Breast cancer topics: Artemis, January issue

The January 2011 issue of Artemis - from the Johns Hopkins Breast Center - is out, and there are several interesting articles addressing numerous breast cancer topics. Click the logo to re-direct to their page.

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Dense breast tissue? Issues and comparative techniques

I’ve recently become involved - thanks to another cancer survivor friend back in New York state - with the Are You Dense campaign to inform women of the risks involved with relying too heavily on mammography alone if they have dense breast tissue as defined by the BIRADS Scale - a way that radiologists can classify the images seen on a mammogram.

Here’s is a basic bit on the physic and limitations of mammograms that you should be aware of, particularly if you pre or peri menopausal:

Basic Physics of Mammography:

X-ray images depend on differences in x-ray stopping power (attenuation) to separate tissues. In general, a clear separation between normal functioning tissue, and abnormal cancerous tissues is not possible since their attenuation if very similar. However both functional tissue and cancer can be separated from fatty storage tissues which normally surround active breast tissue, even in lean persons. This is due to a substantially lower attenuation caused by fat.

In older women, the functional glandular tissue diminishes, leaving only thin supporting tissues clearly outlined by fatty tissues. Mammography in these “mature” breasts is very effective, since even small cancers are well outlined by fat. In addition, many cancers develop calcium deposits which strongly stop X-rays and are easily seen on mammograms.

Basic Limitations of Mammography:

Since mammography cannot separate normal gland tissue from tumors, it is much more effective when gland tissue diminishes with age. Many women retain glandular tissue as they “mature”, and it camouflages tumors until they are large. As you might expect, the young women’s breast normally contains more active tissue, which again interferes with detection of small cancers.

Breast Composition Determination:

The ACR-BIRAD system recognizes this limitation by reporting the background composition of the breast in categories:

1.) Almost Entirely Fatty: Mammography very effective, sensitive to even small tumors.

2.) Scattered Fibroglandular tissue: Minor decrease in sensitivity.

3.) Heterogeneously Dense tissue present: moderate decrease in sensitivity.

4.) Extremely dense tissue present: marked decrease in sensitivity.

Mammography does retain some value even in dense breasts, by detecting calcium deposits (which are so dense, surrounding tissue does not interfere), but is not reliable in detecting small non-calcified cancers. In general, women with “dense” breasts remain so from year to year, and it is possible to let a women know when she cannot depend on mammography. In dense breasts, more emphasis on self-examination may be appropriate, particularly if there is a family history of breast cancer.

My breast cancer -  as determined by mammogram alone here in Reno - was supposedly ‘early stage’. Unfortunately, that wasn’t really the case. Had I allowed treatment, using this inaccurate staging, my chances of survival would have been very slim at best. Even pursuing a biopsy here would have set me on a course of disasterous results. Canceling my surgery without so much as discussion of a biopsy - that had been hastily scheduled by a local surgeon - I went OUT OF THE AREA to get a second opinion. By out of area, I don’t mean to the next town. That’s not out of area. I went to the University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas which is a multi-disciplinary cancer center. There are many multi-disciplinary, comprehensive cancer centers located around the country and you probably have one near you.

I chose MD Anderson because, A- they were consistently ranked as either the number 1 or 2 leading cancer center in the entire country, B- what they told me was so educational/informational/rational and made such good sense in a way I could understand, that there was no question of going elsewhere. They made a strong, comprehensive case and backed it up, unlike the docs in Reno who seemed to be playing it by ear.

Bottom line: My cancer WAS NOT EARLY STAGE. It was late stage and large, requiring an entirely different treatment protocol. This was because I had extremely dense, fibrocystic breast tissue which had obscured the tumor. I knew about this from an ultrasound years before, but nobody ever explained how this mattered to me - how it would decrease my chances of getting an accurate mammogram, and find a cancer early when it was most treatable.

There are different types of breast imaging modalities now available. They each have their pluses and minuses. But when used appropriately - in concert with each other - they provide powerful tools to accurately depict and diagnose breast cancer at its earliest stage.

