| Breast cancer does not recognize nor respect any | | | | presented at a recent meeting of the American |
| age differences when it strikes in women, but when | | | | Society of Clinical Oncology at their annual meeting in |
| women under the age of approximately 50 are | | | | Chicago. The research and study was funded by the |
| diagnosed with breast cancer, studies have found | | | | National Institute of Health. |
| that the cancer is more aggressive and typically less | | | | The lead clinical research said that during the process |
| responsive to the traditional treatments than when it | | | | by which cells will change and become cancerous, |
| occurs in older women. | | | | certain specific patterns were observed in younger |
| But researchers think that they may have discovered | | | | women's tumors that were not seen in women over |
| the reason that this is the case, which is forging new | | | | age 45 to 50. A conclusion that was reached by the |
| inroads into the treatment of and potentially a cure | | | | time, based on this evidence, is that if they are able |
| for some forms of breast cancer. These findings of | | | | to inhibit those processes or patterns via the use of |
| course need additional research but the findings are | | | | certain drugs, some of which are already available |
| significant and may lead to more targeted therapies | | | | and some are currently undergoing evaluation, there |
| that can treat affected patients more effectively. | | | | is a much better chance at effectively treating the |
| The research and studies found that the tumors in | | | | patient, possibly even curing them. Clearly, more |
| women under age 45 have certain identifiable | | | | research is required to determine which treatments |
| patterns of cellular activity. The interesting part is | | | | or therapies are most effective in targeting the |
| that when these patterns are observed, the same | | | | identified cellular activity, with the goal being to halt |
| tumor cell activity in older women usually leads to a | | | | or shut down that particular activity and halting |
| better prognosis, while that activity in younger | | | | further tumor growth. |
| women typically leads to a poorer prognosis. One of | | | | There were approximately 200,000 women |
| the results of this discovery is the possibility of | | | | diagnosed with breast cancer last year, and almost |
| age-related treatments that are targeted to the | | | | one-fourth of them (about 46,000) were under the |
| patient based on the age of the patient. | | | | age of 50. |
| The results of this study and research was | | | | |