A new report by researchers from the American Cancer Society highlights the trends in breast cancer incidence among racial ethnicities in the United States. The report also highlights a surprising finding: an increase in large breast tumors among white women. Possible reasons for this increase include the use of hormone replacement therapy and delayed childbirth. Overall, more African-Americans are diagnosed with large breast tumors than white women and African-Americans are significantly more likely to die from the disease.

Tamoxifen is the most common drug treatment for advanced breast cancer. However, at some point, patients may become resistant to tamoxifen and require additional drug options. A new study finds that the drugs Femara (generic name, letozole) and Arimidex (generic name, anastrozole) both slow the progression of advanced breast cancer that has been previously treated with tamoxifen. The research shows confirms that Femara is more powerful than Arimidex in shrinking and eliminating breast cancer tumors.

A breast biopsy involves removing a sample of breast tissue to determine whether it is cancerous or benign. While physical breast exam, mammography, ultrasound, and other breast imaging methods can help detect a breast abnormality, a biopsy (followed by microscopic analysis of the breast cells) is the only definitive way to determine if cancer is present. This series of articles introduces the topic of breast biopsy and provides links to comprehensive information on the different methods of biopsy, how biopsy is performed, the benefits and risks of biopsy, who performs biopsy, understanding the results of biopsy, and more.

Alternative and complementary medicines have become increasingly popular in recent years. While anecdotal evidence reveals that many alternative or complementary medicines may be beneficial to patients, extensive research is still needed to determine whether non-traditional medicines are truly effective. That is not to say that complementary medicines are not viable options for some patients. When used in conjunction with traditional medicines, some complementary therapies may be very beneficial to the physical or psychological well-being of a patient. This article provides an overview of several different types of alternative and complementary medicines for cancer patients. An extensive list of online resources for alternative and complementary therapies is also provided.