You can click on this image for more information

Here is a great comparative discussion of the different breast imaging modalities. The include breast ultrasound, Molecular Breast Imaging, Breast MRI, PEM and others.

To this end, however, it’s imperative that more women understand their own breast tissue density and what that implies regarding the ability of diagnostic radiologists in their area to get the best, most precise picture of their breast tissue and any abnormalities. Connecticutt has actually passed a law that women must be informed of this. Every state should have this mandate on their books, despite what the TeaParty and Libertarians think about mandates. In this case, at least, they save lives.

One caveat is important to remember. Ultrasound - which is an extremely accurate and useful way of viewing breast tissue - is highly dependant on the skill, experience and overall expertise of the technician/operator. At present, there is a shortage across the United States of ultrasound techs that can truly utilize this modality to its best. This is another reason to get the hell out of your local area and go to a cancer center - somewhere that does nothing but breast imaging - by the thousands.

These centers attract the best of the best in technical expertise - like MD Anderson and other comprehensive cancer centers. There is simply no substitute for this, since that initial diagnosis and staging is so critical to the ultimate outcome of breast cancer treatment and whether the cancer recurs.

At MD Anderson, the doctor that did all the ultrasounds on my breasts has been a leader in the field for many years. He was able to actually assess the involvement of the lymph nodes prior to any surgery or biopsy. Later, when a suspicious lesion was found, he was able to guide a Fine Needle Aspiration biopsy - with the Pathologist and her microscope right in the ultrasound room to read it immediately - by ultrasound. It was determined right then and there that it was a benign lesion. This put my anxieties to rest immediately - no waiting around for a report a week later.

Every woman should have some clue as to what the different ‘architectures’, tissues, masses and such look like and what the meanings are - this keeps you from being unnecessarily frightened by a report. Remember, knowledge is power. It can also help you sleep nights.

Read through the information on this Creighton University mammography website. Bookmark it. Refer to it before you get your mammogram, and even print it out and take it with you so that you can rationally discuss any initital findings right there with the radiologist.

For more information on breast tissue density, click on the following:

So, please … get the facts. Read all you can. Don’t become a victim of the local ‘we’ve always done it this way’ mentality. You get one first chance to beat breast cancer - any cancer - and you MUST get it right the first time.

You may not live to be a ‘wish I had only …’

-maven

New information: Breast cancer survival and obesity

I’ve been wondering about this for the last eight years - since my own breast cancer diagnosis. Even then I was reading snippets of information that was highly suggestive that even being ‘overweight’ could seriously affect my own ability to remain cancer free over time. I had lost a considerable amount of weight prior to my diagnosis, nearly 40 pounds, but there was nearly a ten year span were I was getting increasingly overweight for my 5’3” frame. At my top weight, I was almost 164. At time of diagnosis, I was about 126. today, I average about 136, and I monitor my weight very closely - and my diet.

Today, my BMI is in the very healthful range, but BMI doesn’t tell the whole story. The composition of your body is crucial. I have been up to the UNR Medical School Center for Metabolic Studies several times since my cancer went into remission, and had a complete body composition analysis. My ratio of lean tissue to fat is excellent. Yeah, it could also be better, too. I keep my insulin levels down and on an even keel with a diet very low in refined/simple carbohydrates, and high in whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables. Lean protein in moderation. I exercise religiously. As you will see, insulin levels could be driving part of the train with some sub-types of breast cancer.

Mine was a Triple Negative, but each cancer is a hghly diverse population. You can have cells that don’t conform to the sub-type. They’re wild cards. Rogues. Little hidden assassins.

When I look around today, and see so many young women that are overweight and obese, it frightens me. I see a breast cancer epidemic in the making.

Read on:

Weighing the impact of obesity

by Melissa Weber

The research has been pretty clear: Obese women with breast cancer are at higher
risk for recurrence and death. But now, new findings suggest the poor outcome
for obese patients depends on whether they have the most common
subtype—estrogen receptor–positive, HER2-negative breast cancer.

Obese women treated with chemotherapy after surgery had worse overall survival
and disease-free survival than non-obese patients

Click to read more ...

