Breast Cancer Research
Cancer research gives people hope. Research is going on around the world to learn more about what causes breast cancer. Researchers are looking for ways to prevent it. And they are finding better ways to detect and treat cancer.
Doctors are studying the effects of medication, changes in diet, and exercise on prevention. In one study, the drug tamoxifen reduced breast cancer among women who were at high risk.
Mammograms and routine self-exams are the best way to find breast cancer in its early stages. So, researchers are looking for ways to make mammography more accurate. They are also looking at different forms of mammography. For example, with digital mammography, the image of the breast is placed on a computer rather than on an x-ray film. Then the radiologist can examine areas of the breast more closely. Or the contrast of the image can be varied without having to bring a woman back for more x-rays. In computer-assisted diagnosis, computers help read the mammograms. Studies show digital mammography is better for pre-menopausal women and women with dense breasts.
Different techniques for screening women at high risk are also being studied. For instance, studies are looking at magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and breast ultrasonography for this.
