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From ScienceNews
ScienceDaily (Apr. 23, 2009) — Breast elastography allows physicians to give a more accurate diagnosis of breast cancer, according to a study performed at Singapore General Hospital in Singapore. Breast elastography is a new technique which looks at the mechanical properties of tissues (relative stiffness) as opposed to conventional ultrasound which looks at the backscatter of transmitted ultrasound waves through tissues.

Ninety-nine women with 110 sonographically visible lesions were evaluated with ultrasound, elastography and combined ultrasound and elastography. 26 lesions were malignant and 84 were benign on histology. “All breast cancers (100%) in the study were diagnosed correctly by elastography alone compared to 88.5% by conventional ultrasound,” said Llewellyn Sim, MD, lead author of the study. “The use of breast elastography alone or combined with ultrasound provides a more accurate diagnosis of breast cancer,” said Dr. Sim.
“Breast elastography improves the sonographic diagnosis of breast cancer. It also potentially reduces unnecessary work-up i.e. biopsies of benign breast lesions and patient anxiety,” he said.
“Breast radiologists will see elastography in a different light when they realize that it has come of age and outperforms conventional breast ultrasound. With the sterling results and knowledge gained from my study, I am more confident in using elastography to assist me in obtaining a more accurate diagnosis of breast lesions detected with ultrasound in my daily clinical practice,” said Dr. Sim.
This study will be presented at the 2009 ARRS Annual Meeting in Boston, MA, on Wednesday, April 29.
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According to a study reported on usnews.com. eating walnuts could reduce the risk of breast cancer. Read the full story below:
Study in mice finds fewer, smaller tumors in those that ate the nuts
Posted April 21, 2009

TUESDAY, April 21 (HealthDay News) — Walnuts contain compounds that may help prevent breast cancer, suggest findings from a study involving mice specially created to develop tumors.
One group of mice was fed a daily diet that included what would be equivalent to 2 ounces of walnuts in humans, while another group of mice ate a regular diet. The mice that ate the diet with walnuts had a much lower incidence of breast tumors, fewer glands with a tumor and smaller-sized tumors.
“These laboratory mice typically have 100 percent tumor incidence at five months; walnut consumption delayed those tumors by at least three weeks,” study author Elaine Hardman, an associate professor of medicine at Marshall University School of Medicine, said in a news release from the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).
Molecular analysis revealed that increased consumption of omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and phytosterols found in walnuts contributed to tumor resistance in the mice. The findings were to be presented Tuesday at the AACR’s annual meeting in Denver.
“With dietary interventions, you see multiple mechanisms when working with the whole food,” Hardman said. “It is clear that walnuts contribute to a healthy diet that can reduce breast cancer.”
Though the study was done with mice, she suggested that it’s still a good idea for people to eat more walnuts.
“Walnuts are better than cookies, french fries or potato chips when you need a snack,” Hardman said. “We know that a healthy diet overall prevents all manner of chronic diseases.”
The study was funded with matching grants from the American Institute for Cancer Research and the California Walnut Commission.
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