(Press-News.org) Young patients can safely breastfeed without increasing the risk of cancer recurrence or new cancer in the opposite breast
Telephone-based intervention can successfully prompt patients who are overweight to exercise more, lowering their weight
BARCELONA, SPAIN – Three studies led by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers have encouraging implications for patients with breast cancer. Two studies focus on breastfeeding after breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. The studies found it was safe and feasible for young patients carrying specific genetic variations to breastfeed without raising their risk of a cancer recurrence or a cancer in the other breast, and that it was safe and feasible to breastfeed for patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer who conceived after a temporary interruption of endocrine therapy. The third study shows that a telephone-based coaching program can significantly increase physical activity in overweight patients, potentially improving their outcomes. The studies were presented at the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2024 in Barcelona, Spain.
Breastfeeding after breast cancer safe and feasible in survivors of breast cancer
Two studies presented at ESMO show it’s not only feasible for many patients to breastfeed after a breast cancer diagnosis, but it’s also safe. Dana-Farber researchers and patients contributed to both studies.
The first study was a collaboration among investigators at 78 hospitals and cancer treatment centers worldwide. It involved 474 patients with inherited mutations in the cancer-susceptibility genes BRCA1 or BRCA2 who became pregnant after being diagnosed with stage I-III invasive breast cancer at age 40 or younger.
Researchers divided the patients into two groups – those who breastfed after delivering a child and those who did not – and tracked their health over time. At a median of seven years after delivery, there was no difference between the two groups in the incidence of cancer in the region of the original tumor or in the opposite breast. Disease-free survival – how long patients live free of cancer – and overall survival were also the same for the two groups.
The second study provides breastfeeding outcomes from the POSITIVE trial which demonstrated early safety of the temporary interruption of endocrine therapy to attempt pregnancy. A key secondary endpoint was breastfeeding outcomes. The study involved 518 patients at age 42 or younger with HR+, stage I-III breast cancer. Of these patients, 317 went on to have a live birth and 196 chose to breastfeed. Breast conserving surgery was a key factor favoring breastfeeding.
Prior research led by Dana-Farber has demonstrated that young breast cancer survivors who have breast conserving therapy and then go on to breastfeed can have challenges nursing from the treated breast and need to rely on the opposite unaffected breast to feed the baby.
"These studies provide the first evidence on the safety of breastfeeding after breast cancer in both young patients carrying BRCA variations that predispose to breast cancer, as well as patients who conceived after pausing endocrine therapy" says Ann Partridge, MD, MPH, the founder and director of the Program for Young Adults with Breast Cancer at Dana-Farber, and a senior investigator on the study. "Our findings emphasize the possibility of supporting maternal and infant needs without compromising maternal safety."
Proffered paper session: Supportive and palliative care
Breastfeeding in women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer who conceived after temporary interruption of endocrine therapy: Results from the POSITIVE trial (1814O)
Ann Partridge, MD, MPH, Dana-Farber, co-senior investigator
Proffered paper session: Supportive and palliative care
Breastfeeding after breast cancer in young BRCA carriers: results from an international cohort study (1815O)
Ann Partridge, MD, MPH, Dana-Farber, co-senior investigator
A coaching program for increased exercise
The third study draws on data from the Breast Cancer Weight Loss (BWEL) trial, which is exploring whether participating in a weight loss program after a breast cancer diagnosis can reduce the risk of cancer recurrence in women with a body mass index (BMI) in the overweight or obese range. The BWEL trial randomized 3,180 women with breast cancer to a group that received a telephone-based coaching program focused on reducing calories and increasing exercise combined with health education materials versus health education materials alone. The study’s primary goal is to determine whether the weight loss program reduces the risk of cancer recurrence and secondary aims focus on evaluating whether the weight loss program helps breast cancer survivors to exercise more and eat a healthier diet.
The study, presented at ESMO, looks at changes in exercise in 541 BWEL study participants who took part in a substudy that evaluated their exercise patterns over time. Half of the patients took part in the weight loss program and the education program, and the other half received educational materials only.
At the time of enrolling in the trial, patients in both groups did very little exercise—a median of zero minutes per week in the health education group and 10 minutes per week in the weight loss group. By six months after enrollment, women receiving the weight loss program increased their weekly exercise by a median 40 minutes and the women in the education group did not increase their exercise at all. Additionally, women taking part in the weight loss program were more likely to exercise at least 150 minutes per week—a level of exercise linked to many health benefits--and less likely to report no exercise at all, as compared to women in the education alone group.
Across all the patients in the study, those who engaged in at least 150 minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity per week had greater weight loss than those who did not.
"Our results show that a telephone-based weight-loss intervention can motivate this group of patients to be more physically active," says the study's first author, Jennifer Ligibel, MD, the Director of the Leonard P. Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies and Healthy Living at Dana-Farber. "We'll continue to follow these patients to determine whether changes in exercise influence cancer outcomes."
Mini oral session: Supportive and palliative care
Effect of a weight loss intervention (WLI) on exercise behaviors in women with breast cancer: Results from the Breast Cancer Weight Loss (BWEL) Trial (1817MO)
Jennifer Ligibel, MD, Dana-Farber, presenting author
About Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is one of the world’s leading centers of cancer research and treatment. Dana-Farber’s mission is to reduce the burden of cancer through scientific inquiry, clinical care, education, community engagement, and advocacy. We provide the latest treatments in cancer for adults through Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center and for children through Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. Dana-Farber is the only hospital nationwide with a top 10 U.S. News & World Report Best Cancer Hospital ranking in both adult and pediatric care.
