Average survival time has doubled for patients with two out of three types of advanced breast cancer in the past decade

Improved treatments mean about half of patients live for five years or longer Patients with two out of the three most common types of advanced breast cancer now have an average survival time of at least five years, according to a panel of experts at the Advanced Breast Cancer Sixth International Consensus Conference (ABC 6). […]

Advanced breast cancer patients should receive COVID-19 vaccination without delay

Treating patients remotely during a pandemic has benefits but also emotional costs Patients with advanced breast cancer should receive COVID-19 vaccinations as soon as possible and the second dose should be delivered early, no later than three to four weeks after the first, the virtual meeting of the Advanced Breast Cancer Sixth International Consensus Conference […]

Advanced breast cancer patients denied opportunities to join clinical trials

Patient advocate calls for collaboration to improve access to trials Clinicians and the wider research community involved in treating advanced breast cancer (ABC) need to do more to help and encourage patients to join clinical trials, according to a patient advocate who is leading a study that shows only 14% of ABC patients in the […]

Major global study reveals risk of breast cancer spreading to other parts of the body

— Younger women found to face higher risk — The risk of early breast cancer spreading to another part of the body ranges from 6% to 22%, according to the first results of a large and detailed global study of metastatic breast cancer presented at the Advanced Breast Cancer Sixth International Consensus Conference (ABC 6). […]

Most mothers born with heart defects can become pregnant and give birth safely

Expert medical care and counselling are essential Most women who are born with heart defects can safely become pregnant and give birth to healthy babies with few or minor problems if they are supported by expert medical care and counselling, according to research published in the European Heart Journal. [1] In the last few decades, […]

Artificial intelligence could help diagnose lung cancer a year earlier

An artificial intelligence (AI) program can spot signs of lung cancer on CT scans a year before they can be diagnosed with existing methods, according to research presented at the European Respiratory Society International Congress. [1] Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death with around 1.8 million lives lost around the world […]

Overweight and obesity may affect asthmatic children’s response to inhaled steroids

Asthmatic children are less likely to respond to inhaled steroid medication if they are overweight or obese, and this leads to more frequent asthma attacks, according to research presented at the ‘virtual’ European Respiratory Society International Congress [1]. The international study is the first to use information on genetic variants linked to body mass index […]

Electronic nose can sniff out when a lung transplant is failing

Electronic nose can sniff out when a lung transplant is failing

An electronic “nose” is capable of detecting with 86% accuracy when a lung transplant is beginning to fail, according to research presented at the ‘virtual’ European Respiratory Society International Congress [1]. Ms Nynke Wijbenga, a PhD student and technical physician at Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, told the congress that the finding could […]

Lung function appears to be unaffected after COVID-19 infection in young adults

Children and adolescents also have unimpaired lung function COVID-19 infection does not appear to affect the lung function of young adults, according to new research presented at the ‘virtual’ European Respiratory Society International Congress. [1] In the first study to investigate the impact of COVID-19 infection on lung function, researchers led by Dr Ida Mogensen, […]