Review Article

Treatment of the Pregnant Patient with Breast Cancer

Pregnancy-associated breast cancer is defined as invasive breast cancer diagnosed during gestation, within 1 year postpartum, or during lactation. Of particular interest is the treatment of invasive breast cancer during gestation; standard treatment protocols must take into account the health of the fetus. This article reviews the literature and emerging…

Editorial

Introduction to the Southern Medical Journal’s Special Issue on Breast Cancer

Breast cancer remains the second most common cancer in women, after lung cancer. By the end of 2017, the American Cancer Society estimates that in the United States, 63,410 women will be diagnosed as having a noninvasive carcinoma in situ breast cancer, 252,710 women will receive a diagnosis of an…

Review Article

Breast Cancer Survivorship: Patient Characteristics and Plans for High-Quality Care

The number of breast cancer survivors has increased and this increase is expected to continue, likely as a result of population and age growth, the implementation of earlier detection strategies, and the development of more effective therapies. Breast cancer treatment requires a multidisciplinary approach with surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, targeted therapy,…

Original Article

CME Article: Identification and Management of TP53 Gene Carriers Detected Through Multigene Panel Testing

Objectives: The increasing use of multigene panel tests may reveal an unexpected pathogenic variant in the tumor protein p53 (TP53) gene among individuals who do not meet clinical criteria for Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS). Among a registry-based sample of individuals with a pathogenic (P) or likely pathogenic (LP) variant in TP53,…

Review Article

Expanding Eligibility Criteria for Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy

The use of mastectomy has increased in patients who are high-risk genetic carriers who need or desire mastectomy for prophylactic reasons, as well as for patients who have breast cancer and need or desire mastectomy for treatment of their cancer. Retaining the nipple and skin with a nipple-sparing mastectomy results…

Review Article

Fertility Preservation in Breast Cancer

As more young women survive breast cancer, fertility preservation (FP) is an important component of care. This review highlights the importance of early pretreatment referral, reviews the risks of infertility associated with breast cancer treatment, and defines existing and emerging techniques for FP. The techniques reviewed include ovarian suppression, embryo…

Original Article

CME Article: Genomic Assays in Ductal Carcinoma In Situ: Implications for Management Decisions

Objectives: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and a leading cause of cancer death worldwide. The management of breast cancer depends on clinical and pathologic prognostic factors that help guide patient treatment. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a noninvasive form of breast cancer with an unpredictable…

Original Article

CME Article: Hematologic Malignancies Discovered on Investigation of Breast Abnormalities

Objectives: Hematological malignancies of the breast share a presentation similar to primary breast carcinomas but differ substantially in therapeutic approach and clinical outcomes. In this study, we investigate the frequency of hematological malignancies, their relative primary and secondary occurrences, and further characterize the distinct histopathologies of these malignancies with a…

Review Article

Screening Mammography and Digital Breast Tomosynthesis: Controversies

Breast cancer screening with mammography reduces breast cancer mortality; however, diverging recommendations regarding screening have caused controversy. The emerging technology of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) may soon become the mainstay of breast cancer screening. We present recommendations for breast cancer screening based on guidelines. A PubMed literature review was performed…

Original Article

CME Article: Early Postoperative Complications after Oncoplastic Reduction

Background: Breast-conserving surgery with adjuvant radiation therapy (BCT) has been established as safe oncologically. Oncoplastic breast surgery uses both oncologic and plastic surgery techniques for breast conservation to improve cosmetic outcomes. We evaluated the risk factors associated with complications after oncoplastic breast reduction. Methods: A single-institution, institutional review board–approved, retrospective…

Review Article

Distinguishing Depressive Symptoms From Similar Cancer-Related Somatic Symptoms: Implications for Assessment and Management of Major Depression after Breast Cancer

Prevalence rates of major depressive disorder (MDD) following breast cancer diagnosis are estimated to be ~5% to >20%, and these rates range from slightly below to somewhat above the expected prevalence rate for MDD in the general population of women in the United States. Women with a history of MDD…

Review Article

Emerging Therapeutic Strategies in Breast Cancer

The field of medical oncology is experiencing a period of rapid evolution owing to advances in the fields of genomics, tumor biology, and immunology. These disciplines have provided valuable insights into the heterogeneity between breast tumors, key oncogenic drivers, and the role of the immune system in the natural history…

Review Article

Neoadjuvant and Adjuvant Therapies for Breast Cancer

Breast cancer remains the most common cancer in women in the United States, the second most common cause of cancer death, and the main cause of death in women ages 45 to 55 years. Molecular analyses have shown that breast cancer is divided into several subtypes (luminal A, luminal B,…

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