As a global leader in oncology, Dana-Farber is dedicated to a unique and equal balance between cancer research and care, translating the results of discovery into new treatments for patients locally and around the world, offering more than 1,100 clinical trials.
# # #
END
CLEVELAND, Ohio (Sept 10, 2024) –Menopausal women are at greater risk of insulin resistance as a result of declining estrogen levels. Previous studies evaluating the potential benefits of hormone therapy on insulin resistance have produced mixed results. However, a new meta-analysis of 17 different randomized, controlled trials suggests hormone therapy can be beneficial. Results of the meta-analysis will be presented at the 2024 Annual Meeting of The Menopause Society in Chicago September 10-14.
Insulin resistance can occur in men or women, but menopausal women are at ...
ITHACA, N.Y. – New research co-led by Cornell University examines thousands of years of Arctic sled dog ancestry and reveals when and how Siberian and Alaskan sled dogs’ DNA mixed.
“There was a real concern from Siberian breeders – who were mostly racing their dogs – that they were sending out their dogs’ DNA samples for analysis, more for the context of health traits, and they were getting breed ancestry information back that said their dog was not 100% Siberian husky,” said Heather Huson, a former ...
ABSTRACT: 1476O
BARCELONA, Spain ― Treatment with a combination of haloperidol and lorazepam reduced symptoms of agitated delirium, a common end-of-life condition for patients with advanced cancers, compared with haloperidol alone, according to a new study led by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The findings were presented today at the 2024 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress.
Agitated delirium occurs when a patient’s brain function begins to deteriorate as their cancer advances, resulting in many patients beginning to behave aggressively or abnormally. Although the use of medication ...
Boston, MA and Rolle, Switzerland, September 14, 2024 – SOPHiA GENETICS (Nasdaq: SOPH), a cloud-native healthcare technology company and a leader in data-driven medicine, will unveil new research at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2024. The study, conducted in collaboration with AstraZeneca, leverages advanced AI-driven techniques to identify subgroups of stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who could most benefit from the addition of tremelimumab to durvalumab and chemotherapy.
The research is a retrospective, multimodal analysis of the POSEIDON Phase 3 clinical trial (NCT03164616). This trial originally demonstrated that the combination of tremelimumab, ...
Bile acids are essential signaling molecules derived from cholesterol metabolism in the liver and are crucial for the digestion and absorption of fats. These molecules undergo further modification in the intestines by the gut microbiome. However, disruptions in bile flow, a condition known as cholestasis, can lead to the pathological accumulation of hydrophobic BAs in the liver and bloodstream. This accumulation not only exacerbates liver damage but also induces significant disturbances in cellular processes. The review focuses on recent developments in understanding how BAs contribute to liver injury by affecting mitochondrial function, endoplasmic reticulum ...
Tokyo, Japan – Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have made strides forward in realizing industrial conversion of bicarbonate solution made from captured carbon to a formate solution, a green fuel. Their new electrochemical cell, with a porous membrane layer in between the electrodes, overcomes major issues suffered in reactive carbon capture (RCC) and achieves performances rivaling energy-hungry gas-fed methods. Processes like theirs directly add value to waste streams and are key to realizing net zero emissions.
Carbon capture technology ...
Lakes can tip the scales from healthy to potential environmental hazard quickly when they become eutrophic. In this state, an abundance of nutrients accelerates algae growth, which then crowd the water’s surface and block light from reaching organisms below. Without light, they can’t make oxygen and life in the water begins to die off. Luckily, researchers can monitor inland lakes for eutrophication with remote sensing technologies; however, those technologies could be adjusted to make more accurate assessments, according to researchers based in China.
The team published their evaluation of the technologies, as well as recommended paths ...
While planting trees may seem like an easy win to combat climate change, planted forests often encroach on natural forests, wetlands, and grasslands. This can reduce biodiversity, disturb the natural environment, and disrupt carbon and water cycling. While there has been a global increase in forest cover, it’s hard to know if this forest is the regeneration and growth of natural forests or if it is planting new trees. Accurately mapping these forests with remote sensing technology could help.
However, comprehensive maps of planted forests and natural forests are lacking even though it is possible to distinguish planted forests and natural forests on satellite images ...
CHICAGO—September 13, 2024—The College of Architecture at Illinois Institute of Technology has been awarded the prestigious Zero Energy Design Designation (ZEDD) from the United States Department of Energy (DOE) for it Bachelor of Architecture and Master of Architecture programs. This recognition highlights the college’s commitment to sustainability, carbon neutrality, and zero-energy design practices in a world of escalating extreme weather and climate change.
The ...
HOUSTON – (Sept. 13, 2024) – Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has notoriously struggled to create consistent images, often getting details like fingers and facial symmetry wrong. Moreover, these models can completely fail when prompted to generate images at different image sizes and resolutions.
Rice University computer scientists’ new method of generating images with pre-trained diffusion models ⎯ a class of generative AI models that “learn” by adding layer after layer of random noise to the images they are trained on and then generate new images by removing the added noise ⎯ could help correct ...
