Cancer Archive

Research we're watching

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) differs from breast cancer because it is noninvasive, so it cannot spread to other parts of the body. However, it can progress to an invasive breast cancer, which can be life-threatening. Researchers from the Netherlands Cancer Institute wanted to determine how DCIS affected long-term survival.

The team studied almost 10,000 postmenopausal women who were diagnosed with DCIS between 1989 and 2004. They tracked the patients over an average of 10 years and compared their death rates with the expected mortality rates of the general population. They found that women who had been treated for DCIS had a 2.5% risk of dying of breast cancer over 10 years and a 4% risk at 15 years — rates that were higher than in the general population. But they also found that DCIS survivors had a 10% lower risk of dying from any cause compared with the general population. They presented their results Jan. 27, 2017, at the European Cancer Congress.

Women with early cancer in one breast may opt to remove the other, healthy breast because they overestimate their risk of a second cancer.

Data from more than 200,000 people indicates that the risk of developing melanoma increases by 13% for every glass of white wine consumed per day. Drinking beer, red wine, or liquor was not associated with increased risk.

It’s unclear why, but it appears that people with psoriasis are more likely to also suffer from diabetes.

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)

Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:

• Have you had fevers, chills, fatigue, or weight loss?
• Have you had any recent infections?
• Do you have a cough?
• Do you have sinus congestion?
• Do you know when to seek medical attention for infections?
• Do your gums bleed when you brush your teeth?
• Have you had nosebleeds or easy bruising?
• Do you get short of breath with minimal exertion?
• Are you lightheaded?
• Have you been unusually tired?
• Have you had abdominal pain or swelling?
• Have you noticed swollen lymph nodes?

Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:

• Lymph nodes (neck, axilla, groin)
• Heart
• Lungs
• Abdomen (for enlargement or tenderness of the liver or spleen)

Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:

• Complete blood count
• Routine blood chemistries
• Immunoglobulin levels
• Blood test for flow cytometry
• Bone marrow biopsy.

Colonic Polyps

Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:

• Do you have a family history of colonic polyps?
• Do you have bleeding from the rectum or bloody stools?
• Do you frequently have rectal pain or the sensation of needing to have a bowel movement?
• Do you have anemia (low blood count)?
• Do you have a family history of colon cancer?

Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:

• Abdominal exam
• Rectal exam

Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:

• Stool testing for blood
• Complete blood count
• Sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy, possibly with a biopsy or removal of a polyp (if one is found)

Gallstones

Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:

• Do you have pain in the mid- or upper-right portion of your abdomen?
• Do fatty meals worsen the pain?
• Does the pain occur after eating?
• Do you have nausea, vomiting, or bloating?
• Does the pain ever go through to your back?
• Is the pain steady or intermittent?
• Have you had fevers?
• How long does it take for the pain to go away?
• Do you take any medications (for example, birth-control pills or hormone therapy)?
• Have you had any rapid weight loss?
• Have you noticed darkening of your urine or yellowing of the eyes?

Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:

• Abdominal exam

Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:

• Blood tests of liver function
• Complete blood count
• Abdominal ultrasound
• Cholescintigraphy (HIDA scan)