Breast Health

Findings from a new study show significant overall survival benefit of Novartis’ ribociclib in hormone receptor positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 negative (HR+/HER2-) advanced or metastatic breast cancer with visceral metastases.

Long-term adherence improvements, it appears, require personalized and sustained behavioral interventions. TMs for AI should also be personalized for individual success.

The agency issued the guidance in response to concerns that some women are not receiving and/or understanding information about the risks and benefits of the devices.

Gadolinium-based intravenous contrast agents (GBCA) provide additional information based on signal intensity changes after GBCA administration. 

A recent study aimed to quantify the effectiveness of improvements in screening and treatment.

Mammography is just one tool that ob/gyns should be using for breast cancer prevention and risk stratification.

An examination of ACOG’s updated guidelines on breast cancer screening recommendations for the average-risk woman.

Providing lactating mothers with accurate information on the effects of alcohol consumption is crucial even though data in this area are limited.

Babies born preterm are known to be at risk of alterations in brain structure and connectivity, but new research shows exposure to breastmilk may have cognitive benefits. PLUS: What’s behind postpartum opioid prescribing patterns? ALSO: How valuable is a second opinion for breast cancer diagnosis?

Physicians are looking for ways to reduce unnecessary prescribing of opioids and dispensing after vaginal delivery may represent a source of over-prescription, according to a recently published study. PLUS: Can marijuana pass into mother's milk? ALSO: How do race and ethnicity impact HPV vaccine completion rates?

A study that tested the hypothesis that polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is linked with autism may inform new interventions for PCOS and autism. PLUS: Does smoking exposure deter breastfeeding? ALSO: Does race play a role in maternal outcomes for older women?

Research point to risk as well as benefits of extended adjuvant tamoxifen for ER-positive BCa. PLUS: Should breast cancer screening be risk-based? ALSO: Side effects of cross-sex hormones in transwomen.

This article reviews recommendations for breastfeeding and current breastfeeding rates; positive maternal health outcomes associated with breastfeeding; and evidence-based practices that enable women to successfully achieve their breastfeeding goals.

Mammography is sufficient to predict breast cancer risk in women aged ≥ 60, but in younger women, combining mammography and genetic testing improves the assessment, according to a retrospective case-control study

While obesity has been shown to have a strong correlation with an increased risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women, the results from a large-scale, multicenter analysis show that the inverse may actually be true for younger women. PLUS: Women with denser breast tissue have higher recall and biopsy rates and increased odds of screen-detected and interval breast cancer, according to a recent study.

Randomized controlled trials have established that mammography reduces breast cancer mortality. However, mammography is less effective in women with dense breasts.

Expert commentary on Practice Bulletin #164: Diagnosis and Management of Benign Breast Disorders.

A new report from The American Cancer Society shows that in every US state, breast cancer incidence rates are higher in non-Hispanic white (NHW) women than in non-Hispanic black (NHB) women, but rates of death from the disease, however, are higher in NHB women than in NHW women. Also: Is second-stage labor longer with epidural analgesia? Plus, a study finds that ovarian reserve biomarkers are not associated with fertility.

One study looks at whether or not women with histories of breast or ovarian cancer are receiving necessary genetic testing. Plus: Can in-office hysteroscopy reliably evaluate uterine pathology? Also, researchers say mammographic density changes should be monitored in patients undergoing hormone therapy as a possible indicator of breast cancer.

Is this the next wave of medical professional liability lawsuits?

A study looks at who is being tested for BRCA mutations as testing becomes more common. Also, a look at the impact of Zika virus on birth defects using benchmark data. Plus: How is the United States doing with infant mortality?

We read with interest the article “Breast density laws: Are you in compliance?” [December 2016 Contemporary OB/GYN]. We appreciated the perspective of our gynecologist colleagues. We would like to help clarify and give context to some of the information in the article.

A study looks at the effectiveness of a dendritic cell vaccine in early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer. Plus: A look at whether fish oil consumed during pregnancy reduces the risk of asthma in offspring.

Meant to alert women that breast cancer may be more difficult to detect, the laws confuse physicians and patients alike.

A study examines whether night shift work actually increases the risk of breast cancer. Plus: What perinatal risk factors may increase the risk of obsessive compulsive disorder in children?

A new study looks at the impact of hormone replacement therapy on preventing Alzheimer's. Plus: Are breast density readings actually accurate?

A new study asks if bisphosphonates are truly effective at preventing fractures as a result of osteoporosis. Plus: What does weight gain between pregnancy mean for neonatal health? Also, do saturated fat levels indicate breast cancer?

A new study looks at whether breast density letters are too difficult for the typical woman to understand. Plus: The FDA issues a warning on fluconazole and miscarriage. Also, do irregular menses provide protection against ovarian cancer or increase risk?

The organization finalizes the guidelines that were met with debate when they were first announced in 2015.

A new study examines the breast cancer risk for women who survived childhood cancer. Plus: Should doctors be more careful about using fluconazole during pregnancy? And, do elderly women derive benefit from breast cancer screening?