Breast Cancer News
News articles about breast cancer will be posted here. Check back here for regular updates.
Report on link between multi-vitamins and breast cancer
Listed Friday April 30, 2010
On 18 April 2010, research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition prompted media coverage regarding an association between use of multivitamins and breast cancer risk. NBOCC has commented on this study as follows:
“This particular study shows an increased risk of breast cancer associated with multivitamin use. However, other studies in the area have found a decrease in breast cancer risk with multivitamin use. Overall, studies on multivitamin use and breast cancer risk are inconclusive.
This Swedish study involves a large sample of women and a long period of follow-up; however it relied on women self-reporting their multivitamin use by a questionnaire. The study design leaves significant room for error in the participant’s reporting of their dietary supplement use.
Further research is needed to determine which vitamins in particular may impact on breast cancer risk, at what dosage and over what period of time, before any association between breast cancer risk and multivitamin use can be determined.
The majority of women should aim to fulfil their daily vitamin needs through a balanced diet that includes plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Some women may be advised to take vitamin supplements based on their individual health needs and should continue to take these as prescribed by their doctor. Women concerned about their use of vitamins, including multivitamin supplements, should discuss this with their doctor.
There are some simple lifestyle changes every woman can make, based on well-established evidence, to reduce breast cancer risk. NBOCC recommends women limit their alcohol intake, maintain a healthy body weight, particularly after menopause, and participate in regular physical activity.”
BCNA Field of Women LIVE
Listed Monday March 29, 2010
BCNA are calling on 14,000 women and men to stand together and create the Pink Lady for the Field of Women LIVE, on May 7 at the MCG. For more details click here.
Australia Leads the World in Funding Treatment for Early-stage Breast Cancer
Listed Wednesday March 17, 2010
From 1 April women from across Australia will be able to access government-funded Taxotere® (docetaxel) in combination with cyclophosphamide (TC), 1 a chemotherapy combination shown to benefit women’s chances of surviving early-stage breast cancer. 2,3
This means the treatment will be available to all Australian women with operable breast cancer 3,4 – the only country in the world where this is the case.
Prior to the government’s decision to fund this treatment, women with this stage of cancer who wished to access the treatment paid approximately $8,000 - $9,000 for four treatment cycles.
Click here for more information.
Click here for the fact sheet and here for the product information sheet
Evaluation of Breast Prostheses Reimbursement Program
Listed December 21, 2009
A social research consultancy called Urbis are conducting an evaluation of the National External Breast Prostheses Reimbursement Program on behalf of the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing. They are seeking to learn about women’s experiences of accessing this Program.
If you have had a mastectomy as a result of breast cancer and currently use an external breast prosthesis, your help is needed.
Your feedback will be important in ensuring that the program benefits women who have had a mastectomy as a result of breast cancer and require external breast prostheses. All responses will be anonymous and confidential. To complete a brief, 10-minute survey online, please visit this website: http://tinyurl.com/breastprosthesessurvey
If you would prefer to complete a postal survey, please ring this number and a survey will be sent to you: 1800 244 863.
For more information about the National External Breast Prostheses Reimbursement Program, please contact Medicare Australia on 132 011.
If you would like more information about the evaluation, please call Nicky Keevy at Urbis on 02 8233 9962.
Products linked to cancer
Listed 23 November, 2009
Mothballs, incense, mouthwash, preserved timber and talcum powder are just some of the consumer products labelled carcinogenic in media reports. However, the reporting of such stories may mean the public is receiving a skewed view about cancer risk, a researcher says.
Professor Bernard Stewart, Head of the Cancer Control Program of the South Eastern Sydney and Illawarra Public Health Unit, says these anxiety-provoking stories are usually based on single studies, albeit peer-reviewed.
“The general public is getting a massive amount of information about matters that are best characterised as research concerns, rather than public health directives,” said Professor Stewart.
Professor Stewart presented his findings at the annual scientific meeting of the Clinical Oncological Society of Australia at the Gold Coast this week.
Medical Observer 20/11/09 p. 7.
Natural remedies and the impact on treatment
Listed 23 November, 2009
Cancer patients commonly take natural remedies during chemotherapy but they risk making their front-line treatment less likely to work, according to an expert.
Professor Stephen Clarke said supplements like St John’s Wort were suspected to have a negative interaction with conventional cancer-fighting drugs, and questions hung over a range of popular alternative medicines.
