MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'breast cancer research'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:11:06 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130989&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fsupport-a-cure-send-your-bra-to-washington%2F The media coverage of the economic woes of the United States and the recent congressional battle over the deficit has been ad nauseam recently. Most of us have really had enough — and may even have become desensitized to the issues. This concerns me. The implication for women and especially breast cancer survivors is significant. If budget cuts for education, research, and health care continue, I worry that it will adversely affect any momentum gained over the past years in working towards a cure for breast cancer. Government’s involvement in finding a cure is paramount. Each of us needs to make an effort to keep breast cancer front and center, and I have a simple way that we can do it. I have sent e-mails to my representatives and senators about health care and breast cancer. Of... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130989 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 16:46:28 +0100 5130989 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008550&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fthe-best-evidence-says-mammograms-should-begin-at-age-forty%2F There was much hoopla a few years ago over recommendations by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force to limit mammography screening to women ages 50 to 74 every other year. But there is less fanfare over new findings coming out of a study in Sweden, which suggests that regular mammograms in women ages 40 to 49 (the age group excluded by the new task force guidelines) prevented up to 30 percent of deaths from breast cancer. People, this is significant! The task force ignored studies like these ongoing in Sweden and Canada for their model, which was based on statistical data. The Swedish mammogram study spanned 29 years and included over 130,000 women. The task force’s answer to recent studies has been to recommend a baseline mammogram for women in their forties to look at breast density,... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008550 Fri, 08 Jul 2011 14:39:24 +0100 5008550 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4902639&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fare-profits-driving-breast-cancer-clinical-studies%2F I got the bright idea this week that it would be great if now and then I could provide information about clinical studies being done on treatment or drugs for breast cancer. I am involved in a clinical study through Sister (the name I give to my younger sister in case you forgot) who is part of a study into the BRCA gene mutation carriers in Canada. Other than that, I have answered questionnaires for various studies. Now as a survivor I wonder if I could be helpful as a participant in drug research and trials. My investigation into this idea brought up a whole other issue however. Large pharmaceutical companies fund many of the studies looking for a wonder drug. The intent is to not only find effective and safe drugs, but profitable ones too. This actually limits the studies being done. Ta... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4902639 Mon, 06 Jun 2011 21:29:25 +0100 4902639 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813614&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fdo-we-need-a-longer-hospital-stay-after-a-mastectomy%2F Even though the scientific evidence shows that women recover just as well at home after a mastectomy, I don’t believe women should be sent home the day after surgery. In the late 1990s, the switch was made to sending women home quickly after surgery to remove a breast. The evidence suggested that women recover just as well at home as in the hospital. Prior to that decision, many women were in the hospital for several days — now it is up to doctors whether to keep a woman longer than the initial day of recovery. They need a medical reason for insurance to pay for the extended hospital stay. But the evidence doesn’t address the emotional impact that breast cancer and losing a breast has on a woman. We especially need time to assess our feelings about losing a breast before returni... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813614 Tue, 10 May 2011 17:00:14 +0100 4813614 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4780459&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbreast-cancer-can-we-stop-it-with-a-vaccine%2F Osama bin Laden is gone — now let’s target breast cancer. Like a terrorist, breast cancer is merciless and unrelenting. We don’t know where it is hiding and when the next attack is going to come. Just as there was a concerted effort to bring down bin Laden, there are countless agents working diligently on eradicating breast cancer. It poses the same threat as terrorism — it strikes fear in families and kills the innocent. Breast cancer over the years has killed as many if not more people than terrorists. In 2010, there was a lot of talk about work on a vaccine for breast cancer. It has since died down, but I was reminded of it while listening to the radio a week ago. During a news program, there was a snippet about a vaccine showing promise for pancreatic cancer. It immedi... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4780459 Tue, 03 May 2011 18:14:29 +0100 4780459 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4720051&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F04%2Fmore-on-estrogen-controversyconfusion.html All of us breast cancer people know about the estrogen controversy/confusion about if you have had estrogen positive breast cancer, should you avoid estrogen in the future? Based on yet another new study (of course, what would the world be without medical studies), the answer is sometimes its good and sometimes its bad. I saw this article and thought - maybe I can finally figure this out - and it left me more confused than I was before. I am keeping my stand of I am skipping estrogen because it allows me to avoid eating tofu which I hate. (Tofu and soy can mimic estrogen so supposedly it should be avoided by women with estrogen positive breast cancer - or so the last study said.) Anyhow this article only says that sometimes its good and sometimes its bad and since I have no way of knowing ... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4720051 Sat, 16 Apr 2011 10:35:00 +0100 4720051 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4677040&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fnot-writing-much-longer-i-hope%2F I only learned tonight that Ann Romney, the wife of Mitt Romney, a presidential candidate wannabe, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. I didn’t know that until now, but I was happy to learn that she was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer — ductal carcinoma in situ DCIS. Technically, carcinoma in situ is a pre-cancer. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in situ when she was 60; she survived that and then survived lung cancer later. Women diagnosed at that early age are often considered cancer-free after a lumpectomy to remove the tiny tumor. I was not so lucky. When I was diagnosed, the cancer was invasive and had spread to several lymph nodes. That was over six years ago. I survived and I have been writing about it for five years. I never figured that I would sti... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4677040 Mon, 04 Apr 2011 15:52:09 +0100 4677040 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4610957&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fget-the-best-reconstructive-surgery-for-you%2F I am so grateful that Dr. Rebecca Studinger began her practice in Michigan. Yesterday I had another breast revision surgery and fat grafting. Fat grafting is actually liposuction; Dr. Studinger took fat from another part of my body — not hard to find — and put it into my breasts to get the right size. The best thing about this wonderful doctor is that she is not only highly trained, skilled, and talented, but is willing to work with me patiently to ensure I get the results I want. Her vision for women after breast cancer matches our own. We desire natural looking breasts as close to the real thing as possible and Dr. Studinger is one doctor who can make that happen. My surgeries with her have been like a spa experience — she is that good. My doctors at Johns Hopkins were... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4610957 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:48:02 +0100 4610957 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592638&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fdont-be-bullied-into-treatment-youre-not-comfortable-with%2F .If you have ever been bullied, you know that you don’t realize it at first. Initially, people tend to blame themselves for how others treat them. I was bullied as a child by a group of girls, and I can tell you that your first instinct is to think it is your fault. As a new student in a new school, I was ostracized for the first few months. At eight years old, school was my whole life, so you can imagine how much the rejection of the other students affected me. It took me well into adulthood to find it easy to make new friends. Of course I am over it now, but it had a long-lasting effect. As adults we don’t call it bullying, we call it intimidating. Often we admire people who can intimidate others, regardless of the outcome. Perhaps that is why bullying has becoming epidemic among chi... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592638 Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:35:31 +0100 4592638 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4495383&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fpreventing-lymphedema-prior-to-treatment%2F I am worried about lymphedema. This is a condition that can develop with breast cancer treatment and involves swelling in the arm or chest after lymph nodes are removed, which clogs the flow of lymph fluid from that area. It’s something that I have been concerned about every now and then, and as I wrote earlier this week, I am aware of things I can do to prevent it. Lately though, when reading about lymphedema, it appears that it’s something we should be thinking about when we first start discussing breast cancer treatment. Surgery and radiation therapy can cause lymphedema by removing or destroying lymph nodes and vessels draining lymph fluid from the arm and chest. Lumpectomies and mapping of lymph nodes are among the techniques that doctors are using to reduce the risk of t... