As an organization that serves young women affected by breast cancer, we make sure to keep up with the latest news so we know what our women face when it comes to treatment and beyond. In this blog series, we will share the month’s news that we feel is most interesting and relevant.
Jan. 7: Google’s latest artificial intelligence tool designed to analyze mammograms might be as effective as human radiologists (or better), but critics question whether researchers are applying A.I. to the right problem when it comes to finding and treating breast cancer. Read a detailed article on the possible pros and cons of this tool in the Smithsonian Magazine HERE.
Jan. 11: Recent experiments in mouse models have shown that injecting an inactivated flu virus into cancer tumors makes them shrink and boosts the effectiveness of immunotherapy. Read more about this new research in Medical News Today HERE.
Jan. 17: Minority women with breast cancer are less likely to have insurance, which could lower their odds of survival, according to a new study. The study found that whites were more likely to have insurance when they were diagnosed than blacks, American Indian/Alaska Natives, Asian/Pacific Islanders and Hispanics. Lack of insurance is a major cause of delayed breast cancer screening and treatment among women in minority groups, researchers noted. Being uninsured or underinsured accounted for nearly half of the gap in later-stage diagnosis between white and minority women. Read more in an article from Health Day HERE.
Jan. 24: A recent article in the journal Medical Hypotheses advises that eating yogurt may help reduce the risk of breast cancer. The suggestion is based on research that indicates that yogurt contains beneficial bacteria which dampens inflammation and is similar to the bacteria found in breastfeeding mothers. Read more about this link between eating yogurt and breast cancer risk on Science Daily HERE.
Jan. 30: The closing of rural hospitals and specialty care units is causing many people, including breast cancer patients, to seek treatment far from home. A study from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health recently found that U.S. rural breast cancer patients typically travel three times farther than urban women for radiation therapy to treat their disease. Read more about this treatment disparity on the University of Minnesota website HERE.
Jan. 30: A new study from New York might completely change how triple negative breast cancer is classified and treated. Researchers have discovered that the molecular mechanisms involved in triple negative breast cancer are more closely related to non-breast cancers, and two specific gene mutations may be responsible for the tumor development. If the therapy suggested in the study is successful, it would very likely lead to the reclassification of triple negative breast cancer. Read more in Clinical OMICs HERE.
