You Heard It Here First

A recent article in the Journal of Women's Health (Vol. 5, No. 6, 1996) called for a prospective trial to evaluate the influence of the menstrual cycle on the recurrence of breast cancer. William Hrushesky reviewed the results of 10 retrospective studies which included over 2200 premenopausal women and found that the best possible outcome occurred when surgery took place in the days following ovulation (the luteal phase of the cycle). Although not all studies found a benefit, when taken together, the studies showed that women whose breast cancer surgery took place in the luteal phase were 25% more likely to be alive 10 years after surgery. In 1991, the Network published an article by Virginia Soffa who advised women to avoid surgery during the first 12 days of their menstrual cycle (NN Sept/Oct 1991, p.1).