Avastin pulled: No real benefit for breast cancer patients

GAITHERSBURG, Maryland (Reuters) - A U.S. panel urged officials to revoke the drug Avastin’s approval for breast cancer after concluding studies showed insufficient benefit for patients.

If regulators follow that advice, the drug’s maker, Roche, could no longer promote Avastin (bevacizumab) for that use in the United States.

Doctors still could prescribe Avastin for breast cancer as it would retain approval for colon, lung, brain and kidney cancers, but sales likely would fall.

Members of a Food and Drug Administration panel said they were not convinced Avastin provided worthwhile benefits in advanced breast cancer. The drug did not extend patients’ lives but delayed cancer growth by up to three months.

Click here to read the rest of the article ….

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The San Antonio Breast Cancer symposium is one of the world’s largest meetings focused specifically on breast cancer, and CURE will be covering the entire meeting every step of the way! Each day we will gather the most important breaking news, research, advocacy happenings and more and send them straight to your inbox.

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New information about fish oil and breast cancer

This is from the University of Texas, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center’s ‘Cancerwise’:

Study Finds Promising Link Between Fish Oil, Breast Cancer

By Lana Maciel, MD Anderson Staff Writer

Doctors have often recommended that patients take fish oil supplements to reduce the risk of heart disease. But a recent study indicates that taking this supplement, which has strong anti-inflammatory properties, may also combat the risk for breast cancer.

The Vitamins and Lifestyle (VITAL) study surveyed 35,016 post-menopausal women, from 50 to 76 years old, who had no history of breast cancer. After six years, those who reported taking fish oil supplements regularly had a 32% reduced risk for developing invasive ductal breast cancer, the most common type of breast cancer, compared with those who did not take supplements.

“This study is one of the largest studies that have come out showing that there may be a role for fish oil in the prevention of cancer, specifically breast cancer,” says Lorenzo Cohen, Ph.D., professor in the departments of Behavioral Science and General Oncology and director of the Integrative Medicine Program at MD Anderson. “We know fish oil is useful in relation to cardiovascular health, and the jury is still out on whether it helps in the prevention of breast cancer, but if used appropriately, it should not be harmful.”

Studying the fish oil connection
Researchers are still unsure of the direct connection between fish oil and breast cancer risk. Although some studies have not found a link between breast cancer and eating more fatty fish, it is possible that fish oil supplements have a much higher amount of omega-3 fatty acids than what is typically found in the fish itself.

Still, research on how the supplement affects various cancers continues. Peiying Yang, Ph.D., assistant professor in MD Anderson’s Integrative Medicine Program, recently received a grant from the National Cancer Institute to study the effects of fish oil supplements on lung cancer risk.

“Fish oil, in general, is a very good anti-inflammatory agent, and inflammation plays an important role in cancer development,” Yang says.

Although previous studies indicate there is a positive link between fish oil and reduced cancer incidence, researchers note that there is not sufficient evidence to make a public health recommendation.

“I would not recommend that people start taking fish oil specifically to prevent breast cancer because the data is just not there yet,” says Bette Caan, Dr.P.H., senior research scientist at the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research. “But if they are taking it for other reasons, they should continue.”

Are you dense? Be aware of the cancer risk you haven't heard of

A breast cancer patient that I’ve been corresponding with back east sent me this fascinating information linking breast tissue density and breast cancer. She has been ‘dogging’ this issue because, like me, she had very dense breast tissue which not only may of delayed the discovery of her breast cancer, but may have been an indicator of increased risk of breast cancer.

For many years, I was told how unusually dense my breast tissue was (“Yes, thanks. Ouch. I know.”) and that it make good clear mammograms difficult. I didn’t even realize that it might have pointed to an increased risk of developing breast cancer.

Fortunately, the state of Connecticutt is trying to do something about it, and has passed a law (P.A. 0941) that will inform women of breast density issues and what it may indicate for further screening and testing. This is a very positive step toward finding breast tumors before they become advanced - in my case Stage IIIa and dangerous.