Their use was common by cancer patients ignorant of the risks and reluctant to tell their doctor, Professor Stephen Clarke said.
The BCFWA recommends that you always advise your doctor of any natural remedies you may be taking.
West Australian 19/11/09 p. 7.
Night Shift a risk factor for cancer
Listed 23 November, 2009
Working the night shift is emerging as a risk factor for cancer, a sleep expert has warned, adding to the work practice’s long list of health woes.
People who worked overnight were known to have higher rates of diabetes, obesity and other health problems, said Associate Professor Naomi Rogers, while evidence was emerging of a heightened risk of certain cancers.
It could be directly linked to the night shift’s "disruptive" effect on the human body clock, said Dr Rogers, Director of the Chronobiology and Sleep Research Group at the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Institute.
"Shift workers seem to have an increased incidence of some types of cancer - breast cancer, prostate, colorectal cancers, and we’re not sure why. With the shift work they get circadian disruption, disrupting a whole range of hormones, but they also have sleep loss as well," Dr Rogers said this week.
One of those hormones is melatonin, which Dr Rogers described as the "hands on the clock" of the body’s circadian rhythm. The hormone was known to boost the functioning of the immune system and play other beneficial roles, along with helping the body to know what time it was. Production of melatonin in the brain’s pineal gland was known to be suppressed by exposure to light and this included artificial light night workers were exposed to.
"It is actually suppressed by light so the theory is, shift workers who are awake instead of being asleep, their melatonin decreases," Dr Rogers said.
Dr Rogers gave her presentation at the Clinical Oncological Society of Australia’s annual scientific meeting on the Gold Coast.
Herald Sun 19/11/09 p. 20.
Breast Cancer Risk Factors: A Review of the Evidence
Listed September 24, 2009
NBOCC has released Breast cancer risk factors: a review of the evidence, an up-to-date review of the evidence relating to breast cancer risk factors including:
- Sex, age and residence
- Family history and genetics
- Breast conditions
- Reproductive and menstrual history
- Endogenous and exogenous hormones
- Body size and lifestyle behaviours
- Medical history
- Environmental exposures
- Psychosocial stress and cancer
Research into link between human papillomavirus and breast cancer
Listed September 22, 2009
On 3-4 September, several television news programs reported Australian research linking the human papillomavirus (HPV) with breast cancer. HPV has been identified as a cause of the majority of cervical cancer cases and is the target of the Australian-discovered HPV vaccine. Click on the NBOCC website for more details.
Breast Screening Report
Listed September 10, 2009
At the Australian Health Ministers' Conference meeting on 4 September 2009, Health Ministers agreed to publicly release an expert committee’s evaluation of the BreastScreen Australia Program. The Australian Government and the states and territories will now work together to consider the 19 recommendations of
the BreastScreen Australia Evaluation Report .
Click here for the Australian Government's media release.
Discovery of cells responsible for aggressive form of breast cancer
Listed August 24, 2009
Published in the journal Nature Medicine, research findings suggest a population of breast cells called ‘luminal progenitor cells’ may be responsible for the development of ‘basal-like’ breast cancer, a particularly aggressive form of the disease.
While this is an important discovery, many years of further research will be required to potentially target luminal progenitor cells for breast cancer prevention or treatment. Therefore, there are no implications for current clinical practice. For more information click here.
Over-diagnosis of breast cancer through mammography screening
listed July 15, 2009
On Saturday 11 July, 2009, several news outlets, including the Weekend Australian and the Today Show on Saturday, featured stories about the over-diagnosis of breast cancer through mammography screening. The stories arose from a paper published in the British Medical Journal, which claims one in three breast cancers detected through population screening programs is ‘over-diagnosed’.
The National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre has relesed the following statement.
Mammography screening remains our best method of early detection of breast cancer. Large international trials have shown that mammography screening provides about a 30 per cent reduction in deaths from breast cancer in women aged 50-69 years who participate in regular screening.
The vast majority of breast cancers found through screening would progress if left untreated. However, a small proportion of breast cancers diagnosed through screening may be non-progressive or progress so slowly they would not have caused harm to the woman during her lifetime. This is referred to as ‘over-diagnosis’ and the subsequent treatment of such cancers is referred to as ‘over-treatment’.
Unfortunately, at this time, we are unable to determine which breast cancers, diagnosed through screening or other means, will progress and which will not. However, research is underway, including molecular and genetic research, to identify this sub-set of cancers and maximise treatment benefits.
