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responsive breast cancer. There is evidence to and new cancers in the previously unaffected suggest that having a break from oestrogen outcomes for people diagnosed with breast deprivation may re-sensitise a breast cancer The International Breast Cancer Intervention cancer. The aim of collecting this essential to this treatment. This study is currently health information is to answer the questions above, to ensure high quality care is being Canterbury areas. For further information as effective, or bet er than, tamoxifen in preventing the development of breast cancer delivery and provision of clinical resources ii) the LATER, or “Later adjuvant Aromatase in the same breast as the DCIS, or in the inhibitor Therapy for postmenopausal women opposite breast. North Shore and Waikato with Endocrine Responsive breast cancer”, Hospitals are centres for this research.
There are more regions considering setting study is finding out whether taking the drug The Trans Tasman Radiation Oncology Group up similar registers. This will enable regional, letrozole for a year or more after finishing is also currently investigating further the best a summary of Breast caNcer research NatIoNally aNd INterNatIoNally. five years treatment with hormonal therapy (e.g. tamoxifen) can prevent or delay breast Words: JENNI SCARLET AND IAN CAMPBELL
cancer recurring in postmenopausal women. This study is currently only available to Breast conserving surgery (or wide local the Waikato Breast Cancer Trust and other excision) is an accepted treatment option for information please phone 0800 770 119.
most women with early breast cancer. Clinical start toward the documentation of national trials have shown that radiotherapy to the breast cancer statistics. Ideally, though, Earlier research has already established whole breast, after breast conserving surgery, that for women with small single (unifocal) is important to substantially reduce the risk breast cancers the surgical removal of the of breast cancer recurring in the breast (local national coverage. This was a top priority ‘sentinel’ nodes (i.e. the first lymph node/s recommendation to the Ministry of Health draining from the region of the breast cancer) who do not undergo radiotherapy following provides accurate information as to whether surgery. The current standard of care after the multidisciplinary team who developed axillary nodes are involved with cancer or breast conserving surgery is radiotherapy to the whole breast, to a dose of 50Gray (Gy) Management (SNBM) resulted in fewer side given in 25 daily sessions (or fractions) over a c) Access to breast cancer care study effects than axillary clearance. However with an SN biopsy there is a small false negative There is ongoing international research, rate (5.5. %), i.e. a risk of not removing a University is looking into the role of access lymph node with cancer spread. There is also studying shorter treatment schedules where a small risk for developing lymphedema.
radiotherapy to given to only part of the breast diagnosis to treatment in order to better and treatment given is in a shorter space of understand factors related to breast cancer time (accelerated partial breast irradiation).
survival. The study is recruiting women were (called the “Sentinel Node biopsy versus Axil ary Clearance or SNAC 2” trial) seeks to a) Regional breast cancer registers and the evaluate the long term cancer outcomes of this need for a national breast cancer database woman’s surgery. The test can more precisely technique, and in particular whether SN biopsy Breast cancer is the most significant health date. For more information about this study, estimate a woman’s likelihood of having her of early breast cancer after completion of is safe for women with larger or multi-focal breast cancer return and predict whether five years of hormonal treatment has, until tumours and cancers of a more aggressive leading cause of cancer death for women. freephone 0800 080 078 or email l.ellison- diagnosis, and treatment to quality of life recently, been confined to annual checks and biological type. This is a very important trial after cancer. Research ranges from studies Women with a high Oncotype DX ‘recurrence mammography. because very few women with larger tumours, examining certain characteristics of a tumour score’ benefit from chemotherapy. Women and none with multi focal tumours, have been included in other international, randomised rate from breast cancer when compared to The purpose of this research is to investigate aromatase inhibitor, after five years of other countries such as Australia, Canada psychological and survivorship issues. We tamoxifen, improves breast cancer outcomes. It and the United States. Why is this so? Is it Universities, international collaborators, the report on some of the many research studies ‘recurrence score’, benefit from chemotherapy is not certain if this is the case after five years pharmaceutical industry, funding agencies of treatment including an aromatase inhibitor. and the courage of women who participate b) Extending hormonal treatment beyond five Programmes like BreastScreen Aotearoa are other countries? Is it that cancer is detected in research and clinical trials, that progress 1. early breast cancer clinical trials that New years - the later use of aromatase inhibitors commenced two clinical trials addressing able to detect very early stage breast cancers, at a later stage here or are our treatments is made to improve the care of future women the important question of whether additional called ductal carcinoma insitu (DCIS). This is The standard length of time that hormonal treatment with an aromatase inhibitor could also known as non-invasive breast cancer, as or endocrine treatment is taken (daily) is reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence the cancer cells are present only in the ducts database to assess the success or otherwise five years. However, after reaching the end in postmenopausal women in these later and of the breast and have not spread to other of the treatment of breast cancer in New Note: If you have any questions about these of their treatment there is still an ongoing continued ‘at risk’ years. These are: breast tissue or to other parts of the body.
treatments and whether they are applicable stands for ‘Trial Assigning Individualised risk of developing another breast cancer, i) the SOLE or “Study Of Letrozole Extension” Studies on invasive breast cancer (which to your situation, please discuss with your Options for Treatment (Rx)’. This research or the original breast cancer returning in trial is investigating five years continuous Oncologist, Surgeon, Breast Physician or GP. uses a sophisticated laboratory test called letrozole versus nine months with a three outside of the breast ducts) have shown that “Oncotype DX”. This test analyses 25 factors month break each year for post menopausal aromatase inhibitors, including anastrozole, established regional breast cancer registers. on a sample of cancer taken at the time of a year or more - this risk translates to 1 in women with lymph node positive endocrine are more effective in preventing recurrence

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