MRIs Beat Mammograms at Spotting Earliest Breast Cancer

Breast cancer, ovarian cancer, melanoma yield to new approaches

(NEWSER) - New treatments for cancer—breast, ovarian, and skin—raised hopes at this weekend's meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago. The findings aren't enough for Robert Langreth of Forbes , who sees "serious questions about whether big drug companies may be rushing too fast." Judge for yourself.

• A single dose of radiation administered at the site of tumor removal deterred recurrence of breast cancer as well as the standard grueling course of radiation on the entire breast, the Chicago Tribune reports.

2008 candidate will continue his campaign

(NEWSER) - Presidential contender John Edwards and his wife Elizabeth announced today that the breast cancer she battled after the last election cycle has recurred and advanced to Stage IV. The cancer has spread to her bones, a lung, and possibly other organs, her oncologist explained, and is now inoperable. The couple, however, plans to push forward on John's campaign. More»

We must continue to put pressure on breast cancer organization: Peggy Orenstein

(NEWSER) - The furor that pushed the Komen foundation to reverse its controversial Planned Parenthood decision must now be turned to other aspects of the breast cancer fundraising organization, writes Peggy Orenstein in the Los Angeles Times . Despite the name "Susan G. Komen for the Cure," last year the organization spent just 15% of its funds on research. That's about half the percentage spent in 2008, despite the fact that Komen's revenue is rising. The truth is, "mammography, rather than a cure, has always been Komen's focus," as evidenced by the fact that 55% of last year's funds went toward awareness and promoting mammograms. More»

New drug combos delay tumor growth in advanced cases

(NEWSER) - Two new studies mark what could be the biggest breakthrough in treating breast cancer in more than a decade, researchers say. Both involve combining drug therapies that attack tumors in different ways, significantly delaying the time until women with advanced breast cancer became sicker, the AP reports. One treatment held tumor growth at bay for around six months longer than conventional treatments; the other delayed it for four months longer. More»

Sticking to advised limits would prevent thousands of cases

(NEWSER) - Drinking leads to at least 13,000 cases of cancer in Britain each year, a study finds—and thousands could be avoided if people would stick to alcohol guidelines. That UK-centric finding comes from a study that examined the tie between diet and cancer in eight European countries. Researchers discovered that among men, more than half of the cases of cancer of the upper digestive tract, colorectum, and liver attributed to alcohol in 2008 resulted from having more than two drinks daily; in women, more than 80% resulted from having more than one drink per day, the Guardian reports. More»