Further information can be found in the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre’s Position Statement on Over-diagnosis from mammographic screening.
ECU Researchers Break New Ground In The Fight Against Breast Cancer
listed July 8, 2009
Researchers from Edith Cowan University’s (ECU) Vario Health Institute (VHI) and the Electron Science Research Institute (ESRI) are working with the developers of a new breast imaging technology to determine if the system can provide a more accurate, user-friendly alternative to traditional scanning techniques.
The Near Infrared Breast Scanner (NIBS) has been developed by a Chinese company, Daheng Group, as an alternative to mammograms and ultra-sound methods for detecting breast cancer. The NIBS is completely painless, has no harmful side effects and can be used repeatedly.
The high resolution imaging enables early screening and diagnosis of breast cancer, and unlike current scanning techniques, the NIBS can be used safely on women with implants, of all ages and regardless of breast size or density.
The team at VHI, led by Professor Rob Newton, are conducting a clinical trial with breast cancer patients in Perth to assess the capabilities of the device and the potential applications. If the trials prove successful, the NIBS could be used in Australia for earlier diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, potentially saving thousands of lives each year.
ECU has the only two NIBS devices in Australia, and results from the trial will be available early in 2010.
Anti-cancer drug for advanced breast cancer approved for Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme
listed May 20, 2009
As previously flagged, Abraxane, the nanoparticle anti-cancer drug for advanced breast cancer has this month been approved for listing on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Our thanks to the manufacturer Specialised Therapeutics Australia, who have given free access to the drug for the past three months whilst awaiting for the approval.
Accessing Centrelink benefits during treatment
listed 1 April 2009
A lot of our ladies complain about the onerous requirements and obstacles they encounter when trying to access benefits from Centrelink when they are unable to work during treatment.
The Commonwealth Ombudsman has written a report that examines how public servants assess claims from people who are seriously sick or dying. His report recommends a new benefit for patients who require lengthy treatment or recovery periods and a list of conditions that would automatically qualify them for the benefit.
A spokesperson for the Federal Employment Minister Julia stated that the government was considering the Ombudsman’s recommendations.
Watch this space!
New chemotherapy drug for treatment of advanced breast cancer
Listed 25 February 2009
A new chemotherapy drug for treatment of advanced breast cancer has been made available in Australia. Abraxane is Paclitaxel bound with human albumen in a nano-particle solvent free form. This means that women will not need to take steroids as part of the treatment and will result in fewer side effects. It can also be administered a lot more quickly – 30 minutes instead of the 3 or 4 hours that Paclitaxel normally requires.
It is expected to be available on the PBS around July, but in the meantime the manufacturer Specialised Therapeutics Australia will make it available free of charge through their patient access program.
Travel subsidies for country patients
Listed 16 January 2009
The State Government has announced a complete overhaul of the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme (PATS) to increase support to country residents needing to travel away from their homes to access specialist medical services.
Health Minister Dr Kim Hames said the Government would provide an additional $30.8million over three and a half years using funds from the Royalties for Regions Scheme.
Click here for more details.
Rebate for breast MRI for women under 50
Listed 16 January 2009
Late in December, 2008, the Acting Minister for Health and Ageing announced a new Medicare rebate for breast MRI for women under the age of 50 who are at high risk of developing, but have not been diagnosed with, breast cancer. The rebate will be available from 1 February 2009.
To be eligible women must have a strong family history of breast cancer or a known genetic mutation. In addition, a referral for breast MRI must be made by a specialist and can only be conducted on Medicare-eligible MRI units, by Medicare-eligible providers.
Any women who feels that she might meet these criteria should discuss it first, with her GP, who will refer her to an appropriate specialist.
BCFWA would like to acknowledge the efforts of BCNA (Breast Cancer Network of Australia) and others who have advocated and lobbied for this rebate.
Breast Cancer and depression or anxiety
Listed 15 December 2008
Excerpt from the latest BCNA Newsletter to Breast Care Nurses
“Up to half of all women who have early breast cancer may experience depression and/or anxiety in the first year after diagnosis. And yet many women tell us that they can't easily talk about depression, and often don't know where to turn for help. Breast Cancer Network Australia, in conjunction with beyondblue, the national depression initiative, has developed a Depression and breast cancer fact sheet. The fact sheet provides information on depression, its links with breast cancer, available treatments and how to help yourself or someone close to you. “
For a copy of this fact sheet you can log onto www.bcna.org.au and follow the links, or call Nerida or Sherryl on 9324 3703. We may also be able to provide you with some individual counselling or a referral to the Breast Cancer Psychology Service.
