Advances in breast cancer detection and treatment

Breast cancer treatment can be highly effective, especially when the disease is identified early. Treatment of breast cancer often consists of a combination of surgical removal, radiation therapy and medication (hormonal therapy, chemotherapy and/or targeted biological therapy) to treat the microscopic cancer that has spread from the breast tumor through the blood. Such treatment, which can prevent cancer growth and spread, thereby saves lives. Scientists are constantly learning new things about detection, diagnosis, and treatments of this all-too-common disease. We will discuss here some updates.

3D mammograms: Traditional 2D mammograms take one image from the top and one from the side of your breast, but a 3D mammogram takes multiple images in an arc pattern. It combines them to form a three-dimensional image. It is particularly helpful for women with dense breasts.

Genomic testing: This process looks at your genome. Researchers are using information from genomic tests to learn more about breast cancer and identify new subtypes, with hopes of developing new treatments in the future.

Metastatic breast cancer: Doctors use hormone therapies to treat hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancers. Now they are adding targeted therapies to these traditional treatments for metastatic or advanced HR+ or HER2+ breast cancers. This may keep the need for chemotherapy at bay for longer – and extend survival.

Triple-negative breast cancer: New therapies for triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are helping some people live longer. They include sacituzumab govitecan-hziy (Trodelvy), which treats TNBC that has spread; and pembrolizumab (Keytruda), an immunotherapy you can combine with chemo.

Oncoplastic surgery: It is a procedure where your surgeon does both a lumpectomy or mastectomy, and also reconstructive surgery at the same time. It has better cosmetic results.

Sentinel lymph node mapping: It helps surgeons figure out which lymph nodes in your body are at the highest risk of having breast cancer cells. This helps narrow down which ones your doctor will remove. It also preserves more nodes, leading to a faster recovery and less swelling.

Breast sensation preservation: Advances in nerve-sparing and nerve-connection techniques during mastectomy and breast reconstruction surgeries are making it more likely that you can keep some feeling in your breast tissue.