The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the drug Femara (generic name, letrozole) for the treatment of post-menopausal, early-stage breast cancer after surgery. The approval comes after the results of a recent study found that Femara was better than the standard drug tamoxifen at preventing a recurrence of breast cancer in patients with early stages of the disease who had undergone surgery. Femara is already FDA-approved to treat advanced breast cancer. The new approval provides more treatment options for early-stage breast cancer patients after surgery.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), an organization of 19 leading cancer care centers in the United States, updated its Breast Cancer Clinical Practice Guidelines in December 2005 to reflect recent advances in breast cancer treatment. The guidelines are meant to provide direction for healthcare professionals who treat women with breast cancer. The updated guidelines cover several new areas in breast cancer
research. For example, the NCCN now recommends that clinicians take into account hormone receptor status (i.e., whether a patient's cancer is dependent upon estrogen) when determining breast cancer treatment options. The guidelines also provide guidance to clinicians on the use of new breast cancer drug therapies.

The drug tamoxifen is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help treat early and advanced stages of breast cancer and prevent breast cancer recurrences. Tamoxifen is also FDA approved to help prevent breast cancer in women at high risk of the disease. While taking tamoxifen may provide several benefits, it has also been shown to cause bothersome side effects in some women. This newly updated article explores the side effects and potential complications of tamoxifen.

Approximately 62% of mothers breast-feed their children. Studies have shown that breast-feeding may help protect against infant ear infections, allergies, diarrhea, eczema, bacterial meningitis, and other serious illnesses. However, a variety of problems can occur during breast-feeding. This article discusses common breast-feeding problems and how they can be treated. Topics include inadequate milk supply, blocked milk duct, breast engorgement, mastitis (infection), nipple discharge, nipple confusion, breast/nipple pain, inverted or flat nipples, and more.