Announcement: Update on Genetic Technologies and the genetic test for BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genes
Listed 25 November 2008
Some will be aware that recently, the company that developed the tests for BRCA 1 and 2 breast cancer genes was threatening to enforce their licence to charge exorbitant amounts for the tests. (suggestions of $2,000 each test)
Thanks to BCNA advocating for the rights of women and making representations to the state and federal governments and the CEO of the company and drawing attention to it in a variety of ways it appears that this will not proceed.
Announcement: National External Breast Prostheses Reimbursement Program
Listed 9 September 2008
The Australian Government has finalised its new reimbursement program for external breast prostheses for all Australian women who have had a mastectomy as a result of breast cancer.
The reimbursement program will commence on 1 December 2008. However, prostheses purchased from 1 July 2008 are eligible for reimbursement. Medicare Australia will administer all reimbursements under the program. As of 9 September 2008, a claim can be made via Medicare Australia.
All women who are permanent residents of Australia, have a current Medicare entitlement and have had a mastectomy as a result of breast cancer are eligible to claim the reimbursement. The mastectomy may be recent or in the past. Women who currently receive financial assistance from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) should continue to claim their entitlement through DVA.
To claim the reimbursement for an external breast prostheses, a claim form needs to be completed, which is available from any Medicare office or it can be downloaded from the Medicare Australia website at www.medicareaustralia.gov.au. You can also contact Medicare Australia on 132 011 to request a form.
Once the claim form is completed, an original receipt, which includes a description of the purchase, needs to be attached. The form can then be lodged by post to Medicare Australia GPO Box 9822, Perth, or hand in at any Medicare office. All reimbursements will be made by electronic funds transfer to a nominated bank account from 1 December 2008.
Once a reimbursement is claimed under this program, subsequent reimbursements can be claimed no earlier than two years from the date of last purchase. This applies for each prosthesis for each breast.
The amount that can be claimed is up to $400 for each new or replacement external breast prosthesis, depending on the cost of the prosthesis, and any other financial assistance already obtained. The $400 limit applies to each prosthesis for each breast.
For more information, please click on the Fact Sheet and Claim Form.
Research: Australian women urged to be 'Breast Aware'
Listed 17 July 2008
The National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre is urging Australian women to be ‘breast aware’ and to report any changes in the look or feel of their breasts to their general practitioner without delay.
Director of the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre Dr Helen Zorbas says “Women can be ‘breast aware’ and get to know the normal look and feel of their breasts through everyday activities like showering, dressing or simply looking in the mirror.” Click here for more details on how to be 'Breast Aware"
Reseach: Breast cancer tears being investigated
Listed 17 July 2008
Why do many women being treated for breast cancer get watery eyes?
Researchers in Perth are hoping to find answers thanks to a multi-centre medical study happening here and in Melbourne. Eye experts and breast cancer specialists are involved in the study, part of which is being run at the Lions Eye Institute in Nedlands. Dr Arlene Chan is the trial instigator and has wanted to investigate the problem of watery eyes for years.
“I specialise in breast cancer at Perth’s Mount Hospital and see the symptoms frequently,” she said. “Perhaps up to half of all women having chemotherapy get some degree of watery eyes.
About 13,000 Australian women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year: in WA 1200 women have been diagnosed with the disease in the last 12 months. Women undergoing chemotherapy also report eye irritation, blurred vision and hyperaemia (increased blood flow). Dr Chan is working with Lions Eye Institute ophthalmologist Dr Adam Gajdatsy on the trial: Dr Gajdatsy is an oculoplastic specialist.
“We’re hoping to discover some answers about the watery eyes,” he said. “Why does the chemotherapy agent cause scarring on the tear ducts? How can we prevent this happening? We’d like to find out, as this complication is the last thing women need while they’re dealing with breast cancer.”
The study will examine 100 women of varying ages and is expected to finish in the first half of next year. If the study produces answers, Dr Chan and Dr Gajdatsy will seek funding to initiate a larger trial looking at ways to prevent watery eyes from occurring when women with breast cancer receive chemotherapy.
No volunteers are required for the study.
