NASHVILLE - Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in the world today, with about 1.3 million people diagnosed annually. Dr. Carlos Arteaga, director of the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center Breast Cancer Program, says Vanderbilt is creating and using advanced therapies that target cancer cells without harming healthy ones.
"We're using what we think are state-of-the-art molecular methods to discover onco-genes, pathways, alterations that are targetable that would allow us to, once we inhibit those targets, prolong the response to anti-hormonal agents."
Early signs of breast cancer may include skin irritation, dimpling, swelling, a breast lump, tenderness, nipple changes or pain. Women should contact their health care professional if any of these symptoms appear.
Arteaga says that Vanderbilt's research continues and the technology is promising.
"As we get some of these new therapies approved for the treatment - for the personalized treatment - of these tumors, we're going to offer a lot more hope and progress to patients with these diseases."
Arteaga adds women should begin getting yearly mammograms at age 40. He says that screening tests are powerful weapons in the fight against breast cancer, and the survival rate is greater than 95 percent for women whose breast cancer is found at an early stage.
More information is available at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center website, www.vicc.org. |
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