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Scooped by Susan Zager onto Breast Cancer News |
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We all know that cancer changes a person forever. It clearly changes us physically. It also changes us emotionally. Now here's the part no one really tells you: Cancer really does a number on your sexuality, especially us women.
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This article talks about the difficult topic of sex and cancer. Delete the scoop?
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Patients with cancer are living longer thanks to new cancer treatments; however, their financial well-being may suffer as a result.
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The financial burden of a cancer diagnosis is huge. It's important to look at this problem. The article states, “ASCO really believes that cost of cancer care is unsustainable and that reform is desperately needed.” While ASCO recognizes the problem, it requires work in so many places. Delete the scoop?
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Transformative research from Western University has identified new hormones in the body which may suppress breast cancer and stimulate the regression of breast tumors.
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According to this article, looking at other hormones that may have an impact on breast cancer could lead to new discoveries. At the same time I can't help but wonder whether someone is PR+ or PR- unless they are triple negative there is not much difference in treatment, so I wonder if this will lead to new treatment. Delete the scoop?
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Scientists have made an advance in breast cancer research which shows how some enzymes released by cancerous cells could have a protective function. Delete the scoop?
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"Explaining the rationale for this triplet in triple-negative breast cancers, Dr. Sachdev noted that these cancers cluster with the basal subtype on molecular profiling, which overexpresses SPARC and CAV1; SPARC-albumin binding results in high intratumoral concentration of nab-paclitaxel. Due to defective BRCA-mediated DNA repair, basal-like cancers are sensitive to DNA-damaging drugs like platinums, and bevacizumab improves the response rates for chemotherapy in metastatic breast cancer."
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"Conclusion of High Response Rates Our interim results show high rates of [pathologic complete response] compared to standard anthracycline/taxane regimens without bevacizu-mab” in triple-negative breast cancer, Dr. Sachdev reported (Table 1). “While the individual contribution of each of the experimental agents is difficult to determine, our results are in concordance with the GeparQuinto study, where a higher rate of [pathologic complete response] was observed in the bevacizumab-containing arm in patients with triple-negative breast cancer,” she said. 2 The most common grade 3 and 4 adverse events included, respectively, neutropenia (63%, 29%), thrombocytopenia (34%, 3%), and anemia (23%, 3%). No serious cardiac events were observed. Seven patients had a serious adverse event; one grade 5 event occurred during the postoperative bevacizumab phase (acute liver injury and thrombocytopenia). An ongoing randomized study is evaluating the individual contributions of carboplatin and bevacizumab to pathologic complete response in the neoadjuvant treatment of triple-negative breast cancer, she said. ■ Delete the scoop?
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"Here are the 2013 breast cancer abstracts available for ASCO's 2013 Annual Meeting - May 31 - June 4, 2013 | McCormick Place | Chicago, Illinois
Susan Zager's insight:
I will be reporting on the presentations and breast cancer news that comes from the annual ASCO 2013 Meeting in Chicage May 31-June 4. Meanwhile here's a list of all the breast cancer abstracts. Delete the scoop?
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"Attendees of the 2013 Annual Meeting find cutting-edge scientific presentations and comprehensive educational content. The ASCO Annual Meeting brings together more than 25,000 oncology professionals from a broad range of specialties, making it an excellent venue for exploring the theme of the Meeting — "Building Bridges to Conquer Cancer." Prospective attendees can familiarize themselves with some basic information, including:
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here is the information for the annual 2013 ASCO Meetingin Chicago, May31st-June4th. Delete the scoop?
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A concentrated form of radiation therapy - less expensive and less harmful than traditional radiation treatments is proving to be a boon for breast cancer patients.
Susan Zager's insight:
Here is an emerging radiation therapy first being used exclusively at the Fortis S L Raheja hospital in India. It is a shorter time period of therapy and less expensive. It will hopefully be an effective radiation treatment for breast cancer in India. Delete the scoop?
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"Decision Resources, a research and advisory firm based in Burlington, Mass., finds that the effect of an emerging agent on key efficacy endpoints, including overall survival and time to disease progression, has the most influence over surveyed U.S. and European oncologists’ prescribing decisions for advanced/metastatic hormone-receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer. The survey findings indicate that two novel emerging therapies — palbociclib (PD-0332991; Pfizer) and buparlisib (BKM-120; Novartis), both in combination with currently available hormonal therapies — are set to offer efficacy advantages over currently available agents used to treat this breast cancer population. The report also finds that surveyed U.S. oncologists would prescribe palbociclib to 50% of their first-line advanced/metastatic HR-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer patients."
Susan Zager's insight:
Here is another article talking about two new promising drugs for MBC, palbocicib (PD-0332991) and BKM-120. Delete the scoop?