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4495383 Fri, 18 Feb 2011 20:47:08 +0100 4495383 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4464661&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fa-new-way-to-help-protect-breast-cancer-survivors%2F During one of my classes, the instructor showed a slide of a woman’s arm afflicted with lymphedema. Until then I had never seen a picture of it. The slide showed the affected arm beside the woman’s unaffected arm, and it was pretty apparent that lymphedema had swollen the arm to more than twice its size. It was the first time I had really seen what lymphedema could do. It jolted me and rekindled my fears about this condition. Having had lymph nodes removed during my mastectomy makes me a candidate for lymphedema. I make sure I tell nurses and doctors to measure my blood pressure using my other arm. When I get fatigued, I notice that my arm feels a little numb, and it reminds me that something else has been affected by breast cancer. I asked my doctor if I should get a medical alert bra... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4464661 Fri, 11 Feb 2011 21:18:31 +0100 4464661 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4439003&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=39212&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbahtocancer.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fone-in-eight%2F When I was first diagnosed with a breast cancer, I stumbled through leaflets, websites, and conversations about my new dance partner, horrified at my own ignorance about a disease that, it turned out, affected one in nine women in the UK. I remember thinking about that statistic as I walked to the hospital one day. I remember trying to work out how many women I knew, how many of those had had a breast cancer, what the likelihood was of more of my loved ones joining me on the dancefloor….. I soon stopped speculating, as I recognised it wasn’t a constructive way to think, but that ‘one in nine’ has stuck with me ever since. Yesterday morning, as usual, I was listening to the radio as I got dressed. As usual, I was surveying my poor beleaguered breast and wondering how... Bah! to cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4439003 Sat, 05 Feb 2011 06:44:08 +0100 4439003 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4259133&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fcan-you-afford-to-find-out-if-you-are-at-high-risk-for-breast-cancer%2F Let’s face it: Women who test positive for either of the genetic mutations for breast cancer have an unenviable disadvantage. According to the National Cancer Institute, breast cancer risk among the general population is about 12 percent, while about 60 percent of women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 will develop breast cancer — that’s five times the risk. Also, the average age for the general population to develop breast cancer is 60, yet the average age of onset in those with a genetic predisposition to breast cancer is in the 40s. If you are in one of these groups, you need to know it. Genetic testing is the only way to determine if you are in either of these high-risk groups. I am a huge advocate for testing since it saved Sister’s life; she had an early hysterectomy that discovered s... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4259133 Tue, 14 Dec 2010 15:16:56 +0100 4259133 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4225572&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fmy-deep-dark-femara-secret%2F Last January, my oncologist gave me a prescription for Femara because my five-year course with tamoxifen had finished. Research shows maximum benefits from hormonal treatment if tamoxifen is followed by an aromatase inhibitor like Arimidex or Femara for five years. I tried Arimidex in 2006 and wrote about how I had to stop because the side effects were so debilitating. So I initially put off taking it and then later blogged about the prescription still stuck to my fridge. Comments from many of you tried to ease my concerns and encouraged me to take it. So I agreed I would. I need to come clean. Until I had the bone cancer scare that I wrote about last week in my blog about pain and breast cancer, I wasn’t taking Femara. I had good intentions — really I did — mostly because of concern... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4225572 Fri, 03 Dec 2010 20:24:16 +0100 4225572 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4175917&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fliquid-biopsy-a-breakthrough-for-breast-cancer%2F A new procedure to remove and study cancer cells is making headlines and causing lots of excitement. “Liquid biopsy” is a new and inventive way of biopsying cancer with only a blood test. The theory is that tiny fragments of a tumor break away and circulate in the blood — and it is these that the new test is trying to capture. Although similar technology currently exists, it is only able to trap a minute number of cells. But new technology is being developed that is aimed at capturing thousands and being able to detail treatment for that specific cancer right in the lab before subjecting a person to treatment. We are still not there yet, but initial discussions about cancer treatment using this new type of testing include words like “breakthrough” and “revolutionalize.�... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4175917 Wed, 17 Nov 2010 20:17:42 +0100 4175917 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4134144&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fcan-we-really-wait-10-years-for-a-breast-cancer-cure%2F I have been struggling with mixed emotions. The National Breast Cancer Coalition came out last month with a new initiative — to cure breast cancer by January 1, 2020. As exciting as it may seem to set a deadline for a cure, I am so terribly disappointed to think it may take another 10 years. That means that over two million more women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and a number of them will die from the disease. This to me is unacceptable. Millions and millions of dollars have been raised toward breast cancer awareness, treatment, and research just since I was diagnosed seven years ago. There has been real progress in finding better treatments and making inroads in new directions such as genetic testing. Yet, if we are prepared to wait 10 more years for a cure we can’t honestly ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4134144 Wed, 03 Nov 2010 20:02:07 +0100 4134144 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4065554&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fback-to-basics-with-dr-kristi-funk%2F This week I had the opportunity to talk with Dr. Kristi Funk again. I previously interviewed Dr. Funk during last year’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Dr. Funk has been active in breast cancer awareness, surgery, and treatment since she was Director of Patient Education at Cedars-Sinai Breast Center in Los Angeles. In 2009, she left to open the Pink Lotus Breast Center. She is truly a treasure trove of knowledge and a dedicated warrior in the fight against breast cancer. I will include some of the great things I learned from talking with Dr. Funk over the next few blog entries. One of the important things we discussed was the role of diet and exercise in reducing the risk of breast cancer. More evidence continues to emerge to support findings that breast cancer is affected by a woma... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4065554 Wed, 13 Oct 2010 17:52:21 +0100 4065554 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4036649&cid=t_132475_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhow-the-swedish-mammography-study-shouldve-been-analyzed%2F2010.10.05 We reviewed four stories on the Swedish mammography study that appeared in the journal Cancer last week. Three of the four stories gave a pretty clear indication that there were methodological concerns about the Swedish research (of the four reviewed, only HealthDay offered no such hint): • 4th paragraph of AP story: “The new study has major limitations and cannot account for possibly big differences in the groups of women it compares.” • 1st paragraph of LA Times blog story: “Critics charged that the study was poorly designed and potentially vastly misleading.” • 2nd sentence of NY Times story: “Results were greeted with skepticism by some experts who say they may have overestimated the benefit.” But none of the stories did a very complete job of ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4036649 Tue, 05 Oct 2010 20:00:34 +0100 4036649 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3961813&cid=t_132475_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmammography-wars-an-important-discussion-to-keep-alive%2F2010.09.12 This is a thoughtful “sounding board” piece in the New England Journal of Medicine this week: Lessons from the Mammography Wars. It is so important to keep this discussion alive. The miscommunication that took place last November of what the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force tried to convey, and the complicity of some news organizations in adding to that confusion, provide lessons from which we simply must learn to do better. *This blog post was originally published at Gary Schwitzer's HealthNewsReview Blog* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3961813 Mon, 13 Sep 2010 03:26:23 +0100 3961813 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3784231&cid=t_132475_87_f&fid=36088&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ourbodiesourblog.org%2Fblog%2F2010%2F07%2Fbreast-cancer-early-detection-methods-prone-to-erro When the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released new recommendations in 2009 calling for less frequent screening mammograms for women under age 50, the news caused quite a ruckus. Many women’s health organizations, such as Our Bodies Ourselves, National Women’s Health Network and Breast Cancer Action, applauded the new guidelines — and had, in fact, been recommending the same approach for pre-menopausal women for many years. But understanding the science behind the logical, if somewhat counter-intuitive, recommendations requires a nuanced analysis. Now, a New York Times examination of breast cancer cases explains, in very personal terms, the problems with diagnosing breast cancer — especially early detection methods, which are “prone to both outr... Our Bodies Our Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3784231 Fri, 23 Jul 2010 20:06:54 +0100 3784231 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3740785&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbreast-cancer-hasnt-changed-my-love-of-lipstick%2F This week, NBC Nightly News reported on an expert panel in San Francisco looking into the connection between environment and breast cancer risk. Things like pesticides and chemicals in water bottles are a concern, but to date there is no concrete evidence linking the incidence of cancer to the environment. Fortunately, experts are not about to give up — they will continue to research all aspects of environmental risks and breast cancer development. The news report also included a brief discussion about the chemicals in makeup. I love wearing makeup. By age 14, my friends and I were really into makeup. My mom is one of those women who never left the house without her hair and face done, so it was inevitable that she would influence me to have a love of lipstick, blush, and eye shadow. Alm... