Dutch researchers have developed a method of determining whether a woman's breast cancer will spread to other organs, according to a new report. The technique involves looking at 25,000 genes within breast cancer tumor cells to determine which genes are "turned on." A certain pattern of active or inactive genes can indicate more aggressive cancers, which typically require more rigorous treatments, such as chemotherapy, in addition to surgery. Though the test is preliminary, it could eventually help physicians decide which patients need aggressive treatments and which do not.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved the use of new computer-aided detection (CAD) MammoReader software made by ICAD, Inc., which helps doctors detect breast abnormalities on mammogram films. In January 2003, ISSI, Inc. received FDA approval for their CAD mammography system. CAD works by digitizing a mammogram film and then highlighting areas that may be represent suspicious breast abnormalities. Radiologists can decide whether the computer-highlighted areas require additional evaluation, based on the patient's situation. Similar software made by R2 Technology, Inc. is also FDA-approved and on the market. These recent government approvals suggest that radiologists may increasingly rely on computer-assisted technology to help diagnose breast cancer.

The extraordinarily high rate of breast cancer reported recently in Marin County, California was due to faulty data, according to the National Cancer Institute. The Northern California Cancer Center had reported the average number of new breast cancer cases in Marin County to be 199 out of 100,000 white females from 1995 to 1999, compared with 143 per 100,000 white females for the rest of urban California. This represented a 20% higher rate of breast cancer in Marin County, compared with the U.S. population in general. While National Cancer Institute researchers cautioned that breast cancer is still a serious oncern for Marin County, as it is for the country in general, the originally reported rates were not correct.

Though some studies and anecdotal evidence has suggested a link between diet and breast cancer, a large study of nurses finds that the consumption of any kind of meat or eggs does not increase the risk of developing breast cancer. Unlike other studies that rely on women recalling what they have eaten in the past, this study followed women for 18 years to study the association between diet and breast cancer. However, the researchers do note that red meat is linked to a higher risk of other diseases, such as heart disease.

Non-white American women are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced breast cancer, according to a new study. Furthermore, there are differences in the quality of breast cancer treatment and the chances of survival based on race and ethnicity. The researchers say improvements could be made by making sure that women of socioeconomic statuses receive proper breast cancer screening and treatment.