Archive for the 'Breast Cancer' Category
Wednesday, July 30th, 2008
Answer:
For bony or soft tissue metastases in patients with estrogen or progesterone receptor-positive breast cancer, hormonal agents such as tamoxifen, anastrozole, letrozole, exemestane, or luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonists (in premenopausal women) can be used for effective palliation lasting many months. Newer drugs that target growth factor pathways in breast cancer are currently in development.
Reference:
National Cancer [...]
Posted in Breast Cancer | No Comments »
Tuesday, July 29th, 2008
Answer:
Overall induction response rates range from 55% to 65%. Median survival times are 14-18 months. The survival rates depend more on the site of the metastatic disease than on the treatment, with visceral disease faring more poorly than bony or soft tissue metastases. Most patients receive more than one treatment regimen, since the median time [...]
Posted in Breast Cancer | No Comments »
Monday, July 28th, 2008
Answer:
Among the most effective chemotherapy agents for breast cancer are doxorubicin, epirubicin, paclitaxel, docetaxel, vinorelbine, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, fluorouracil, capecitabine, and prednisone. These agents are used singly or in combination in the treatment of advanced or metastatic breast cancer. If the tumor overexpresses the Her/neu oncogene, trastuzumab (Herceptin) may be added to improve the effectiveness of [...]
Posted in Breast Cancer | No Comments »
Sunday, July 27th, 2008
Answer:
The basic choice is systemic chemotherapy or hormone therapy, depending on hormone receptor status, reserving surgery and radiotherapy for local control.
Reference: American Joint Committee on Cancer: Cancer Staging Manual, 6th ed. New York, Springer-Verlag, 2002.
Posted in Breast Cancer | No Comments »
Sunday, July 27th, 2008
Answer:
Modified radical mastectomy is performed with postoperative chemotherapy and/or hormonal therapy, depending on estrogen and progesterone receptor status of the tumor and menopausal status of the patient, followed by local radiotherapy. For very large or fixed tumors that are initially deemed to be inoperable, preoperative chemotherapy or hormonal therapy may render such cancers surgically removable.
Reference: [...]
Posted in Breast Cancer | No Comments »
Thursday, July 24th, 2008
Answer:
Modified radical mastectomy with postoperative chemotherapy and/or hormonal therapy, depending on estrogen and progesterone receptor status of the tumor and menopausal status of the patient.
Reference: American Joint Committee on Cancer: Cancer Staging Manual, 6th ed. New York, Springer-Verlag, 2002.
Posted in Breast Cancer | No Comments »
Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008
Answer:
Recent studies have shown that for women at high risk for breast cancer due to a previous personal history of breast cancer, first-degree family members with breast cancer, and other factors, the use of tamoxifen can reduce the occurrence of new breast cancers by about half. Some women who are known to carry the BRCA1 [...]
Posted in Breast Cancer | No Comments »