Breast Health

Hormone replacement therapy won't protect postmenopausal women against stroke or heart disease, but don't discount it for symptoms of menopause just yet.

A research round-up on how much women understand about breast density and the role of lycopene in kidney cancer risk. Plus, NICHD pledges money for research into the placenta.

Clinicians conducting breast examinations who don’t apply enough force during palpation risk missing deeper lesions.

Among BRCA mutation carriers, risk-reducing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) results in an 80% reduction in risk of ovarian cancer and a 50% reduction in risk of breast cancer if the surgery is performed before the onset of menopause.

Ilene Gewirtz, MD, discusses her comprehensive approach to well visits and cancer screens and says education, if not expanded services, is key.

Women crave cigarettes more strongly during their periods, so waiting until after ovulation to quit may make the process slightly less difficult.

Two new compounds, oxabicycloheptene sulfonate and chloroindazole, were successfully tested in early studies to treat endometriosis.

New evidence reveals that risk prediction for breast cancer is imperative in women with atypical hyperplasia of breast tissue.

Despite having advantages over conventional whole breast irradiation, hypofractionated WBI is used by only a third of patients who would benefit.

Evidence is mounting that digital tomosynthesis has better cancer detection rates than digital mammography, especially for women with dense breasts.

Taking tamoxifen for 5 years to prevent breast cancer results in a prophylactic effect that extends over the next 20 years, according to a new report published in in The Lancet Oncology.

A new (theoretical) model using multiple data points, including genetic testing for BRCA genes, could identify women at greatest risk for breast cancer.

Pressure isn't always a bad thing, researchers have found when exploring ways to minimize pain during mammograms without reducing image quality.

A panel of experts were bested only once at the “Stump the Professors” session at the 43rd AAGL Global Congress on Minimally Invasive Gynecology in Vancouver. A sarcoma was the diagnosis that got away among three complex cases presented to a packed audience.

A new study in JAMA Surgery shows that roughly 25% of women with breast cancer who undergo conservative surgery will undergo a subsequent procedure to establish negative margins.

New research sheds light on a cost-effective way to improve breast cancer detection rates in women with dense breasts.

A new report finds that many women are unaware that health insurers are required to cover yearly mammograms. A high rate of “false alarms” contributes to women’s mixed feelings about mammography screening.

Breast cancer awareness campaigns are great, but they should be expanded to provide more clinician education on health disparities and to target women most at risk.

According to a recent study, low-dose oral bisphosphonates administered to prevent or treat postmenopausal osteoporosis may be associated with a lower risk of skeletal metastasis in patients with early- or more advanced-stage breast cancer.

Look no further: The North American Menopause Society has issued recommendations that offer the latest information for managing a woman's health through menopause.

Are women with early-stage unilateral breast cancer misinformed about the survival benefit of removing both breasts vs lumpectomy with radiation?

Just in case your patients ever ask, wearing a bra is in no way associated with breast cancer risk.

An analysis of data from 46 states and the District of Columbia shows that the level of Medicaid reimbursement for office visits has an impact on likelihood of patient screening with Pap tests and other diagnostics for cancer.

William Fredette, MD, discusses an updated practice guideline from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology), where it calls on doctors caring for women at increased risk of breast cancer to discuss with them the risks and benefits of specific chemoprevention agents to lower their risk. Video provided by The Doctor's Channel and Reuters.

A recent study set out to determine why women often do not undergo reconstruction.