Note:

If you are a woman in Nevada, remember that the GOP/TeaParty candidate for U.S. Senate, Sharron Angle, doesn’t believe that insurance companies, and certainly the state, should be mandated to do anything like what Connecticutt is doing. She would fight this on a national level, if elected. She has publicly opposed any sort of cancer screening mandates that save lives.

Here is an email, my contact, Teresa, received from the folks battling to get women this extra measure of care:

Hi. Thank you for writing to me - and sharing our common story.  I hear stories from women like us so often - that is why we do this work - as we need to ensure that the medical community TELLS women about their breast density. 

JoAnn Pushkin of New York has a similar story as ours - she is working with Senator John Flanagan of New York to enact a state bill similar to CT - and Congressman Steve Israel to sponsor legislation on the federal level.  You can contact her as she is garnering support of the bill.  Your support and assistance would be great - our stories are compelling and will lead to action.  

Her email is jpp@optonline.net. 

Stay well,

Nancy

Nancy M. Cappello, Ph.D.
President and Founder
Are You Dense, Inc.



A 501(c)(3) Public Charity

Follow Are You Dense on Facebook

Founding Member of D.E.N.S.E. (Density Education National Survivors’ Effort)

And this is a good article:

“It just might be the greatest cancer risk you’ve never heard of.”

Los Angeles Times

“Breast density linked to Cancer Risk”

Karen Ravn, 6/21/2010

BREAST DENSITY FACTS

• 2/3 of pre-menopausal and ¼ of post menopausal women have dense breast tissue
• Cancer is 5 times more likely in women with extremely dense breasts
• A mammogram will find only 48% of tumors in women with the densest breasts (and therefore elude early detection)
• Breast density is one of the strongest predictors of the failure of mammography screening to detect cancer
• Cancer recurrence is four times more likely in women with dense breasts

If a mammogram is supplemented with an ultrasound or MRI,

tumor detection rate increases at least 30%

The vast majority of women are utterly unaware of their own breast density.  A May 2010 national survey conducted by Harris Interactive found that 95 percent of women ages 40+ do not know their breast density and nearly 90 percent did not know it increases the risk of developing breast cancer. Why? Their doctors have never had a conversation with them about it.

Connecticut has passed a law (P.A. 0941) which dictates that :

 “all mammography reports given to a patient on and after October 1, 2009 to include information about breast density. When applicable, the report must include the following notice: If your mammogram demonstrates that you have dense breast tissue, which could hide small abnormalities, you might benefit from supplementary screening tests, which can include a breast ultrasound screening or a breast MRI examination, or both, depending on your individual risk factors”.

Raising awareness of breast density will increase the detection of early stage cancers – when they are most treatable. We would like to see similar law passed based on the groundbreaking legislation in Connecticut.

Update on Saturday, October 23, 2010 at 22:14 by mavenandmeddler

BlueLyon mentioned Renown having new 3D Ultrasound technology. Here’s the website information:

Renown Health believes early detection is crucial to breast health. At Renown, you will receive the highest level of care with a team of highly trained physicians, nurses, and technologists and the most advanced technology and digital mammography.

INTRODUCING THE REGION’S ONLY 3D BREAST ULTRASOUND
Renown Breast Health Center now offers northern Nevada’s first and only 3D breast ultrasound, SonoCiné, a new technology that more accurately detects small cancers in women with dense breast tissue (40% of women seeking mammograms have dense breasts). This technology is approved by the FDA as an adjunct exam to mammography. When SonoCiné is added to mammography, 60% - 100% more cancers are detected. These small cancers, not found by mammography, would otherwise be missed until they are larger and less treatable. Learn more about SonoCiné.

Research shows early detection can increase breast cancer survival. Breast cancer screening can involve a number of different types of examinations, which include breast self examination, clinical breast examination, mammography, magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound. Mammography can detect cancer in its earliest stages – even before it can be felt during a physical breast examination.

Click here to schedule a mammogram or for more information about 3D breast ultrasound.

