January Resource Roundup

January Resource Roundup

Welcome to our monthly resource roundup! Each month, we curate study opportunities, new clinical trials, research results, news articles, personal perspectives, and upcoming events of interest to women and families affected by breast, ovarian, or metastatic breast cancer. Below are some links you might find useful.


Breast, Ovarian, and Metastatic Breast Cancer: 

Camp Kesem at the University of Pensylvania

Camp Kesem in Central Pensylvania offers children with parents who have been diagnosed with cancer, or children grieving from the loss of a parent or caregiver due to a cancer diagnosis, the opportunity to make a Summers worth of memories with children just like them. Camp Kesem is open free of charge to children between the ages of 6-18 who have, or have had, a parent or primary caregiver with cancer. To learn more about this Camp Kesem, or to register a camper who you think may be interested, check their website here.


Ovarian Cancer

New Research Says There’s No Significant Link Between Talc and Ovarian Cancer, but Some Scientists Push Back Against the Study’s Data and Design
By: Sarah Elizabeth Richards, Cancer Therapy Advisor

A new study posted earlier this month by JAMA took data documenting women's talc powder usage, in some cases from decades ago, and used this to identify associations between these habits and ovarian cancer diagnosis. The group looked at more than 250,000 women who were enrolled across four US studies and concluded that there wasn't a “statistically significant association” between the use of powder in the genital area and ovarian cancer. Lead author Katie O’Brien, PhD, an epidemiologist at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, points out that the conclusion from the study was not definitive, as the analysis was limited to data from only four different studies. Read the full article on Cancer Therapy Advisor's website here.

ASCO's Newest Guideline on Germline and Somatic Tumor Testing in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

ASCO published its updated guideline on germline and somatic tumor testing in epithelial ovarian cancer on Monday, January 27, 2020, which provides recommendations for women and families of those diagnosed with this type of ovarian cancer. In a detailed infographic and accompanying study, ASCO suggests which individuals should receive genetic testing, evaluation, counseling, and more. Read the full study and see the infographic on their website here.


Breast Cancer

Clinical Challenges: Test Your Knowledge of These Breast Cancer Topics

Medpage Today has put together a short quiz to test your knowledge on three topics they covered in their "Clinical Challenges" series: pregnancy-associated breast cancer, CDK4/6 inhibitors, and inflammatory breast cancer. Test your knowledge of these topics with their quiz here, and share with your friends to see what they know. To read the articles included in the "Clinical Challenges" series, click here.

Taking Supplements During Breast Cancer Treatment Increases Risk Of Death And Relapse, What Does This Mean For Patients?
By: Dr. Victoria Forster, Forbes

Research published by the Journal of Clinical Oncology , which studied over 1,000 breast cancer patients, found that patients who reported taking antioxidants (vitamins A, C, E and carotenoids and Coenyzme Q10) had an increased risk of recurrence by 41% when taking the supplements before and during chemotherapy.  "Vitamin B12, iron, and omega-3 fatty acid use was also associated with poorer outcomes," said Christine B. Ambrosone, PhD, of Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and leader of the study. Learn more about this study with the link to the article here. Before adding, subtracting, or changing anything in regards to your diet or supplement intake, we always suggest consulting your doctor first.


Metastatic Breast Cancer

Metastatic Trial Talk's January 2020 Issue

A new issue of Metastatic Trial Talk's monthly portal has been posted and features new information and resources for women with metastatic breast cancer. This month, you can discover new clinical trials available for women with MBC, read up on the newest research on "big data" and its contribution to scientists and treatment, and so much more. Click here to see everything new in January.

For Metastatic HER2-Positive Breast Cancer, New Treatments Emerge

The National Cancer Institute released new information regarding new treatments for HER2+ metastatic breast cancer. Tucatinib in addition to trastuzumab (Herceptin) and capecitabine saw women living longer both without disease progression and overall compared to women only taking trastuzumab and capecitabine (Xeloda). Women on trastuzumab deruxtecan (Enhertu), though in a smaller study, saw tumors shrink and lived for an extended period of time without the disease getting worse. Click here to read the article in full.


Have a resource you’d like to share in the next month’s roundup? Email info@sharecancersupport.org

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