Tyler, Texas — As we all know, it is Breast Cancer Awareness month and this year alone, hundreds of thousands of women will be diagnosed with the disease.

But with that, research is advancing. Researchers have been studying breast cancer for years and there's been research advancements right here in Tyler! One specialist tells us, research has evolved so much, aiming toward a future that she thinks will be breast cancer-free.

In the past breast cancer was addressed generically with chemo-therapy.

Dr. Edward Sauter, a surgical oncologist with UTHSC, said, "Some of the greatest advances in research in women has been in the treatment of breast cancer." Dr. Sauter, has researched cancer for nearly twenty-five years, worked along-side Noble Prize winners for cancer research and has personally seen the advancements that have been made.

He said, "Now we can take a woman's tumor and look at all the abnormalities that are present in that tumor and then have targeted therapy to that specific tumor." He also says, targeted therapy allows them to treat the cancer more effectively without as many side effects.

Newer forms of treatment include medications such as, Tamoxifen. "It works well its in a pill form and for women who have hormone receptor positive breast cancer, again about 2/3 of women, its an effective therapy," Sauter said.

In addition to new research and new treatment, another cancer specialist, Dr. Sasha Vukeja tells KETK, there's positive hope for the future. She said, "Yah know theres genetic testing were finding that theres genes are predisposed you might be born with predisposed in fact there may be a way of turning off those genes." She also says it is important for the patient to take care of themselves and never stop fighting while the doctors never stop trying.