Renown Health offers two convenient mammogram locations. Call 775.982.8100 to schedule a mammogram
Renown Breast Health Center 901 E. 2nd Street, Reno	X-Ray & Imaging 6630 S. McCarran Blvd., Reno

How breast cancer biopsy is performed

I have had three different types of breast biopsies, as part of my treatment down at the University of Texas, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. Fine Needle Aspiration, Core Needle Biopsy and Stereotactic Breast Biopsy.

Here’s the first thing to understand: none of them were so painful that I needed any more than a local anesthetic and some deep breathing/relaxation exercises during the procedure.

They were performed by a pathologist armed with a big microscope right there in the exam room. This was especially cool when a few months later, during a routine mammogram, they spotted something suspicious. I was taken from mammography, right across the hall to the ultrasound diagnostic suite where the top guy ( who I adore: Dr. Patrick Dempsey) came in with a pathologist.

He found the suspicious place with the ultrasound wand, took the FNA sample, the pathologist put it on a slide and read it. Right there. Right then. No waiting until Monday. No waiting for the freaking phone to ring. They didn’t want me to wonder and worry over the weekend.

Is that cool or what?

So the final comment I have about biopsies is this: be very careful about the small clinic excisional biopsy. This old style medicine and can leave you waking up with either a larger, unnecessary wound or, as I’ve seen happen - no breast. Gee, they got in there and it was worse than they thought - no breast. That’s garbage. No excuse for that. If it was that bad, then you probably should have sought another opinion and perhaps a completely different treatment modality, like neo-adjuvant chemotherapy.

Don’t be afraid of the biopsy. It’s a step toward a cure.

maven

10 things that a breast cancer patient doesn't want to hear

We know you mean well. We’ll try not to get freaked out, angry or hurt and just let it pass.

This list is so perfect that I can’t improve on it. I’ve heard every one of these things … well except for the great boob job. My reconstruction failed catastrophically.

This was written for young breast cancer patients, but there isn’t anything here that doesn’t apply equally to us older gals as well.

Read on and pass along:

Click to read more ...

Is Breast MRI right for me?

I was happy to participate in late clinical studies to determine the efficacy of breast MRI at The University of Texas, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center back in 2002 while I was undergoing treatment for my own Stage IIIa breast cancer. It’s one more important tool that can and should be available to better and more accurately diagnose breast cancer.

A personal breast cancer journey

I never saw it coming.

Mammograms had been difficult to read, due to very fibrocystic breast tissue, but always ‘normal’. There were no ‘lumps’. But the technician came back in and said that they’d gone out to the waiting room to get my husband. That’s when my stomach lurched and I think all the blood drained out of the bottom of my feet, going down into the center of the earth. I didn’t feel dizzy, just completely numb.

This was the beginning salvo of a almost two year journey through advanced, Stage IIIa, lobular carcinoma - from chemo to surgery to radiation to more surgery and on toward survivorship.

June 27, 2008 marked my fifth anniversary out of treatment, and my sixth since diagnosis. I’m healthy and cancer-free.

If I’d stayed in Reno and done what I was told to do, I probably wouldn’t be sitting here writing this now. That’s why I am a cancer advocate for change in the way cancer, and breast cancer specifically is treated in hometowns across the country.

If you or somebody you love has breast cancer, I want to help arm you with information that you can use to fight your best battle.

If you don’t have breast cancer, I want to leave some thoughts with you that you can use to help others or yourself should the unthinkable happen.

Throughout the month of October, I will post bits and pieces here - of my own story, educational materials, differing opinions, stories about others who have made the journey and some of those who didn’t make it.

As an advocate and mentor, I’ve seen the look that must of been on my face on many other faces over the past several years. I’ve heard the fear in voices, and a lot of tears. I’ve raised money to get women to where they needed to be to get the best treatment, been a shoulder to cry on, a nurse, a fighter, a critic - but most of all I’ve been angry. Angry at a broken health care ‘system’ that through it’s very brokeness witholds not only treatment but the Standard of Care ‘right’ treatment in towns, cities and communities all across this country.  You can live in a medium size city and still not receive the current Standard of Care. You can live in a state, that unbelievably, has no accredited surgical oncologist in practice in the entire state.