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3740785 Fri, 09 Jul 2010 15:53:54 +0100 3740785 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3655758&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fmedical-bills-mean-bittersweet-victory-over-breast-cancer%2F The most heartbreaking stories I hear are from those who found a lump or have been diagnosed with breast cancer and don’t have insurance. Fear grips us the moment we notice a lump in our breasts; fear can overwhelm us when we are told it is breast cancer. There are no words, however, to describe the horror of realizing that you can’t afford treatment. I had good insurance when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, but I shared in previous entries the horror of finding we were without health insurance when my husband’s employment changed and his company didn’t offer us COBRA right away. The battle with breast cancer was bad enough, but knowing we had to pay over 1,100 dollars a month to continue coverage once we were given COBRA was like fighting the enemy on two fronts. Add in th... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3655758 Fri, 11 Jun 2010 16:17:50 +0100 3655758 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3648457&cid=t_132475_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2F182150%2F Get 25% off EBOOST Pink Lemonade and Fight Breast Cancer: For every box of EBOOST Pink Lemonade sold, EBOOST will donate $10 to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Plus, Blisstree readers get 25% off! Post from: BlissTree (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3648457 Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:18:58 +0100 3648457 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3648751&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fnew-findings-about-stress-and-breast-cancer%2F This report found an astounding 59% reduction in mortality among women with recurrence who had earlier psychological intervention to prevent stress. Prior to being diagnosed with breast cancer, I had several stressful years that began with my father’s death. My marriage broke up a year later, followed by struggling as a single mother and adjusting to a new marriage and a move to a different country while trying to help my mother battle lung cancer. I felt that many people deal with more than this, and I really thought I was coping exceptionally well. With a BRCA gene mutation predisposing me to breast cancer, perhaps these difficult years were too much for my immune system after all. So what does this mean? Psychological therapy during and after breast cancer to help deal with fear, stre... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3648751 Wed, 09 Jun 2010 19:22:09 +0100 3648751 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3644741&cid=t_132475_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fblisstree-readers-get-25-off-eboost-energy-drink-and-help-support-breast-cancer-research%2F Are you or a loved one grappling with breast cancer? If so, EBOOST and Blisstree understand the long road and challenges ahead. That’s why for every box of pink lemonade that EBOOST sells, they’ll donate a full $10 of the proceeds to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Together, we can give hope to millions of women and their families – and help wipe out this terrible disease once and for all. The EBOOST Healthy Energy Drink contains a special blend of vitamins and minerals that activate the four vital elements of performance: ENERGY, IMMUNITY, RECOVERY, and FOCUS, delivering sustained energy that lasts. EBOOST has teamed up with Susan G. Komen for the Cure® to raise money for breast cancer awareness with an exclusive offer for Blisstree readers. A box of 20 EBOOST pink lemon... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3644741 Tue, 08 Jun 2010 21:11:10 +0100 3644741 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3635983&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbeing-proactive-about-a-healthier-environment%2F As part of my healthy life makeover, I am learning about potentially harmful toxins and chemicals in my home and my environment. I watched Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s special report Toxic America on CNN and was surprised to learn that there are over 80,000 chemicals in use in America, but only 200 have been tested. I was further shocked to hear that carcinogenic chemicals in mascara, nail polish, and other cosmetics that have banned from use in Europe are still being used in cosmetics sold in this country. Having the BRCA gene mutation means that the gene that stabilizes DNA and prevents cells from growing out of control is not functioning properly. Without this mechanism, there is a greater chance of developing a breast cancer tumor. This started me thinking that maybe there is something externa... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3635983 Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:14:47 +0100 3635983 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3625729&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fis-a-breast-cancer-vaccine-on-the-horizon%2F The Cleveland Clinic in Ohio is vaccinating mice against breast cancer — and they are seeing some very promising results. This means that there may be a breast cancer vaccine in the foreseeable future; this is too wonderful to even hope for. The scientists working on the vaccine were able to prevent tumors from growing, but were also able to reduce the size of already growing tumors. They were able to target a protein found in most breast cancers and use it in the vaccine. Dr. Vincent Tuohy, an immunologist and the lead scientist, suggests that human studies could begin as early as next year. It will be a long process to work through FDA requirements and raise the funding for further studies in humans, but this is so promising. Dr. Tuohy was inspired by the vaccines that protect children... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3625729 Wed, 02 Jun 2010 20:37:07 +0100 3625729 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3560443&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fsomething-is-missing-from-my-reconstructed-breasts%2F A breast without a nipple is like a car without an engine — it is beautiful to look at but you can’t turn it on! I miss my real nipples. Talking to several women at the BRCA conference I attended in Toronto, many of them had the same lament. Regardless of the reconstructive procedure, we all miss the sensation we used to get from our nipples. I can’t conjure up that same feeling, and I have to honestly say sex is not the same. It is still great, don’t get me wrong, but that special effect that came from sensitive breasts is — well, regretfully gone. I have tried to view all the new changes to my body and psyche that came from breast cancer with curiosity. It compels me to research and study the effects of surgery and the drugs on my body and mind. I find it interesting ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3560443 Wed, 12 May 2010 19:14:34 +0100 3560443 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3552507&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fcancer-and-the-environment%2F My editor sent me an article titled: “Americans are bombarded with cancer sources.” Now there is a good wake-up call. The article, which talks about a new report issued by the President’s Cancer Panel, explains that while most researchers believe that two-thirds of cancers are caused by lifestyle (not my contention of course), other factors like radon from the ground, medical imaging, and pollution play a significant role in increasing cancer incidence in the United States. This means the environment we live in. It was President Nixon who declared a war against cancer nearly 40 years ago, and we have not won it yet. The two “soldiers” in this war who released this report, Dr. LaSalle Leffall and Margaret Kripke, were appointed by George W. Bush and have been investigating carcino... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3552507 Mon, 10 May 2010 18:27:32 +0100 3552507 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3545592&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Ffight-like-a-girl%2F At the BRCA conference I attended in Toronto this week, a young woman was sporting a great t-shirt with the pink-ribbon symbol and the words “fight like a girl.” Girls really are the best fighters. I don’t mean the kind of fighting with fists or weapons, nor do I mean the kind of bullying that sadly goes on in school playgrounds. I mean the kind of fighting that changes lives. Girls will stand their ground for their rights, go to war for their children, and fight for their lives when faced with breast cancer. This kind of fighting takes tenacity, willpower, and courage. This t-shirt brought to mind the times I advocated for loved ones and especially how I became a warrior for myself. I can honestly say breast cancer brought out the warrior in me. While the conference itself was beyon... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3545592 Fri, 07 May 2010 21:11:09 +0100 3545592 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3538357&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbreast-cancer-claims-georgy-girl-lynn-redgrave%2F This winter I wore a helmet while skiing. I was encouraged to do this because of the death last year of the beautiful actress Natasha Richardson. While taking ski lessons with her son at a resort in Montreal, she fell on the bunny hill and bumped her head; she died later from the effects of that bump. Richardson seemed so trim and in shape — I figured that it was just as easy for me to have a ski accident, since I am not so trim and in shape, and I’m a relatively new skier to boot. I thought of her a few times when I wore my helmet. My husband said I had the jazziest helmet on the hill, but that was probably because kids were the only other ones who were wearing helmets. Natasha Richardson was a member of the famous Redgrave family of actors, which included her mother Vanessa and ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3538357 Wed, 05 May 2010 19:58:55 +0100 3538357 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3524092&cid=t_132475_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2Fbreast-cancer-and-multivitamins-%25e2%2580%2593-is-there-a-link%2F Wait a minute – we thought taking a daily multivitamin could only help, not hurt us. But according to a recent health article on Canada.com (via Reuters), that may not always be the case. