to be much more accurate than existing techniques. The researchers asserted that these findings could usher in more effective diagnosis and treatment of recurrent cancers.

Additional Radiation May Prevent Breast Cancer Recurrence in Young Women

Women under the age of 30 who have been diagnosed with breast cancer often face a difficult battle, because they are often fighting a particularly aggressive strain of the disease that is most common amongst this age group. As a result, incidences of cancer recurrence among young women with breast cancer often do not have a good long-term prognosis.

However, according to the results of a recent study that was presented at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology's 49th Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, delivering an added dose of radiation therapy may significant boost young women?s chances of surviving recurrent breast cancer.

In the large European study, young female patients with recurrent breast cancer who received an additional dose of radiation following a lumpectomy were twice as likely to remain cancer-free for ten years as the women who did not receive the extra radiation. While additional research is needed, the authors suggested that this procedure could mark an important step forward for the treatment protocols for recurrent cancers of the breast.

Innovative Combination Treatment May Help Prevent Recurrences of Breast Cancer

Current methods of breast cancer treatment focus primarily on halting cancer growth. However, a new treatment investigated by researchers at the Danish Cancer Society in Copenhagen may also help reduce the risk of future instances of cancer recurrence.

The study, which was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, describes the unique dual action of a combination cancer treatment that pairs two types of treatments ? chemotherapy and the prescription drug tamoxifen. Women treated with both of these methods enjoyed improved survival rates of five to ten years longer than standard, individual forms of the treatment.

While more research will be necessary to determine the best combination of these treatments, the early results are promising, the researchers say.

If you?re concerned about breast cancer and breast cancer recurrence, please talk to your doctor to develop a personalized risk assessment or treatment plan that will work best with your health history. Please check back each week for more of the breaking health science news you need!