I’ve seen the lousy care and I’ve seen the very best care. I know the difference. The best should be available to all, because you really don’t want to see what the lousy care looks like when it’s one of you or yours. I’m not talking about the results of the reconstructive ‘boob job’ - I’m talking about lives.

Since I was diagnosed, I have lost five woman that I cared about. I had to quit going to my breast cancer support group, because I could no longer deal with getting close to women only to see them die a few years later.

You’ll see a lot of informative material in here from the University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. That’s where I was fortunate enough to be able to go for my second opinion and all of my treatment. They literally saved my life, as you’ll hear. That’s where all of my cancer research dollars go, since they are the best of the best of the best.

I hope that you will join me, and become better informed about breast cancer, understanding that it is not a death sentence, especially if treated in a timely manner and with due diligence at a comprehensive cancer center.

-maven

A book for husbands/partners of breast cancer patients

This has been something that needed to be addressed in book form a long time ago. My own husband, saint though he is, was really at a loss how to deal with my breast cancer diagnosis. He got angry, despondant, controlling, fearful, loving, smothering, more helpful than I could have ever imagined and certainly stronger.

No woman should ever underestimate the roller coaster that her partner will take a ride on during her illness.

I think this book could really be a help:

Click to read more ...

Triple Negative Breast Cancer: Finally some good news

When my breast cancer was finally correctly diagnosed at the University of Texas, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (after being misdiagnosed in Reno, Nevada), I was told it was a ‘triple negative’. I was so overwhelmed with the totality of having cancer that it took a while for the importance of the ‘triple negative’ characterization to sink in.

The bottom line was that if they weren’t able to really catch it now - and I was at Stage IIIa - and it came back, there would be no really effective treatment. Uh, that sorta kinda sounds like a death sentence. That’s why I’m really thrilled to hear about this PARP inhibitor treatment work being done down at M. D. Anderson. True to their mission, they will be fast tracking this to patients.

Read on to learn just what ‘triple negative’ breast cancer is and why this new treatment is so important.

-maven

By Cancerwise Blogger on September 30, 2010 2:23 PM | Comments (0) | Trackbacks (0)

Early findings from Phase I and Phase II clinical trials using a new class of drug to treat patients with triple-negative breast cancer are showing promising results. Known as poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, or PARP inhibitors, these new agents received considerable attention at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in June.

Cheryl Jolly, in the related story, is now enrolled in a Phase III trial, and her tumor is shrinking.

Jennifer Litton, M.D., assistant professor in MD Anderson’s Department of Breast Medical Oncology, answers questions about this new drug and why it is helping women with this aggressive type of breast cancer.

Exactly what is triple-negative breast cancer?  
Triple-negative breast cancer is a subset of breast cancers that are not driven by estrogen or progesterone hormones. They also do not overexpress the HER-2/neu protein. Biologically, they are very aggressive and can grow more rapidly than other types of breast cancer.  

Can someone be genetically at high risk for developing it?  
Women who have been diagnosed with a BRCA1 deleterious (harmful) mutation as well as younger, premenopausal women and women of African-American descent, appear to have higher rates of developing triple-negative breast cancers, although triple-negative breast cancers can occur at any age and in any race. Women who are diagnosed premenopausally or have a family history of breast and/or ovarian cancers, especially at younger ages, should discuss with their oncologist whether or not they should meet with a genetic counselor.

What makes PARP a different type of treatment?
PARP inhibitors, such as olaparib and BSI-201, belong to a class of drugs that provide targeted therapy. They exploit a specific weakness in tumors stopping them from repairing damage in tumor DNA caused by chemotherapy. In addition, it also takes advantage of a further weakness, especially in tumors whose BRCA genes no longer work — and causes that cell to die.

In a Phase II study of olaparib presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology, women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations and advanced breast cancer that persisted despite previous treatment, more than one-third of patients had tumor shrinkage.

BSI-201, in combination with conventional chemotherapy, significantly improved overall and progression-free survival in women with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer, compared with chemotherapy alone.