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition conducted a study which found that women age 49 and over who take multivitamin supplements on a regular basis generally have a 19% higher risk of developing breast cancer. But on the flip side, other recent studies have shown that female multivitamin users are no more likely to die of cancer than non-users. And, of course, other issues can factor into a woman’s risk of breast cancer including family history, weight, exercise habits, and whether or not she smokes. The kicker? Many researchers and doctors – including Dr. Susanna C. Larsson of the Karolins... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3524092 Sat, 01 May 2010 16:20:50 +0100 3524092 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3515578&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fstaying-abreast-of-better-health-practices%2F Steven Narod, MD, is a foremost authority on BRCA cancers. I met him after my genetics team at the University of Michigan referred Sister to him in Canada. Dr. Narod is affiliated with the Women’s College Research Institute in Toronto and is what you would expect from a passionate researcher — quirky and optimistic. Sister has been proactive about her diagnosis and is involved in a study in Canada where she is tested twice yearly; she receives a mammogram in January and an MRI in May. Her goal is to keep her breasts, and aggressive monitoring will identify any sign of a breast tumor early. She also stays abreast (pun intended) of continuing research and findings regarding genetic breast cancers. A hysterectomy two years ago reduced Sister’s risk of both breast cancer and ovarian canc... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3515578 Wed, 28 Apr 2010 18:35:30 +0100 3515578 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3456849&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fno-one-owns-the-breast-cancer-gene-anymore%2F About 10 years ago, a cousin of mine introduced me to the Human Genome Project. He was very excited about the science and process of identifying all the human genes and their sequences. The potential for scientific and medical breakthroughs was staggering. As I got interested in the research and began to follow the project, I was appalled by the business interests involved. Specific business groups began the process of patenting some of the genetic components and findings. It would be like you owning your home and property only to find that someone else owned and had the rights to all the earth on your lot. Although companies argued that by being able to profit from their findings they could continue research and development, it is pretty obvious that individuals and stock holders would b... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3456849 Fri, 09 Apr 2010 17:23:55 +0100 3456849 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3411264&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fcan-many-breast-cancers-be-avoided%2F The Internet was abuzz yesterday with this news out of Barcelona, Spain: Experts at a conference there claim that a third of all breast cancers in the western world can be avoided. This is really a shocking claim. We are all aware that lifestyle can affect breast cancer risk; this isn’t news to us in the US. What is new is that this announcement actually indicates that as many as one-third of all breast cancers can be avoided by eating less and exercising more. Researchers at the conference pointed to better screening and new treatments as working to decrease deaths from breast cancer, but now it is time for women to do their part by losing weight and choosing a healthier lifestyle. I truly have mixed emotions about this. On the one hand, I get that we need to take better care of ourselv... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3411264 Fri, 26 Mar 2010 18:50:49 +0100 3411264 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3395334&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fhealth-care-reform-a-breast-cancer-victory%2F I am sitting in my family room this Sunday evening listening to the final debate in the House of Representatives over health care reform. It is overwhelming to think that finally there will be a solution to the huge lack of accessible health care for millions of Americans. I am relieved to know that finally in America health care will be a right, and not a privilege. This is an important step in the quest for a cure for breast cancer. No matter what treatment researchers find, it won’t be a cure unless all women have access to it. Those of us that have fought and won our battle with breast cancer won’t be denied insurance for having a pre-existing condition. More women will survive breast cancer because they have screening at a critical early time; Ensuring that all women in America ca... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3395334 Mon, 22 Mar 2010 18:48:42 +0100 3395334 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3307045&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Ffight-breast-cancer-with-pomegranates%2F I love a lot of different fruits. Oranges are my favorite, but I love strawberries and blueberries too, but pomegranates are a special treat. When I was a little girl, every now and then my mom would buy one, which was a big deal when you consider we were living in a little tiny mining town in northern Ontario at the time.  She gave my sister and me each half and sat us outside to pick through the juicy seeds.  I’m sure part of her plan was to keep us occupied for a very long time. Since then I lost my patience for that delightful fruit until this fall. I couldn’t get enough pomegranates, I ate pretty much one a week until early this year when they went out of season. I also love pomegranate juice. I keep a little bottle in my fridge all year round. When I am out to dinner or a speci... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3307045 Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:51:32 +0100 3307045 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3269852&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Ftoo-quiet-on-the-breast-cancer-front%2F I have been in the breast cancer business for six and a half years. I call it “the business” because of how it affects my life, not because of the science or medicine. In all that time I have held to the hope of a cure for breast cancer. Not a treatment, not just a drug to eliminate risk; a real cure. In the past four years I have read and written about research studies and findings and breakthroughs. I have even blogged about British scientists that said there would be a cure in two years – that was in 2009. Things are very quiet right now about breast cancer and the quiet is deafening. We are in a war. The war against cancer. Remember, Nixon declared war on cancer and no one to my knowledge has declared a truce. When you are in a war you need to know what is happening on the front ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3269852 Fri, 12 Feb 2010 19:38:40 +0100 3269852 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2927526&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fconnecting-women-to-breast-cancer-trials%2F I am continually amazed at the power people have – regular people like you and me – to affect the battle against breast cancer. Recently a wonderful organization and Web site was brought to my attention. BreastCancerTrials.org is a non-profit organization that was started by two women just like us that had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Joan Schreiner experienced how difficult it was to find a trial that could help her battle with the disease and envisioned a service that could help others find trials and research studies that could benefit them. Joanne Tyler shared her vision and together these women found sponsors to help them build an organization and develop the Web site. They came up with a wonderful Web site that is interactive and user friendly. It allows you to post your in... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2927526 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:18:06 +0100 2927526 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2920446&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fdr-kristi-funk-on-breast-cancer-and-genetic-testing%2F I was so blessed to get some time to talk with Dr. Kristi Funk in a phone interview. In my last blog I shared the first part of our interview when I asked her about choosing a lumpectomy over a mastectomy. While she was willing to put forth her thoughts on my questions, Dr. Funk is very supportive of her profession as a whole, indicating that a woman needs to discuss all her options with her own surgeon. Genetic testing for the BRCA gene mutation is one of the biggest advancements recently that we have made in the battle against breast cancer in my mind. So this was definitely an issue I wanted to explore further with Dr. Funk. I know that genetic testing is now being examined by oncologists to help determine the types of treatment to prescribe for a patient with breast cancer, but I wante... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2920446 Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:49:29 +0100 2920446 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2758066&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fted-kennedy-another-casualty-of-the-war-on-cancer%2F This past August has proven to be the deadliest month in the entire war in Afghanistan, but still there is no comparison to the casualties from another war that America has been fighting for almost 40 years; the war on cancer. Since 1971 when president Nixon declared war on cancer we have seen better and more effective treatments, we have seen less people dying from the disease and others living longer than was initially expected. What we have not seen is a cure. We have even forgotten that we are still at war. We lost a champion for universal health care and a man who worked to initiate the war on cancer when Senator Ted Kennedy died last week. He especially understood how this war was continuing to rage and found himself in the midst of battle when he was diagnosed with an incurable brai... