Newly Diagnosed / Hot Topics What do the results of the latest research study really mean? Here you will find analyses of the most significant recent studies and learn what Dr. Susan Love thinks the findings mean for you. Visit the archives to find all previous Hot Topics.
Breast Cancer Research Refresher
October 10, 2009 It's October. And that means virtually every day we will be seeing news stories about a "groundbreaking" study that has the potential to "revolutionize" breast cancer care.
Some of these studies may lead to new breakthroughs; others we will never hear about again. Here are some things to keep in mind as you evaluate what you are reading.
1. It's a long way from the lab to the clinic. There is a lot of basic science research now underway that is looking at how breast cancer develops. This research is important. But when you hear about studies that describe a new protein that has been identified that is involved in breast cancer development keep in mind that identifying a new protein is just the first step in a long, long process that may or may not lead to the development of a drug that can target this protein and that any drug that is developed may or may not actually be better than any existing treatments.
2. Women are not mice. We are very good at curing breast cancer in mice and rats. Unfortunately, many of the drugs that have been found to cure cancer in animal models have not led to new breast cancer treatments.
3. A study that includes a small number of women is just a start. Clinical trials are critical to the development of new cancer treatments. Without clinical trials, there would be no way to determine if new treatments are safe and effective, what risks or side effects they have, and whether they are equivalent to or superior than treatments already in use. Studies that include small numbers of women are the first step of the research process. They are important, but their findings need to be confirmed in larger trials. You can learn more about the phases of clinical trials here.
4. We need more women to take part in breast cancer research! Very few women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer take part in a breast cancer research trial. We need women with breast cancer to take part in studies. We also need women who do not have breast cancer to take part in the research that is looking at what causes breast cancer and how we can prevent it from occurring.
How can you get involved?
Join the Army of Women Be part of the movement connecting women and researchers who want to end this disease.
Check out BreastCancerTrials.org This website has a matching tool that can help you find the breast cancer prevention, detection, treatment, and quality of life trials you are most likely to qualify for. You an also sign up to receive alerts about new trials that may be of interest to you.
Review the trial listings on ClinicalTrials.gov and other clinical trial websites. You can learn more about these sites here.
Most Importantly: Be a critical consumer of breast cancer research. You can learn more about how to evaluate findings from breast cancer studies on the National Breast Cancer Coalition's new website KnowBreastCancer.org.
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