Preliminary research results and the media - more harm than good?
A preliminary study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology this past week suggests that women who have mutations in the BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 genes and are exposed to any X-rays have a greater chance of developing cancer.
Over 1600 women with a mutation in either their BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes were questioned about whether or not they had ever had an x-ray. The study revealed that the women who had received chest x-rays were around 54% more likely to get breast cancer. And if they had the x-ray before they were 20, they were 2.5 times more likely to have breast cancer before they were 40.
This study was reported by Reuters, Forbes and others who did make it clear that it was just a preliminary study. Issues about the problems with self-reporting on questionaires were discussed also - as well as the fact that even high risk women don’t usually start having mammograms before 20.
Despite those caveats a study like this being reported by the general media might leave some high risk women - or even those without the mutations - afraid of getting mammograms.
It may very well be true that women with the BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 mutations may be increasing their chances of developing breast cancer even more by getting mammograms - it is known that some percent of the population is more at risk from radiation damage due to x-rays. Plus BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 are believed to be involved in DNA repair mechanisms.
If it turns out to be a big enough risk it may prompt the faster development of alternative screening methods for breast cancer - possibly methods that are more comfortable for women.
Meanwhile - do you think it does more harm than good when these types of studies are released? Is it best that all research results - even if preliminary - are made available to the public? Is it worth the risk of some women being afraid of getting regular mammograms? Do most people understand the relationships between genes, mutations and cancer well enough to put the study into a proper perspective?
I lean toward having results of all medical and scientific results available to all regardless of the confusion it might cause. I can see how others may disagree though. What do you think?
(Technorati Tags: BRCA1, BRCA2, breast cancer, mammogram, genes)
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June 26, 2006
Odds and Ends
Reuters reports about a new imaging technology that combines CAT scans with PET scans to detect cancer at an earlier stage.
A new study from researchers at the University of Wisconsin show a correlation between high cadmium levels and breast cancer. The study consisted of 246 women with breast cancer and 254 without. Cadmium levels were tested through urine. The women with the highest 25% levels of cadmium had twice the chance of developing breast cancer compared to those with the lowest 25%. This study was published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Rachel at Women’s Health News has a good discussion on her blog about the new breastfeeding campaign from the Department of Health and Human Services. She brings up some good points about how the recommendations don’t seem very in touch with most women’s lives and the challenges many have to breast feed. Feministing has a great discussion in the comments section too!
(Technorati Tags: cancer, breast cancer, cadmium, breast feeding)
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June 21, 2006
New breast cancer gene discovered
BARD1 is the name of a new breast cancer gene that was just discovered by a group of researchers in Iceland. They believe it works with the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 to increase the chances of developing breast cancer by a significant amount.
In 15%–25% of familial breast cancers either the BRCA1 or BRCA2 is defective. The BRCA1 protein forms a heterodimer with the protein BARD1, which is a related protein. In previous studies it has been shown that the BARD1 variant Cys557Ser is associated with some breast cancers.
In this study the genes of 1,090 women with breast cancer and 703 women without it were compared. It was found that the Cys557Ser variant was almost 2 times as likely in women who had breast cancer. Women who had both the BARD1 mutation and a specific mutation on BRCA2 had an even greater chance of developing breast cancer.
This BARD1 variant has not been found in women who are Chinese, Japanese, African-American or Yoruban, but is present in some European families.
To learn more you can read the research article at the Public Library of Science Medicine.
(Technorati Tags: breast cancer, BARD1, BRCA1, BRCA2, gene, health)
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- Breast cancer gene product has role in translation
- The paradox of BRCA1 in breast cancer
- Preliminary research results and the media - more harm than good?
June 19, 2006
New way to freeze your eggs!
Yes, freeze your eggs!
As you may know, sperm are relatively easy to freeze, but eggs aren’t. Because of this, infertility problems of women including from cancer treatments leave some women unable to have children.
While it can be done, it doesn’t always work too well - the eggs tend to get damaged when they are thawed. So far only around 150 babies have been born from eggs that were frozen.
Now some Japanese researchers have revealed at a scientific meeting that they have come up with a new method for freezing eggs that works much better. With their method they were able to successfully thaw 94.5% of 111 eggs that they tested the method on.
For more detailed information about this new egg freezing method please see the ScienceBlog post about it at ‘New egg freezing technique offers hope to hundreds of women‘.
(Technorati Tags: eggs, women, sperm, freeze, infertility)
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June 14, 2006
The New England Journal of Medicine had a recent article about how the use of angiotensin-converting–enzyme (ACE) inhibitors by women in their first trimester of pregnancy can result in major congenital malformations.
Previously it had been shown that the use of ACE inhibitors during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy could result in an increased chance of fetopathy.
ACE inhibitors are used to treat hypertension and cardiovascular disorders. They work by lowering arteriolar resistance and increasing venous capacitance; increasing cardiac output and cardiac index, stroke work and volume, lowering renovascular resistance, and leading to increased natriuresis (from Wikipedia)
The study looked at 29,507 babies born between 1985 and 2000 . Of these 209 were exposed to ACE inhibitors in just the first trimester and 202 were exposed to other antihypertensive drugs in just the first trimester. The rest were not exposed to any medications for hypertension during gestation.
Based on vital records and hospitalization claims while they were under a year old it was determined the ones exposed to the drugs during the 1st trimester had a greater chance of major congenital malformations. The authors of the study suggest that ‘exposure to ACE inhibitors during the first trimester cannot be considered safe and should be avoided’. Reference: New England Journal of Medicine Volume 354:2443-2451 June 8, 2006 Number 23
(Technorati Tags: pregnancy, ACE inhibitors, trimester, hypertension, NEJM)
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