Recent breast examination research recommendations show that diagnostic mammogram results do not really help women over the age 50 as much as what has been believed. The benefits of mammography are limited
A study conducted in Norway concludes mammogram results reduce the risk of an early death, but the benefit is disappointingly low. Breast cancer death rates in women undergoing mammography breast examination screening fell 28% in areas where routine screening was introduced in Norway, but only around 30% of the reduction could be attributed to the screening.
The death rate benefit ascribed to diagnostic mammogram screening was a decrease of 2.4 breast cancer deaths per 100,000 person-years, out of the total decrease of 7.2 deaths per 100,000 person-years from historical levels. The apparent effect of screening mammography was considerably smaller than expected. It's not the great lifesaver that people think it is.
Researchers followed the women over 50 breast cancer death rates who got regular mammograms and compared those to the death rate in an older group of women who didn't get the breast examination screening. They ascertained mammograms actually made little difference. Some 2,500 women would have to be regularly screened over 10 years to save one life from breast cancer.
Experts say most of that benefit wasn't from the screening, but rather due to better treatment and greater awareness of the disease.
However, other doctors advised women not to be discouraged about these findings. Doctors advice would be to actually to continue with current breast examination recommendations as some doctors do have personal experience with people having early detection and saving their lives.
Some suggest that the little benefit of diagnostic mammograms in the latest study results may be because the women weren't followed long enough. Maximum follow-up time was less than nine years, which could be insufficient to fully valuate the effects of mammograms screening. The American Cancer Society has long advocated that women get annual breast cancer screenings starting at 40.
Breast Cancer Survival Rate Improved Using Targeted Therapy and Genetic Profiling
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancer in women in many countries and the peak age of occurrence is between 44 and 60 years old. New research found that breast cancer survival rate are being improved using targeted therapy and genetic profiling of tumors. An advancement in breast cancer treatment.
Such advancements consists of developments in radiotherapy, which have enabled this treatment selection to get more targeted and develop less side effects and the existence of new chemotherapy and hormonal drugs.
Radiotherapy is now more exact and these cuts down long term adverse effect on the surrounding organs. Betterment in chemotherapy permits formerly resistive tumors to be controlled. Having more chemotherapy options allows oncologist to use less older and more toxic chemotherapy drugs.
Study has indicated that advancements in medical technology have corresponded with improvement in breast cancer survival rates. The latest betterment in breast cancer treatment are targeted therapy and tumor genetic profiling.
Targeted therapy is a new type of cancer treatment which utilizes drugs or other compounds to home in on and attack cancer cells. Genetic profiling of tumor correspondences and deciphers the genetic data of tumors. Genetic profiling permits doctor to anticipate the behavior of the cancer, especially its ability to induce a relapse in future.
One example of how targeted therapy can be used to fight breast cancer is the artificially produced antibody trastuzumab, which could be used in both early and late stage breast cancer if the target that the antibody works on is present.
These drugs switch off the growth breast cancer cells, which forces cancer to grow and proliferate. Their added advantage is that they have minimal side effects.
Besides advancements in breast treatment, a change in doctors approach to breast cancer treatment which may have also encouraged breast cancer survival rates. There is a trend in doctors towards being more restrained or conservative use of surgery and being more aggressive use of chemotherapy, targeted therapy and hormonal therapy.
By channelizing effort towards better control of relapse in the rest of the body, the survival rates of with breast cancer has steadily improved. Now, when breast cancer is discovered at an earlier stage, it is not rare to be able to reach long-term survival in eight or nine out of 10 women.
Such advancements consists of developments in radiotherapy, which have enabled this treatment selection to get more targeted and develop less side effects and the existence of new chemotherapy and hormonal drugs.
Radiotherapy is now more exact and these cuts down long term adverse effect on the surrounding organs. Betterment in chemotherapy permits formerly resistive tumors to be controlled. Having more chemotherapy options allows oncologist to use less older and more toxic chemotherapy drugs.
Study has indicated that advancements in medical technology have corresponded with improvement in breast cancer survival rates. The latest betterment in breast cancer treatment are targeted therapy and tumor genetic profiling.
Targeted therapy is a new type of cancer treatment which utilizes drugs or other compounds to home in on and attack cancer cells. Genetic profiling of tumor correspondences and deciphers the genetic data of tumors. Genetic profiling permits doctor to anticipate the behavior of the cancer, especially its ability to induce a relapse in future.
One example of how targeted therapy can be used to fight breast cancer is the artificially produced antibody trastuzumab, which could be used in both early and late stage breast cancer if the target that the antibody works on is present.
These drugs switch off the growth breast cancer cells, which forces cancer to grow and proliferate. Their added advantage is that they have minimal side effects.
Besides advancements in breast treatment, a change in doctors approach to breast cancer treatment which may have also encouraged breast cancer survival rates. There is a trend in doctors towards being more restrained or conservative use of surgery and being more aggressive use of chemotherapy, targeted therapy and hormonal therapy.
By channelizing effort towards better control of relapse in the rest of the body, the survival rates of with breast cancer has steadily improved. Now, when breast cancer is discovered at an earlier stage, it is not rare to be able to reach long-term survival in eight or nine out of 10 women.
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