LEI media release, David Cohen
Research: Cancer risk not higher for IVF mums
Listed 17 July 2008
Women who undergo fertility treatment are no more likely to develop breast or ovarian cancer than any other female, an international review shows.
Early studies suggested fertility drugs could increase the risk of ovarian cancer. While no further research backed the findings, other studies have been too small to disprove the link, leaving uncertainty about the drugs’ influence on hormone-related cancers.
But a large-scale literature review by scientists at the US National Cancer Institute has allayed fears, concluding: “the data to date generally are reassuring in not showing large increases in cancer risk associated with the usage of fertility drugs”.
Professor Michael Chapman, director of IVF Australia, said the results were great news for the industry and the increasing number of women seeking treatment for fertility troubles.
“Women who had IVF in the 1980s and 1990s are now getting to an age where an increased cancer risk would be obvious but, as the research shows, we’re not seeing it,” he said.
About 500,000 Australian women have had fertility treatment in the past 30 years, with about 80,000 babies born as a result.
Courier Mail, 9/7/08, p13; Adelaide Advertiser, p26; West Australian, p13; AAP Newswire, 8/7/08.
Treatment: breast cancer drug now on PBS
Listed 7 May 2008
A costly drug used to treat an aggressive form of breast cancer has been added to the Federal Government's subsidised pharmaceuticals scheme.
Tykerb can cost up to $4000 for a one-month course of treatment.
The Government announced last month that it would include the treatment on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme to help women with the fast-moving HER2-positive form of breast cancer.
West Australian, 2/5/08, p4; Adelaide Advertiser, 2/5/08, p11
Public health: Alert on internet breast cancer advice
Listed 20 February 2008
Australian breast cancer experts have warned women to be wary of websites with inaccurate information about the disease, particularly those promoting unproved alternative medicines. The National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre said there were many credible and reliable internet sites but it was important for women to be sceptical of those sourced to unknown groups or people, especially if they are linked to commercial products. General manager Karen Luxford said it was important that vulnerable people were not duped by unreliable information.
West Australian 13/2/08, p.14.
Hair strand test for breast cancer
Listed 30 January 2008
Australian women could be tested for breast cancer through the strands of their hair using a new screening method later this year.
Pending a satisfactory completion of its final trial, Australian company Fermiscan is aiming to begin commercial trials of the revolutionary non-invasive breast cancer test.
Managing director David Young hopes women will be able to use the world-first test, costing $249, with a visit to a pathology collection laboratory.
"The Fermiscan test potentially offers significant benefits for women's health in the fight against breast cancer, as it is non-invasive and suitable for women of all ages," Mr Young said. "The trial is a validation trial being run to ensure we and the medical community are happy with the accuracy of the test and on the assumption that it remains broadly in line with where it is to date we will roll out the commercial pilot."
Early results of about 800 women released in December showed an 80% accuracy rate and small early-stage cancers were detected. It is a particularly welcome development for young women, whose breast tissue is denser, meaning tumours can go undetected using traditional screening.
Sunday Mail Adelaide, 27/1/08, p24
Benfits of Anastroxole
Listed 22 January 2008
The benefit of anastroxole over tamoxifen in preventing breast cancer recurrence has now been demonstrated over nine years of follow-up, experts say.
The most recent data from one of the world's largest early breast cancer trials showed that the benefits of five years of adjuvant therapy with the aromatase inhibitor anastrozole (Arimidex) was still being seen four years after treatment finished (Lancet Oncology 2008;9:45-53).
The difference in absolute risk reduction in distant metastases (e.g. bone or liver) was 2.4% between women on anastrozole (13.2%) compared to tamoxifen (15.6%).
The incremental benefit was not large, but was important as "in breast cancer every bit helps", commented Professor John Boyages, director of the NSW Breast Cancer Institute.
Anastrozole and similar agents should only be used in postmenopausal women and bone mineral density must be monitored, he said.
Medical Observer, 18/1/08, p5
Treatment: breast cancer drug to cabinet
Listed 14 January 2008
Women forced to fork out $16,000 for a breast cancer drug will get the medication for free if the Federal Government accepts advice from its expert committee. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee has recommended that Tykerb be listed on the PBS.
Breast Cancer Network Australia chief executive, Lyn Swinburne, said the breakthrough was wonderful for women living with secondary breast cancer. "It's important to note that the release of this information today is not the final step," she said yesterday. "We now need cabinet to ratify this decision as a priority and for GlaxoSmithKline to ensure women have free access to Tykerb until it is available on the PBS."