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Breast health awareness, a given in this country, often is not an option in others. Yet enhancing awareness of breast cancer has been cited by international experts as a key element of all interventions.
Susan Zager's insight:
This article blogged in the Huffington Post is important in seeing the contrast between countries that are so much farther along with tools for detection of breast cancer and genetic risk of breast cancer contrasted with countries that have hardly any tools or awareness at all. There is a huge gap between countries that have so much "awareness" (but misinformation as a result of pinkwashing culture), so that the public is unaware of the high death rates from the disease even though there are early stage survivors, to countries which as a result of no awareness and lack of medical advances any stage breast cancer is automatically something that will develop to late stage disease and death from breast cancer. It is important to note that in countries with "pinkwashing cutlure" and still high death rates, the development of late stage disease unfortunately happens for a variety of reasons, but much of it has to do with the need for more research when it comes to a lack of awareness as to why early stage breast cancer even treated can randomly end up as late stage breast cancer. Delete the scoop?
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"Interest in issues involving breast cancer and its treatment is at an all-time high, this after award-winning actress Angelina Jolie revealed that she had undergone a double mastectomy because of a high risk of the said disease. It should prove as good news for the medical world that Japanese cancer specialist Kumiko Karasawa has revealed on Wednesday that has started the world’s first clinical trials of a powerful, non-surgical, short-term radiation therapy for breast cancer."
Susan Zager's insight:
This is a very different approach to breast cancer treatment in Japan than we have here in the US. I don't know much about the science involved in this trial in Japan for breast cancer, but it is certainly always interesting to see a different way of thinking being tested as a possible treatment option for breast cancer. Beacuse this story is out of Japan and I have no idea of how scientific it is, I put it in the paper to look at a mainstream Japanese media story response to Angelina Jolie's story. Delete the scoop?
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" MacroGenics, Inc. today announced that an abstract titled, "Phase 1 study of margetuximab (MGAH22), an Fc-modified chimeric monoclonal antibody (MAb), in patients with advanced solid tumors expressing the HER2 oncoprotein," will be presented at the 2013 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology during the Developmental Therapeutics - Immunotherapy Oral Abstract Session on Monday, June 3 at 4:15 - 4:30 PM. The presentation will describe the results of a first-in-human study of MacroGenics' next-generation anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody, margetuximab, which is being developed to treat HER2-expressing tumors. "
Susan Zager's insight:
This article talks about the start of a Phase 2 trial that will be presented at the ASCO meeting in Chicago, May 31-June 4. I would search for the abstract, but I will find the information and report it during the ASCO meeting. This trial is for a drug called MGAH22 (margetuximab) for advanced metastatic breast cancer HER2/neu tumors. Delete the scoop?
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"While men have been known to get breast cancer, a bigger threat to men is prostate cancer. With the headlines full of Jolie's decision, some men took to online health forums to discuss whether men should opt for preemptive prostate removal. "Since so many men develop this disease at advanced ages why not just remove the prostate as a standard procedure at around the age of sixty?" asked a poster named Roland, at Straightdope.com. Judging by the replies, that isn't going to happen. In fact, the latest prostate cancer research suggests men might need less treatment for prostate cancer unless they happen to harbor the gene for the most aggressive form of the disease.
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This article takes an intersting look at the contrast of women removing their breasts in relation to issues with breast cancer vs. men removing parts due to issues with prostrate cancer. Delete the scoop?
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Gayle Sulik says the reason the BRCA1 gene mutation test for breast cancer risk is so expensive is that a company owns the gene and sets the price.
Susan Zager's insight:
So glad to see this as news in mainstream media about Myriad and how expensive the test is as well as why the Supreme Court case is so important to all of us. Gayle Sulik explains the reasons for these expensive tests and discloses there are many complications that can happen with type of surgery. As the article states, "The treatment Angelina Jolie had is expensive and complicated. Up to 35% of women who get post-mastectomy reconstructions get infections. Implants need to be replaced and rupture frequently enough that we have ruptured implant specialists." I am happy to see a picture of people that stood on the steps of the Supreme Court representing one of the plaintiffs, Breast Cancer Action, on the day of opening statements for the case against Myriad trying to patent our genes. Delete the scoop?
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It is hard to understand breast cancer, much less picture it, but a New York photographer was able to do just that.
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Here is another story about the beautiful loving relationship beteween Angelo Merendino and his wife Jen who he photographed as she went through treatment for stage IV metastatic breast cancer. The photos are real and true to what happens with breast cancer. Jen blogged and Angelo kept taking these incredible photos. He is in the process of writing a book that he plans to publish in the future, which will really give people a look in to the incredible love that they both had for each other. Delete the scoop?
