A randomized clinical trial reports that for women with extremely dense breasts, supplemental screening with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can reduce the incidence of interval breast cancers­­, those detected within 12 months of a mammography in which findings are considered normal. Extremely dense breast tissue increases the risk of breast cancer, but it also increases the chances that cancer will be missed on a mammogram. While federal law requires the reporting of breast density in ma...

Proper nutrition and adequate exercise can be considerably effective not only in helping to relieve symptoms and enhance quality of life in patients who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, but also to possibly prevent the development and progression of breast and other cancers. Neil Iyengar, MD, a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, has performed extensive research regarding the link between metabolic health and the development and recurrence of breast cancer, a top...

Because high blood insulin and insulin resistance are associated with increased cancer risk, cancer screening is especially important in patients with diabetes. However, a recent study has found that women with diabetes underutilize screening for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer. Cancer screening has been shown to decrease the risk of death by up to 33% for breast cancer, 70% for cervical cancer, and 37% for colorectal cancer. By enabling early detection and treatment before the disease h...

Among cancers that affect men, prostate cancer is the most common and carries the second highest rate of mortality. How does diet play a role in this widespread public health concern, which affects 11.6% of American men at some time in their lives? A new literature review published in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association reports that consuming high amounts of dairy may increase prostate cancer risk, while consuming high amounts of plant-based foods may decrease risk. "Previous stu...

The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has issued an updated recommendation statement on the use of medication to reduce the risk of breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most frequently occurring nonskin cancer and the second most common cause of cancer-related death among women, but for whom is the reduction in cancer risk worth the potential adverse effects of the medications? The guidelines, published in JAMA , recommend the use of risk-reducing medications for asymptomatic ...