A study by MSK researchers published this month in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment and reported by AuntMinnie.com found that men at increased risk for breast cancer could benefit from screening mammograms.

The authors performed a retrospective review of 163 asymptomatic men at increased risk for breast cancer due to family history, personal history, or BRCA1/BRCA2 genetic mutations. After reviewing 806 screening mammograms done over nearly 7 years, the authors calculated a cancer detection rate of 4.9 per 1,000 mammograms, comparable to average-risk women. This indicates that screening mammography could be a useful tool in the high-risk male population, though the authors state that larger studies are needed to strengthen this conclusion. There are currently no guidelines on the use of screening mammography in men.

Pride Month may be over, but LGBTQ+ healthcare needs do not end with the month of June. An article in AM New York addresses some steps MSK and MSK staff have taken to provide high-quality care to LGBTQ+ patients.

Nelson Sanchez, MD. Source: Ethan Kavet

In the article, MSK’s Dr. Nelson Sanchez discusses the training he provides colleagues, including best practices for gathering patient information on sexual orientation and gender identity and how to appropriately examine transgender patients. He also notes that MSK has begun adding gender identity and sexual orientation fields to electronic medical records to further improve quality of care.

Learn more about LGBTQ+ healthcare at MSK.

Dr. Allison Betof Warner

A recent article from WebMD Health News discusses the promise—and limitations—of immune therapies. These therapies—”checkpoint inhibitor” drugs like Keytruda, Opdivo, and five others approved by the FDA—have successfully treated cancers ranging from melanoma to types of lung, colorectal, and kidney cancers. As MSK’s Dr. Allison Betof Warner says in the article, they have saved numerous lives and been a “game changer.”

Still, checkpoint inhibitors have limitations. Sometimes, drugs will initially shrink a cancer and then stop working. Some patients see no benefit, including 30 to 40 percent of advanced melanoma patients. Medical professionals also can’t predict which patients will experience serious side effects. This is why, Betof Warner concludes, “Immune therapy is an incredible tool. But it’s not a magic bullet.” Researchers are working to continue improving checkpoint inhibitor efficacy.