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Medical researchers have developed a new screening method that uses urinalysis to diagnose breast cancer – and determine its severity – before it could be detected with a mammogram.
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This is a great new approach to detecting breast cancer. Delete the scoop?
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"What happens when some of the best minds in breast cancer clinical research spend the day presenting cases from their practices and discussing the most relevant findings from recent papers and presentations? The answer is “a lot” (click here for the full audio program), and below are some of my favorite video sound bites from our always fascinating and exciting annual breast cancer Think Tank:"
Susan Zager's insight:
here Dr. Neil Love gives some sound bites from some of the cases that they will be further discussing in Chicago at ASCO especially in relation to Metastatic Breast Cancer. Here are some of the findings and I will be watching for more info on this in Chicago to report. Delete the scoop?
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"Several studies presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Washington, DC, focused on factors associated with breast cancer mortality. One study found that older women with longer intervals between mammograms had a higher likelihood of dying of breast cancer. A second study had a somewhat surprising finding—that the BRCA1 mutation, but not BRCA2, was associated with a worse prognosis. A third study found that black women had the poorest prognosis regardless of breast cancer subtype". Delete the scoop?
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Search triple negative breast cancer abstracts available for ASCO's 2013 Annual Meeting - May 31 - 4, 2013 | McCormick Place | Chicago, Illinois
Susan Zager's insight:
Here's where you can fnd the triple negative breast cancer abstracts available for the 2013 ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicage May 31-June 4 which I will be bringing you information from as it happens. Delete the scoop?
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"Among women with estrogen-receptor positive breast cancer, late recurrence was best predicted by the clinical treatment score. Significant prognostic value was added by the PAM50 risk of recurrence score and by the Breast Cancer Index score, according to a study comparing five scores that was presented at the 5th IMPAKT Breast Cancer Conference in Brussels, Belgium."
Susan Zager's insight:
Studying the prognostic value added by this "PAM50" risk of recurrence will hopefully add to the ability to predict risk of recurrence scores to help determine breast cancer treatment. Delete the scoop?
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Angelina Jolie had extra reason to undergo a double mastectomy to reduce her risk of developing breast cancer - her aunt is currently battling the disease.
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So sorry to hear that Angelina Jolie's aunt has breast cancer. Delete the scoop?
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"You've just been diagnosed with cancer. Your mind is reeling. And now your doctor wants you to sort through cancer treatment options and help decide on a plan. But how do you decide on a cancer treatment plan? Here are five steps to guide you in becoming a partner with your doctor in determining and guiding your cancer treatment."
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This article is helpful for the newly diagnosed. Delete the scoop?
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Angelina Jolie's shocking admission that she had a double mastectomy to prevent breast cancer helped to raise awareness of a highly aggressive form of the disease often referred to as triple negative breast cancer.
Susan Zager's insight:
This news although nothing new to those of us who recognize how dangerous triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is, takes Angelina Jolie's story and helps raise awareness for triple negative breast cancer through the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation, a very helpful organization to breast cancer patients diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. There is a huge need for more awareness of triple negative breast cancer as well as patient navigation which this story talks about how the TNBC Foundation is working to provide this type of help to patients who definately need this when diagnosed. Delete the scoop?
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"A new global survey sponsored by Novartis Oncology of nearly 1,300 women in 12 countries finds that despite breast cancer being the most common cancer in women worldwide, women living with advanced or metastatic breast cancer feel isolated and left out of the broader breast cancer movement. The global "Count Us, Know Us, Join Us" (Count Us) survey shows that nearly two- thirds of women with advanced breast cancer (ABC) feel like no one understands what they are going through. In fact, four of 10 women surveyed feel isolated from the broader breast cancer awareness movement, which focuses primarily on early detection, prevention and possible cure[2]. "When first diagnosed with breast cancer, women are instantly part of a vibrant breast cancer support community," said Maira Caleffi, MD, President of Brazilian Federation of Philanthropic Institutions to Support Breast Health (FEMAMA). "But when their cancer metastasizes or if they are first diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, it is no longer about becoming a survivor; it's about surviving."
Susan Zager's insight:
This article is even more detailed about how women with advanced breast cancer in 12 countries feel left out of the breast cancer movement. It details the differences between early stage and advanced breast cancer and how the focus and awareness about metastatic breast cancer is lacking. We need so many more articles and stories like this in mainstream media to get the point out about the real facts of stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. Delete the scoop?
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A Novartis survey finds many women with advanced breast cancer feel left out by an awareness movement focused on prevention, early detection and pink merchandise.
Susan Zager's insight:
This we already know, but the more this information gets in mainstream media, the better. Hopefully along with Peggy Orenstein's article in the New York Times there will be more articles coming out bringing the real issues of breast cancer to light. Delete the scoop?
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This is a very unique retreat.