It is estimated that up to 500 women will benefit every year if the drug is listed on the PBS.
Ms Swinburne said women had been waiting a long time for the listing. "It is imperative that Australia dos not have a system where only wealthy families can access the best treatment and care for breast cancer."
Canberra Times, 12/1/08, p7; Adelaide Advertiser, 12/1/08, p22
A note from our Breast Care Nurse regarding this article:
It is always encouraging to hear of research that supports the use of any treatment for breast cancer. Any woman wanting to know if this is a suitable treatment for her should consult her doctor.
- Sherryl Potts
New breast cancer test being developed
Listed 11 January 2008
11th January 2008, 5:56 WST
Scientists in the United States are developing a screening test for breast cancer that checks a woman's saliva for evidence of the disease to help find tumours early, when they are most treatable.
In research published, the scientists said they identified 49 proteins in saliva that the screening test would track to distinguish healthy women from those with benign breast tumours and those with malignant breast tumours.
Breast cancer triggers a change in the type and amount of proteins in secretions from the salivary glands, said Charles Streckfus, a professor of diagnostic sciences at the University of Texas Dental Branch at Houston.
The proteins are produced by tumour cells and affect cell growth, cell metabolism and cell self-destruction - all of which go awry in cancer, Streckfus said.
Streckfus and colleagues tested saliva from 30 women - 10 healthy women, 10 with malignant breast cancer and 10 with benign breast tumours.
The pattern of proteins is different in each of the three groups, the researchers reported in the journal Cancer Investigation.
More work needs to be done before a screening test based on these proteins can be made available to the public, Streckfus said. But US government approval for the test may be sought within five years, he added.
Mammography and breast self-examination for tumors are leading methods used for early detection of breast cancer.
But Streckfus said mammograms - X-rays of the breasts - are too expensive in many developing countries and a cheap, easy-to-perform screening test would be valuable.
"On a global perspective, mammography is not very common," Streckfus said in a telephone interview. "Even in our neighbour Mexico, there are very few mammography centres around."
Streckfus said he envisioned a saliva test as a quick, inexpensive and simple screening method. In developed countries like the United States, such a test could complement existing screening methods, he added.
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women worldwide, according to the American Cancer Society.
The organisation estimated that about 465,000 women died from it globally in 2007, with 1.3 million new cases diagnosed. Declining death rates from breast cancer in developed countries have been attributed to early detection through mammography screening and to improved treatment, the organisation said.
The American Cancer Society recommends women age 40 and older get a mammogram every year. Streckfus said the new test could be done more frequently to find tumors that might arise between mammograms.
Other researchers last week said they were developing a saliva test to screen for head and neck cancers. Their test also was years away from being available to the public.
www.thewest.com.au
A note from our Breast Care Nurse regarding this article:
A saliva test for breast cancer has been recently mentioned in the news. According to the statement made by the US professor working on the test however, more work needs to be done before a screening test can be made available to the public and it is likely to be five years before US government approval for the test can be sought, so it is still a long way off.
- Sherryl Potts
Specialist Oncology Service at Albany Regional Hospital
Listed 11 January 2008
News of the establishment of a specialist oncology service at Albany Regional Hospital is good news indeed and should reduce the need for south-west patients to travel to Perth for treatment. The Minister for Health Mr Jim McGinty stated on December 7th, 2007 that the service should be in place in early 2008.
Skin: Oz must wait for SPF 50
Listed 7 December 2007
Sunscreens with an SPF 50 rating won't be available in Australia until 2010. But the sunscreen is not necessarily better at protecting from UVA rays.
"On the surface an SPF 50 rating on sunscreens sold internationally might appear to provide more protection, but this is mainly from burning UVB and not UVA rays," Standards Australia public affairs manager Kate Evans said.
Currently, sunscreens must comply with an Australia/New Zealand standard that states they can only be labelled up to 30-plus. The standard sets out tests that determine the SPF of a sunscreen, such as if it's broad spectrum or water resistant.
"Australia was the first and is one of only a few countries where sunscreens are actually regulated," she said. "Because we have a very high incidence of skin cancer in Australia, the experts on our committee responsible for the Sunscreen Standard 2604 are very determined to protect Australians from the damaging effects of sunlight."