Why does it seem to work for women with triple-negative breast cancer?  
This therapy appears to take advantage of weaknesses commonly seen within a triple-negative breast cancer cell. Also, paired with the right chemotherapy, its activity may not be limited to only triple-negative breast cancers.


What are the side effects of this treatment? 
There are several PARP inhibitors currently in development. Some are pills while others are given intravenously. Although side effects differ from drug to drug, overall they are very well tolerated adding little extra toxicity to the accompanying chemotherapy.


What other cancers does it show promise for?  
Right now PARP inhibitors are also being considered for other cancers such ovarian, uterine, brain and prostate cancers. As more clinical trial data become available, more tumors may be impacted by this class of drugs.


Related story:
After Four Years of Bad News, Cautious Optimism for Breast Cancer
Despite a harrowing health crisis in the past four years, the Sugar Land, Texas, wife and mother of two young boys is quick to laugh about aspects of her extensive treatment for triple-negative metastatic breast cancer. Read Cheryl Jolly’s Story


MD Anderson resources:
News Release - UT MD Anderson Study Finds Women with Both Triple Negative Breast Cancer and BRCA Mutations Have Lower Risk of Recurrence

Cancerwise blog posts by Jennifer Litton

Breast cancer: The lingering fear of recurrence

This is something that I struggle with, as does every other breast cancer survivor I’ve met or talked to. During the last eight years since my diagnosis, treatment and recovery, I’ve lost dear friends who had breast cancers that didn’t seem as bad as mine, or were ‘identical’ in a very basic sense. Add to the sense of loss a sense of dreaded “why them and not me?”

What I can tell you, if you have just been diagnosed or are currently undergoing treatment, is this - I no longer dwell on this daily. It’s one of those middle of the night things that creep in when I can’t sleep usually. Having a busy, active and satisfying life is key. You really do have to live completely for today. Nobody knows about tomorrow.

The most important thing I can tell you is that I know that I sought out the best treatment - not just the treatment I thought I could afford, or was most convenient or the least troublesome. If my cancer comes back, I’ll know without a doubt that I reached out for the latest, the newest and the most aggressive treatment available in the United States - although it was hard at times, both economically and physically.

I never wanted to have to second guess my treatment decisions later on. That alone helps me sleep at night.

You might find the following video enlightening. It’s by Lillie Schockney, R.N. of the Breast Center at Johns Hopkins, in Baltimore, Maryland.

Myth: Mammograms prevent breast cancer.

FALSE. Mammography is a screening test to detect cancer already present in the breast. It does not prevent cancer, nor will it definitively detect the disease.

The bottom line is mammography does not prevent breast cancer. Continuing with mammography screening is a personal choice, but it does not determine what causes breast cancer, nor will it cure the disease. Ultimately, resources must be devoted to finding effective preventions and treatments for breast cancer and tools that truly detect breast cancer at a time where an intervention will help.

Click to read more ...

Can Energy Balance Prevent Cancer?

The investigational literature has actually been trending in this direction for several years, but the evidence is becoming overwhelming - maintaining a healthy lifestyle of weight control and exercise, combined with lowered alcohol consumption can go a long way toward mitigating the risk of having certain cancers and avoiding a recurrence of cancer you’ve already beaten.

In these times of financial stress, it might seem easy to ask the question “can I afford the gym or healthier food options?” My question as an eight year survivor of Stage III breast cancer is “how can you not?” Had I known then what I know now, I certainly would have made a better effort to avoid cancer. But I have made huge changes since my cancer went into remission to avoid a recurrence, since I know a recurrence of my cancer (a ‘triple negative’ breast cancer) is essentially not survivable, there being no really effective treatments now or on the horizon.

Hey, that’s some kinda motivation? Right?

That said, I go to great lengths to maintain a healthy weight and BMI (Body Mass Index). I’m 5’3” and weigh between 136 and 138 pounds. BMI of 23.7. Actually, it’s lower than standard calculators, but I had mine done up at the UNR Center for Metabolic Research - where they do a couple very sophisticated body composition assessments. I’ve also gone up there and undergone nutritional and exercise analysis by their experts every couple years since my diagnosis.