MX Brisbane, 29/11/07, p5
Risk: cancer 'myth'
Listed 7 December 2007
The claim that repeated use of plastic drink bottles could cause cancer is an urban myth, a leading chemical industry spokesman says.
Plastics and Chemicals Industries Association chief executive Michael Catchpole was responding to an email circulating in the country that claims people who refill plastic bottles for drinking risked exposure to carcinogens.
Adelaide Advertiser, 30/11/07, p25
Risk: cigarettes lift breast cancer risk
Listed 7 December 2007
Women whose faulty genes put them at a greater risk of breast cancer can halve their dangers by not smoking, landmark research shows.
A major international study, which included researchers from the University of Melbourne and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, suggests that risk can be dramatically lowered by not smoking.
The study, the first to show a link between smoking and breast cancer in women with the mutated genes, showed the risk to those with the faulty BRCA1 gene was 2.3 times greater if they had smoked for five years. The risk to smokers with a faulty BRCA2 gene was 2.6 times higher and the risk for both groups increased the longer they smoked, jumping about 7% each year.
"This study suggests that women with faulty genes can effectively halve their risk of developing breast cancer by not smoking," Melbourne university researcher Dr Mark Jenkins said. "If you have a faulty breast cancer gene or a strong family history of breast cancer, not smoking may reduce your risk of developing breast cancer and you will also get all the other health benefits of not smoking."
The study, published in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, analysed 780 women in large international breast cancer trials, including more than 300 from the Melbourne-based Australian Breast Cancer Family study.
"This study suggests that smoking plays a major role and adds to the growing body of evidence on the health dangers of smoking," Dr Jenkins said.
Herald Sun, 28/11/07, p10; Daily Telegraph, 28/11/07, p17; Canberra Times, 28/11/07, p3; Adelaide Advertiser, 28/11/07, p3; Courier Mail, 28/11/07, p5; Hobart Mercury, 28/11/07, p18
Risk: city life boosts breast cancer risk
Listed 7 December 2007
The stresses and strains of city life could be putting women at risk of breast cancer. A study has found women living in urban areas are "significantly" more susceptible to the disease than those living in the country.
Researchers who made the discovery suspect that city women are more likely to have stressful jobs and are more physically active.
Stress can double the chances of developing breast cancer, while being thin increases the risk of the disease in the years leading up to menopause.
Study leader Dr Nicholas Perry, a radiologist at London's Princess Grace Hospital said, " women living in cities need to pay more attention to having regular breast screening."
MX Sydney, 27/11/07, p9; MX Melbourne, 27/11/07, p6
PET project zooms in on cancer hot spots
Listed 30 October 2007
In an Australian-first, Perth researchers are trialling a probe which could greatly improve the success of cancer surgery by allowing surgeons to detect tiny tumours by zooming in precisely on cancer "hot spots".
The $750,000 device, known as beta Positron Emission Tomography, is only the fourth probe of its kind in the world and being used for the first time in Australia, initially on women with ductal carcinoma in situ, or DCIS, a type of precursor to invasive breast cancer.
Curtin University researchers said they believed the hand-held probe, which was capable of detecting tumours less than once centimetre in size, could help guide surgeons in removing a range of cancers, including those of the liver and prostate, and reduce the need for repeat surgery. Once patients were injected with a low-dose dye, the probe used beta rays to home in on cancer hot spots.
"Because the beta probe is highly sensitive and directional it means surgeons can see exactly what tissue needs to be removed in real time and can potentially pick up far more tumours than would be otherwise possible," principal investigator Kerryn Butler-Henderson said.
Terry Slevin, from the Cancer Council WA, which helped fund the equipment from a bequest, said it was likely to become an important new tool in treating cancer, particularly in women who had precursors to breast cancer and could be more effectively treated before they had full-blown disease.
West Australian, 20/10/07, p3
Online test for breast cancer risk
Listed 30 October 2007
Women can assess their risk of breast cancer by using an online tool designed to counter myths about the causes of the disease.
The National Breast Cancer Centre has developed a risk calculator that takes into account factors that include a woman's age, family background, height, weight, alcohol intake and reproductive history to determine her level of risk.
The service is the first of its kind in Australia and will be launched by Health Minister Tony Abbott at the NBCC's annual Pink Ribbon Breakfast in Sydney today.
NBCC director Helen Zorbas said the calculator was developed following a survey conducted by the centre a few years ago that revealed the depth of misconceptions and misinformation about the causes of breast cancer.