I’m a nutritionists dream. At least that’s what they tell me. I think you can see from the Food page of this blog, that I’m not exactly living on celery and carrot sticks, but I’m still the food police. We’ve nixed the processed foods, fake food ingredients, saturated fats, refined white flours, sugars and - worst of all - sodium from out diets here. My husband - at 79 - has the clear arteries to prove it. We’re not vegetarian, but rather vegan trending ‘flexitarians’. We love our whole grains, veg and fruit.

And we exercise. A lot. During the warmer months I get in about 800 to 1,000 miles on my hybrid road bike depending on schedules. In the winter I ski, walk and run on the treadmill. We do Pilates and Yoga. I also meditate regularly. I hate gyms. I’m not a big joiner, and I don’t like being indoors to exercise unless forced to.

And we cut down the drinking. A lot.

The bottom line is that I’m now 8+ years out from diagnosis. Those who were diagnosed with same at the time I was are gone. Lifestyle choices are not the total answer. Chance, genes and medical choices also come into play big time. I just know that I’ve done all that I can. That’s all any of us can do.

-maven

The following feature article is from CURE magazine and is authored by Don Vaughn.

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How health care reform will affect cancer patients

The main reason I was campaigning so hard for the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act earlier this year is that I’m a cancer survivor. I know that my cancer -  Stage IIIa breast cancer - could return at any time, and times being what they are, the company my husband retired from could decide not to provide health insurance to retirees and their wives.

That means I could be left out in the cold. The plan that I had, previous to changes this year, also had a ‘cap’ that a return of cancer would have blown through in nothing flat. The insurance company could have also denied further benefits. Had I been tossed out by my current insurer, it would have been impossible, as in ‘too expensive’, to find other coverage - due to my pre-existing condition: Cancer.

We’re not poor. We have a good amount of savings. Our finances are sound and in order. We currently don’t owe a nickel.  But I know first hand just how a cancer diagnosis can go through it all in short order. If you think you are immune, think again. One in four Americans will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetimes.

That nasty old ‘Obama-care’ that the Tea Nuts love to hate is the only thing standing between me - and a lot of other cancer patients - and financial ruin.

Here’s a run down of just how ‘Obama-care’ or the Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act stacks up for cancer patients:

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Nutritional supplements. Do you really need them?

This is a soapbox that I’ve stood firmly on for a couple decades now, as study after study has failed to show conclusive evidence that supplements do anything more than drain your wallet of money. In these hard economic times, it’s important to overcome wishful thinking about supplements. This is hard in the face of the hundreds of millions of dollars spent marketing them to us, and the little that is done to control the claims they make.

You can also thank the anti-government types for this. Leaving it up to the supplement industry to police themselves hasn’t been a success under any measure.

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Four things you can do now to lower your risk of breast cancer

We’ve all been looking for any way to lower our risk of having breast cancer, or avoiding having the cancer return if you’re like me and a survivor of the disease. You can practically pick up any magazine today and find articles touting everything from soy products to genetic testing for the BCRA 1 and 2 gene, to antipersperant use, foods and more. Unfortunately, there has been little in the way of definative answers for any of these.

However, in this latest issue of the Nutrition Action Newsletter, published by those wise watchdogs, The Center for Science in the Public Interest, they do narrow down the latest research to four things you can do right now to minimize your risk. They are all well documented in the cancer community, and are exactly what I’ve been hearing and reading about from the top cancer research hospitals - including the one I went to, the University of Texas, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

1- Watch your weight.

Like a lot of women, I gained too much weight in my 30’s. How much?

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Advice on going out of area for cancer treatment

As an eight year survivor of advanced breast cancer and Network volunteer for the Unversity of Texas, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, I received an email today asking all volunteers to offer personal experiences on how they overcame the challenges of traveling away from home to get cancer treatment.

Here’s the query, followed by my reply:

Hello, Networkers,

Your experiences as a patient, either at M.D. Anderson or elsewhere, can be a big help to others who are following in your paths. I’m writing to ask your help by responding to either (or both!) of the questions below. We will compile the answers we receive, which will be printed as a House Call column in the ONCOLOG.

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