The centre undertook a review of the latest international research in compiling the calculator to assess the risk level attached to different factors.
Dr Zorbas said there was no guarantee any women would never develop breast cancer, but the calculator was important in making women aware of what potentially increases their level of risk. She hoped using the calculator would encourage women to remain vigilant about regularly checking their breasts, having mammograms if they were in the appropriate age group or just being aware of the look and feel of their breasts.
The online risk calculator is at the centre's website www.nbcc.org.au/risk
Australian, 22/10/07, p3; Sydney Morning Herald, 22/10/07, p4; Daily Telegraph, 22/10/07, p3; West Australian, 22/10/07, p15; Herald Sun, 22/10/07, p26; Northern Territory News, 22/10/07, p10; Courier Mail, 22/10/07, p17; Adelaide Advertiser, 22/10/07, p4
Government of Western Australia - Media Statement
$2million state-of-the-art breast screening equipment comes to WA
Listed 23 October 2007
Statement Released: 22-Oct-2007
Portfolio: Health
Four new digital mammography machines will improve the detection of breast cancer in high-risk and difficult-to-screen cases.
Health Minister Jim McGinty said the $500,000 full-field digital mammography machines were the best in Australia and the first of their kind in Western Australia.
“The machines will increase clinicians’ ability to pick up early cancers and will be particularly useful for screening women who have a family history of breast cancer, symptoms of breast cancer or are at a high-risk because they have previously had breast cancer,” Mr McGinty said.
“The first of these life saving machines is now ready to start treating WA women at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.
“By November, a second machine at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and another two at Royal Perth Hospital will be ready for use.”
Professor of Surgical Oncology Christobel Saunders said the new machines were also better at detecting small cancers in women with breasts that were difficult to screen.
“Women who are younger or are on HRT often have very dense breast tissue which can make it more difficult to detect cancer using conventional mammograms.
“With non-digital mammography machines, 10 to15 per cent of cancers cannot be seen.
“These digital machines will detect more of those difficult cases earlier.”
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital consultant radiologist Dr Anita Bourke said the machines were the gold standard in breast cancer screening.
“Instead of waiting for conventional X-ray film to be ready to view, we can now see the better quality images instantly on a computer screen,” she said.
“We can also manipulate these images to enable us to take a much closer look at previously difficult to see areas of the breast.
“This is particularly important for younger women, and also for all our patients it means we use less radiation to penetrate the breast tissue. This machine gives the lowest radiation dose of any approved screening equipment.”
The Minister said breast cancer affected one in eight Australian women.
“The State Government is committed to ensuring that the women of WA have access to the latest technology for detecting and diagnosing this disease,” Mr McGinty said.
“WA will now have the same number of digital mammography machines as NSW - to serve our much smaller population.”
Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital’s breast screen unit performed approximately 4,000 mammograms last year while Royal Perth Hospital performed approximately 5,000. The number of women screened is growing by about nine per cent each year.
Patients are generally referred to the hospitals by their GP or via BreastScreen WA.
All women aged 40 and over can have a free mammogram every two years with BreastScreen WA. For further information or to book an appointment, telephone 13 20 50.
Minister's office - 9422 3000
Early Detection Saves Lives
Listed 12 October 2007
Source: The West Australian
Breast cancer sufferers with small tumours that are detected early have almost the same five-year survival rate (97%) as women without breast cancer at all (98%). The finding, in a landmark Australian report released today, sends a very strong message about the importance of early detection.
"This study shows that surviving breast cancer is very much something you can take control of," said co-author Dr Helen Zorbas, director of the National Breast Cancer Centre. "It's all about women knowing what's normal for them and if they notice any change in the look or feel of their breasts, to see their doctor without delay. Early detection is vital to surviving this disease."
Air Travel and Lymphoedema
Listed 12 October 2007
Source: Courier Mail, 26/9/07, p24
Researchers are conducting a study to determine if air travel triggers the painful condition, lymphoedema, experienced by many breast cancer patients.
About 75 of the 2000 women taking part in this weekend's Dragon Boat event, Abreast in Australia, are involved in the study. The researchers are measuring levels of arm swelling before the women leave for the regatta and after their arrival in Queensland. Women from Vancouver and Edmonton, in Canada, and others from Darwin are being studied to compare any differences between domestic and international air travel.