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2758066 Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:38:04 +0100 2758066 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2737980&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fa-cure-for-breast-cancer-in-two-years%2F So here I am sitting and listening to the late night local news. The newscaster suddenly announces that a potential cure for cancer may be only two years away. At first I am stunned as he explains how researchers in Britain have isolated molecules that allow cancer cells to spread which could lead to drugs to turn off the process. Then I realize that he used the word “cure” and not “treatment.” This makes me cry, bawl in fact. A real cure for breast cancer could be imminent and I had no idea how emotional I would be about this possibility becoming a reality. I have been watching TV for most of the night and I should consider the night wasted, but instead I am elated. I was caught up with the show “America’s Got Talent” because of a young woman named Barbara Padilla. This ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2737980 Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:03:52 +0100 2737980 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2260476&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fexplaining-the-threat-cancer-poses-to-our-nation%2F Did you hear the president say that we are going to find a cure for cancer during his speech Wednesday night? This was one of the most important speeches regarding the goals of this nation and President Barack Obama included finding a cure for cancer. Kennedy said the same thing about getting a man on the moon and we were successful. President Obama’s declaration is significant. In 1971 President Nixon declared war on cancer. Since then we have been winning battles but we just can’t win the war. It takes renewed commitment to finally win the longest raging war ever and for America, I believe that this is it. President Obama lost his mother to ovarian cancer. He knows how great a foe cancer really is to the welfare of Americans. His children lost a grandmother and America lost a woman g... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2260476 Fri, 27 Feb 2009 21:35:15 +0100 2260476 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1833515&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fthink-pink-toilet-paper-streamers-cheerleaders-my-son-and-breast-cancer%2F Last night our house was toilet papered; every tree draped with streams of white. A huge sign was posted on our window highlighting the fact that a “Rocket” lives here. The Rocket is my son; he is a member of the Rocket Football team and the toilet-papering and sign-posting is the work of cheerleaders. It is all in fun for homecoming, with the big game being tonight and the homecoming dance tomorrow. As I watch the games every Friday night, under the lights, I get especially entertained by the enthusiasm of the great bunch of beautiful young women leading the cheers. They are exuberant, healthy and loud! They are also young, with enormous futures ahead of them. I am not a mother of girls, but my boys have had enough friends who are girls and attended enough dances for me to get... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1833515 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:34:35 +0100 1833515 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1668784&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fnow-is-the-time-for-our-breast-cancer-battle-cry%2F We have heard nothing new or exciting regarding breast cancer treatment for quite a while now. It is so frustrating when you are hoping for a major breakthrough towards a cure. Even the fact that so much headway has been made on the genetic front with regards to breast cancer hasn’t garnered better treatment options. The best treatment option that has come out of genetic profiling is to remove healthy body parts to prevent cancer. We have been sending men into space for decades. Man has even walked on the moon. Why then can we not find a cure or a safe easy treatment for breast cancer? Do we need more money? Do we need more brains? Do we need more motivation? This is a huge issue with me. The government gives 900 million dollars a year to breast cancer research, the Susan G Komen org... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1668784 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 23:33:09 +0100 1668784 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1509261&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fusing-weight-watchers-to-fight-breast-cancer%2F The last time I did the Weight Watcher’s program was after the genetics oncologist told me that in order to battle cancer, I needed to lose a lot of weight. I did the Weight Watcher’s core plan and ended up losing 20 pounds by the time I went for DIEP flap breast cancer surgery. The core program allows you to eat as much of the listed foods as you need to not feel hungry. I never felt hungry on the program and all of the food included is healthy and falls in line with recommendations for reducing cancer risk because of low fat, high nutrition content. Well, I have lamented how the weight came back after surgery when I spent six months in pain on Arimidex and a bunch of other excuses I could name. Truly I was also diet fatigued, I just couldn’t get the momentum going again... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1509261 Wed, 11 Jun 2008 21:45:08 +0100 1509261 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1423765&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fa-left-over-problem-from-a-mastectomy%2F When a woman has a mastectomy, there often is a funny thing that happens to the tissue that is left. For these women, the tissue or fat pad that was the tail of the breast that remains after surgery migrates to the area under the arm. The result is an uncomfortable mound of flesh that makes you look like you have a bulge of fat on the side of your body. I noticed this when I went to buy a bra for my prosthesis before I had reconstruction. It was difficult to just buy a bra in my usual size because I now had this extra bit that had to be tucked in somewhere from under my arm; it ended up just bulging through the side band of the bra. Fortunately for me, I was able to address this during reconstruction. After the initial surgery to create the breasts through the DIEP flap procedure, I still... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1423765 Mon, 05 May 2008 22:48:02 +0100 1423765 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1404275&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fchoosing-to-pass-on-your-cancer-genes%2F While Sister and I are dealing with the issue of being BRCA carriers, I was asked to participate in a study being done at the University of Michigan about this very subject. The timing of course is conspicuous and is turning genetic testing not only into a current theme for this blog, but also for my life. The research team at the U of M is trying to determine how testing positive for genetic predisposition to breast cancer affects decisions to procreate. For me that point is moot; I have two teenage boys, so the decision was made, and without all the facts I might add. I would not remake that decision differently based on the positive result for BRCAII, but I may have floundered if someone had told me that my sons would not be so adorable once they hit puberty. In fact, if someone were to... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1404275 Mon, 28 Apr 2008 20:43:52 +0100 1404275 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1389294&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbrca-ii-testing-saved-my-sisters-life%2F Many of us breast cancer survivors somehow find a blessing in having been diagnosed and treated for breast cancer. Usually the blessing comes in the form of a deeper realization of our selves and an increased desire to impact our world. For me, now, the blessing may very well be my sister’s life. Last Wednesday, Sister went to her surgeon for the follow-up appointment from the hysterectomy in March that she had to lesson her risks of developing breast and ovarian cancer as a BRCA II carrier. Her surgeon discussed the pathology report from the organs that had been removed, and we were shocked by the results. The report showed changes in cells in the fallopian tubes near her ovaries. These changes are consistent with someone who develops ovarian cancer (see image below). It was the doctor�... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1389294 Mon, 21 Apr 2008 20:13:38 +0100 1389294 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1356504&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fwishing-for-a-smoke-free-world%2F I grew up in a world where most adults smoked cigarettes. Both my parents smoked, teachers smoked, doctors and nurses smoked, and even seniors at high school had a smoking area. At that time, you could walk into any restaurant and be engulfed in a blue cloud of smoke. Every movie theater screen lit up the smoke swirling above the seats, and many airplanes still have the hole in the arm seat where an ashtray used to be. As a child, I abhorred cigarette smoke and thankfully never even tried it. As I entered adulthood, the world began to change, and I was fortunate to benefit from no smoking laws in most public buildings. It all seems so strange now. My husband was telling me about being in a car with a co-worker who smoked regardless of who was in the car. I personally do not tolerate cigare... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1356504 Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:27:14 +0100 1356504 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1347594&cid=t_132475_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F04%2Fsafe-to-smoke-bullh.html I am so pissed off this morning. Mainly because of the assault that must be led by Phillip Morris, DeCode and the Devil Himself.In a recent press push.....from as far as I can see. There is now a "magic bullet" for smoking and avoiding cancer. Recently published data in the Journal Nature is being over hyped. From Good Morning America to Fox News to MSNBC to my friend Hsien at Eye on DNA (Well hers isn't so much hype)From Her blogAll three studies identified regions on chromsome 15 that are associated with nicotine dependence, lung cancer, and peripheral artery disease. The deCODE study focused on SNP rs1051730 located on chromosome 15q24 in the CHRNA3 nicotine acetylcholine receptor. People with one copy of the “T” version of this SNP had:30% increase in risk of lung cancer OR of 1.32... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1347594 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 14:27:00 +0100 1347594 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1329239&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Flife-and-blogging-after-breast-cancer%2F Last month I was interviewed by a magazine about my experience blogging on breast cancer. Answering the interviewer’s questions allowed me to reflect on why I do it and what I get from it – too much to go into now. They were addressing the number of blogs that have hit the web from women who are or who have battled breast cancer. How terrific that there are so many people sharing their experience. Five years ago when I was first diagnosed, there wasn’t that many opportunities to hear the experiences of others. In fact, blogging was relatively unknown and just starting to make an impact in the political realm I have been writing this blog for two years this month. (It definitely is time to change my picture and update my biography.) People have asked me if I am running out of things t... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1329239 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 22:48:47 +0100 1329239 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1325548&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Flosing-healthy-body-parts-to-stay-alive%2F I think a hysterectomy is a tough surgery on any woman. Even deciding on having the surgery is a tough one. Having to deal with making the decision to cut out healthy parts can’t be easy. For me it truly meant battling breast cancer head on, for Sister it is about preparing for battle that you hope won’t come. Because she tested positive for the BRCA2 gene mutation, there is the constant looming threat of the disease, so the hysterectomy is just one step in her vigil against breast cancer. Surgery wasn’t easy for Sister, she didn’t come out of anesthetic whistling Dixie, and I think she blames me for making it look easy since I seldom have a problem and wake up looking for the party. She felt sick and queasy and miserable for several days but I am happy to say that she is well on h... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1325548 Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:29:26 +0100 1325548 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1307938&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fis-fatigue-a-symptom-of-something-more%2F Fatigue has been overtaking me by about 4:00 p.m. each day regardless of the sleep I have managed to accrue the night before. I would like to write it off as the effects of the long cold winter that we have been having in Michigan, but I don’t have that luxury. I am a breast cancer survivor that had cancer spread to my lymph nodes. Although I have taken preventative measures like having a mastectomy of the affected breast and a prophylactic mastectomy of the other breast in addition to having my ovaries removed and taking a hormonal drug, I have to be concerned about anything in my health that is askew. It is like knowing that someone is out there that wants you dead, only this enemy has already infiltrated your life once. Cancer is that same enemy that I have to continue to be vigilant ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1307938 Mon, 17 Mar 2008 20:19:21 +0100 1307938 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1292366&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fliving-with-brca-breast-cancer-gene-mutation%2F Sister goes for a prophylactic oophorectomy this week. That is the medical way of saying that she is having her ovaries removed because of the increased risk of ovarian cancer she has from being a BRCA2 carrier. She was tested after I was diagnosed with breast cancer and tested positive for the gene mutation. She is determined to keep her breasts however and will just be very vigilant about testing for breast cancer. Ovarian cancer is really more insidious only because there is no standardized testing to catch it at an early stage. In addition, Sister has had a colonoscopy and will continue to get this test on a regular basis. She has an MRI on her breasts yearly and is part of a study monitoring high risk candidates for breast cancer being conducted in Canada. Living with the BRCA II gene... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1292366 Tue, 11 Mar 2008 01:13:30 +0100 1292366 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1286494&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fdid-god-give-you-breast-cancer%2F What kind of a question is that? Well, are you honest enough to admit that you have thought about it? Honest enough to admit that in the scheme of things you may even have thought how unfair it was that you got breast cancer? I blame God for a lot of things in my life, and I praise him for many more, but I never blamed him for breast cancer. Honestly. I have been a little angry at God though, like Jonah in the Old Testament, but then I remember that Jonah also ended up in the belly of a whale and I think it may be a better idea to get over it. My anger has been more like a sense of injustice, which includes more than just breast cancer. I get to feeling like I shouldn’t have to bear such adversity. So there is my real sin; who am I to think that I should be above trials? In fact, my bibl... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1286494 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 14:00:59 +0100 1286494 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1268689&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fcancer-cure-conspiracy-theories%2F It was pretty surprising when a woman I know to be brilliant, loving, intuitive and knowledgeable remarked to me that she is convinced that the cure for cancer exists, but “they” won’t release it because of the money that cancer research generates. I remember hearing something like this over 25 years ago from a couple that were from Mexico and owned a couple spas in Canada. They insisted that the cure for cancer had been found in their home town in Mexico but believed someone was keeping it hidden for financial gain. Actually, since then, I have it heard this cancer conspiracy theory expressed at least a half a dozen times. I am not one to think about conspiracies unless you’re talking about health insurance, pharmaceutical and oil companies. When you think about it, who stands to ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1268689 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 17:53:01 +0100 1268689 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1263529&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fthe-emotional-impact-of-a-breast-cancer-diagnosis%2F Is it possible to be unemotionally affected by a breast cancer diagnosis? My decision to volunteer in the research study about the emotional impact of a breast cancer diagnosis has me realizing that there was indeed a huge assault to my emotional well-being from a cancer diagnosis. (It is outlined in my February 18th blog “A study on ways to cope with a breast cancer diagnosis”) Initially I was strong and even prepared for the breast cancer diagnosis I received. I thought it would be easy to go through the lumpectomy and get on with my life. After the surgery to remove just the lump, I was far more shaken to learn that the margins weren’t clear, that I would have to lose a breast, and that cancer had invaded eight lymph nodes. The idea of dying from cancer became a reality, and the p... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1263529 Thu, 28 Feb 2008 01:59:43 +0100 1263529 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1239383&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fa-study-on-ways-to-cope-with-a-breast-cancer-diagnosis%2F Finally someone gets it; breast cancer challenges us emotionally. Here is a study that you can participate in that will potentially help all women dealing with the emotional aspects of breast cancer. I have personally decided to be a part of the study. It is so comforting and exciting at the same time to know that there are professionals dedicated to finding ways to help those diagnosed with breast cancer deal with it. I was delighted when I was contacted about this study being done at Adelphi University. With only questionnaires to answer and a follow up phone interview, I think all of us should take part. I urge you to contact Amy to get started. Amy Yerkes is the woman who contacted me and provided the following outline of the study. We are primarily interested in exploring the emotiona... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1239383 Mon, 18 Feb 2008 17:35:13 +0100 1239383 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1196090&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fthe-world-needs-nicole-a-reminder-about-cancer-genetics-risk-assessment%2F Have I told you about my niece Nicole? She is an amazing young woman. At 4-years-old, she was diagnosed with acute leukemia and suffered a lengthy treatment protocol. Her teenage years had her battling with the after effects of treatment but that in no way impinged on her ability to be a leader in her school and a peer counselor. She developed a love of music and a passion for African orphans. She spent her school breaks volunteering in an orphanage in Africa and only tolerated a year at university before she gave in to the desire to live among the children in the orphanage halfway around the world. They were so delighted they helped build a mud hut all her own for her to live in. One of her jobs was to name the young children that were brought to the group of huts and buildings that made ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1196090 Sat, 02 Feb 2008 00:05:38 +0100 1196090 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1162085&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Ftaking-supplements-for-breast-cancer%2F In June I blogged about Sister’s visit to a genetic counseling team regarding the BRCA II gene she shares with me. The topic came up again as I considered my resolutions for the 2008 New Year. Of course one of my resolutions is to take great care of myself, take supplements eat healthy, blah, blah, blah. Well, this lead me to review the information we got from that team at Women’s College hospital in Toronto. The team was referred to us by the University of Michigan genetic team so we feel pretty secure in following their guidelines. While reviewing the supplements they recommend, I decided to do this blog and remind you about them. I want to reiterate that these supplements are what the lead scientist in the world for BRCA gene carriers, Steven Narod, strongly recommends to help reduc... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1162085 Sat, 19 Jan 2008 07:44:07 +0100 1162085 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1156109&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fmistletoe-extract-study-for-breast-cancer%2F During chemotherapy, in addition to my oncologist, I met with an internist medical doctor that was involved in complementary medicine. He provided me with the information and research that convinced me to also have mistletoe extract injections during my chemotherapy treatments. In Europe, this is a standard treatment, so there are several decades of support for its use. I stopped taking the mistletoe just before my chemotherapy ended, but I often think of this additional boost to my immune system during that time and wonder if it helped. It is a relatively inexpensive treatment accompaniment and so I have also wondered why it hasn’t been more reviewed for cancer treatment in the U.S. It looks like that may change. The National Institutes of Health does have a complementary health divisio... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1156109 Wed, 16 Jan 2008 22:06:44 +0100 1156109 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1119387&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fexciting-news-about-stem-cells-and-breast-cancer-research%2F They’re growing boobs in Japan! No kidding, stem cell research has provided new avenues of discovery beyond belief. Japanese scientists have found a way to grow new breast tissue using stem cells from liposuctioned fat from the tummy, butt or thigh. Imagine that, and it has been tested on 19 women with no adverse effects. In other news this past week, scientists have discovered cancer stem cells. This gives them hope that they will be able to find a way to turn tumor growth off. Just a couple of months ago, the stem cell debate raged on. One side felt that no matter what the cost, embryonic stem cells had to be researched because they held the key to the healing of many chronic diseases and conditions. The other side of the debate cited ethical arguments against using potential human lif... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1119387 Thu, 27 Dec 2007 21:46:31 +0100 1119387 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1112134&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbreast-cancer-and-extra-weight-a-lethal-combo%2F I am going to die if I don’t lose weight. I actually mean that literally. My husband - bless his heart brings me every article he finds about breast cancer, often without reading them first. This one from a Kansas City newspaper (he flies all over for his work) was about a study commissioned by Susan G Komen Foundation. It indicated that for every 11 pounds a woman gains after a breast cancer diagnosis, fatality from breast cancer goes up 14%. That is horrifying! Many recent findings show that extra weight can increase breast cancer risk, but this is beyond what I expected. And to find this out just before Christmas – who is going to eat the turkey? Since reading this article earlier this week, I noticed that I don’t have as great an appetite as usual. Wonder why? Enough said... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1112134 Fri, 21 Dec 2007 21:27:39 +0100 1112134 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1090708&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Foutsmarting-chemo-brain%2F The college semester ends this week, and I am happy to say that I have hung in there. In fact, I have not just hung in there, I have conquered the learning process! I am taking anatomy and physiology, and I am really acing it. If you can’t brag to your friends, who can you brag to? I will finish this course with an A and have decided to continue on with courses next term too. I have a bachelor’s degree, but the need to go to school seems to drive me. I think the need to continue to grow and use my brain and prove it is still vital is the force behind the drive. The thing is: I still find I have the effects of chemo brain. For example, not remembering words when I need them, short attention span, feeling separated from reality and the like, but it has not impaired my ability to ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1090708 Thu, 13 Dec 2007 01:17:24 +0100 1090708 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1087747&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fdo-employers-really-care-about-your-needs-during-treatment%2F Only five days after chemotherapy I started a new job. I had met with the manager prior to the surgery, after the offer to explain that I would need to go through eight rounds of chemo over six months. My feeling was that I would need to miss a day and a half each round. This was agreeable to her and of course she felt compelled to assure me that they were happy to have me regardless of the treatment and in fact she admired me for continuing on with my life so eagerly. The schedule worked pretty well; every three weeks I had to leave work Thursday afternoon, take Friday off and return on Monday. My close colleagues were so supportive and having to return to work each Monday kept my spirits up. By the fourth round I changed to Taxotere and found that although I felt Ok the day after treatme... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1087747 Tue, 11 Dec 2007 19:05:57 +0100 1087747 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1057557&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbreast-cancer-risk-where-you-least-expect-it%2F Every week, I take a few moments to review the other blogs on this site. I can???t tell you how surprised I was by one that Dr. Z did on grapefruit and breast cancer risk. You can read about it in his November 15 blog. So many things are emerging, and I am grateful to have this site and Dr. Z to provide a truth analysis. I even read somewhere that dog owners have an increased risk. (I read it once but haven???t been able to find the article again, so I can???t elaborate). There are some things we need to be reasonable about. Smoking, alcohol and read meat are the main ones in my mind, but others aren???t so easy to determine. For example, there has been much talk about underarm antiperspirants and how they may or may not contribute to breast cancer risk. Same goes for makeup that contains ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1057557 Wed, 28 Nov 2007 20:01:51 +0100 1057557 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1051388&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Foral-contraceptives-abortion-and-breast-cancer%2F My concern regarding research and breast cancer is whether the results have been influenced by lobby, politics and/or popular opinion.?? When great profits are involved in chemotherapy and hormone drug follow-up treatment, I question whether we have been given all the risks and side effects with the emphasis they deserve. I don???t question the findings regarding the power these treatments have to reduce risk, and certainly they need to be available, but are we given the benefit of knowing the consequences of taking them? Over the past years, I have felt the same way about other research findings. We have seen research indicating that oral birth control is related to an increase in breast cancer risk. I know prior to getting married in my early 40???s, my doctor insisted that a mild low le... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1051388 Mon, 26 Nov 2007 22:50:45 +0100 1051388 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1027301&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fliving-a-fairy-tale-while-battling-breast-cancer%2F While I was going through chemotherapy, I got to know a woman who had been diagnosed about the time I was. She was tall and attractive, and usually her father would show up to pick her up after treatment. Turns out she was single and her parents were very involved in helping her deal with the disease. She had just become involved with a man about the time she was diagnosed. The relationship continued throughout her treatment although she didn’t involve him in that part of her life. After chemotherapy ended and she finished her radiation, she advised me that she was getting married. Within six months of treatment she planned and had her wedding. It was such a lovely story. She only had a lumpectomy, so she didn’t have the continued concerns for reconstruction. She was ready to get on wi... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1027301 Wed, 14 Nov 2007 20:43:06 +0100 1027301 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1021457&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fthe-nightmare-of-having-cancer-with-no-healthcare%2F There is one thing that honestly keeps me awake at nights; the stories I hear about people with cancer that do not have healthcare. I know that there is a solution, but right now people all over the United States are not only battling cancer, but dealing with where and how to obtain treatment. Even then, these are the lucky ones because they at least have been able to have tests to confirm cancer. Many women I have talked to have found lumps and been unable to afford the tests to determine what they are. Last week I had the opportunity to address my college class, and a young woman shared her story of finding a lump and then spending three weeks trying to find a place to have it checked. Thankfully she found a clinic through an agency and the lump was only a cyst. This summer I heard of a ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1021457 Mon, 12 Nov 2007 22:23:45 +0100 1021457 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1015095&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Ftaking-breast-cancer-treatment-to-heart%2F The Big Guy (my 16-year-old son) was getting his hair cut on Saturday when I picked up a magazine in the waiting area to leaf through. I did something I don’t do very often; I ripped out a page - not just any page, but the “On Health” page from the U.S. News and World Report Magazine from October 29, 2007. Dr. Bernadine Healy had written an article entitled “The Heart after Breast Cancer.” See why I needed that page? Now you can forgive me for mutilating a magazine at the hair salon. She started by pointing out the incredibly good news released late October proclaiming the fall in death rates from breast cancer between 1993 and 2002. Then she dropped her bombshell; “…as breast cancer deaths move down, heart attacks and heart failure risk related to the curative treatments inc... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1015095 Thu, 08 Nov 2007 18:10:42 +0100 1015095 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1005435&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fhow-did-you-decide-between-a-lumpectomy-and-mastectomy%2F When my doctor advised me that the margins of the breast tumor weren’t clear after my lumpectomy and that I would need a mastectomy, I thought what choice do I have? I guess I thought it out loud because he told me that several women say that they would rather die than lose their breast. He then told me that most of them return to his office and decide on mastectomy after thinking about the option. Years ago, most women didn’t have the option. Once breast cancer was discovered a mastectomy was scheduled. In many instances this involved a radical mastectomy that removed the lymph nodes and muscle at the same time. Thank heavens for more current research that shows that a lumpectomy in most instances is just as effective and a modified or partial removal of only the affected lymph nodes ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1005435 Mon, 05 Nov 2007 22:53:13 +0100 1005435 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1001160&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fscared-into-taking-better-care-after-breast-cancer%2F You may have heard the saying “scared straight,” but I think I have finally been “scared smart.” I have spent the past couple of days reviewing the information from the big major study on what increases cancer risk including breast cancer. Perhaps you have heard about it on the news or read something on it. Every news station and most programs have discussed it. It involves a major study that reviewed about 7,000 other studies to determine what things actually do contribute to developing cancer, and what people can do to limit their risks. A number of recommendations were presented including avoiding alcohol, limiting meat and staying slim. Sister has been concerned about my excess weight, and my husband has encouraged me when it even looks like I have lost an ounce – God bless h... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1001160 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 19:15:37 +0100 1001160 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=995184&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fthe-best-gift-you-can-give-to-someone-diagnosed-with-breast-cancer%2F As Breast Cancer Awareness Month wraps up, it doesn’t mean that breast cancer will take a break until next October. I am grateful for the attention the disease has received, however I am frustrated that we are still without a cure. And so, this coming year thousands of more women and men will be diagnosed with breast cancer. People have asked me what they should do upon learning of a friend, colleague or neighbor who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. If you are a survivor you can honestly relate that you know what they are going through. One of the best things you can do however is provide information. People want to know what to expect. They are eager to know everything they can to find out about their situation and risks. They want to know about the disease. One of the reasons tha... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=995184 Wed, 31 Oct 2007 19:47:12 +0100 995184 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=988561&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Finheriting-an-increased-risk-for-breast-cancer-from-your-father%2F Sister and I have just found out that my mother is not a carrier of the BRCA2 gene mutation that increases our risk for breast cancer. What this means is that we inherited this gene mutation from our father. My dad passed away after a battle with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, but he would be heartbroken to think of his daughters dealing with this disease. Genetics testing can reveal if you have an increased inherited breast cancer risk. I started getting yearly mammograms at the age of 40. This was determined by my doctor because my mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer. At the time, I felt that my mother had developed breast cancer through long term Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) as there was no history of breast cancer in either her mother’s or father’s family. It wasn’t unti... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=988561 Mon, 29 Oct 2007 22:48:40 +0100 988561 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=982776&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fmanaging-your-care-while-in-the-hospital%2F Yesterday, my hairdresser related a horror story of her stay in the hospital starting with a 3-hour wait in the ER. It was so bad that the director of the hospital called to make amends. She wasn’t a difficult patient, but the care she got was below acceptable. Any time I have been in the hospital, I have been the best patient. Seriously, I am a great patient. I like to get up and around as quickly as possible, I like to do everything for myself, I don’t complain, I don’t demand anything – what’s not to love? In fact, I know of two different times I was in the hospital that nurses fought over who would be assigned to me. I would like to think though that if I was in real need and became testy that I would still get that attention. Many people hate being in the hospital and some h... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=982776 Fri, 26 Oct 2007 22:57:37 +0100 982776 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=976577&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fi-dont-want-any-more-of-my-friends-to-have-breast-cancer%2F A dear friend of mine is going for a mammogram today. She found two lumps last week, and we are praying that they are just cysts. Her doctor sent her to a breast clinic, so she could also have an ultrasound and speak to a surgeon if necessary. This is an exceptional relatively young woman (under 40) recently married and raising a young girl. I know she is strong enough to deal with whatever comes. However, I trust it won’t be cancer. This spring, another dear friend went through an ordeal after finding something suspicious on her mammogram but thankfully it wasn’t cancer. I am heartsick at the number of women who face breast cancer every day. Those who are newly diagnosed and those who have metastatic breast cancer and those who have survived breast cancer all have one thing in common;... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=976577 Wed, 24 Oct 2007 18:27:04 +0100 976577 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=968463&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36051&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FCancerCommentary%2F%7E3%2F173099477%2F If you buy an Etón FR400 Special Edition Pink Crank-Powered Emergency Radio with AM/FM, NOAA and TV-VHF, Etón will donate 5 percent of the purchase price to breast cancer research. In lieu of this month’s Breast Cancer Awareness, you can buy this special pink emergency radio and help donate to breast cancer research. Share This (Source: Cancer Commentary) Cancer Commentary blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=968463 Mon, 22 Oct 2007 01:29:22 +0100 968463 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=961847&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fan-innovative-way-to-wear-a-ribbon-for-breast-cancer-awareness%2F A pink ribbon has been gracing my lapel this month - not just an enamel pink ribbon pin, but a big not easy to miss pink ribbon. It is such a great idea, I wanted to share it with you. Not satisfied with the small regular emblem I wear everyday to bring attention to breast cancer, I decided for October, the Breast Cancer Awareness Month that I needed to jazzy it up a bit. I went to the fabric store and purchased a yard of 1-¼ inch grosgrain pink ribbon. I ended up using 16 inches of it, folding it around to resemble the usual shape of the breast cancer awareness ribbon and pinning it to my lapel with a small brooch. It looks terrific! It did exactly what I wanted; it got people commenting and talking to me. When it doesn’t match exactly what I am wearing, I pin it to my purse. I haven�... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=961847 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:45:53 +0100 961847 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=952457&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fdo-you-play-the-cancer-card%2F There’s the race card, the gender card and now the cancer card? When things get out of your control, or you find yourself falling short or perhaps are treated unfairly, does it ever occur to you to use the fact that you have had or are being treated for cancer? In the spring of 2006 while I was still recovering from major reconstructive surgery, my mother had a fall and needed immediate surgery. Since we had just got the call from a doctor the morning of the emergency surgery for my mom, we were pretty much racing  to cover the four hours between Michigan and where she was just north of Toronto. As things go, we were stopped by a police officer for speeding since we failed to make the adjustment from miles to kilometers once over the border. We expressed our need to get there in a timel... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=952457 Mon, 15 Oct 2007 22:12:25 +0100 952457 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=947518&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fthe-chemo-port-scar-a-badge-of-honor%2F I met a lovely young lady in the restroom of a restaurant I was in some time ago. I haven’t been able to forget her. She couldn’t have been more than 21 or 22 years of age, so I was surprised to see the telltale scar from her port on her upper chest. That is how we started talking. While in her teens she battled a rare form of cancer. I am pretty nosey like that, and I find that most people answer questions even from a stranger if you seem safe and sincere. I was genuinely interested in what this young woman had been through. There are a lot of us running around with scars left from the installation and removal of our ports that were much needed while we had chemotherapy. Unfortunately, it is pretty much an advertisement for the fact that we had cancer. My friend in Canada opted not to... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=947518 Fri, 12 Oct 2007 18:03:51 +0100 947518 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=935427&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbreast-cancer-alert-on-alcohol-consumption%2F This study changes everything. They compared heavy drinkers from between 1974 -1985 with light drinkers. They measured those that had been diagnosed by 2004. What they found was that moderate drinkers, one to two drinks per day increased their risk of breast cancer by 10 percent and heavier drinkers, over two drinks per day, increased their cancer risk by 30 percent. That is huge! Not only does it reveal the consequence of alcohol consumption, but looking at the years involved there should be concern about the cumulative effects of consumption, even for those who may be cutting back now. Research was led by Dr. Arthur Klatsky of the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program in Oakland, Calif. The findings were presented at a meeting of the European Cancer Organization in Barcelona. USA repor... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=935427 Mon, 08 Oct 2007 23:12:39 +0100 935427 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=931491&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fbreast-cancer-can-you-walk-the-walk%2F There is nothing better than a walk in the fresh fall air, unless that walk is to benefit breast cancer. October has always been my favorite month. I can still remember the woodsy smell of the leaf piles we used to play in when growing up in northern Ontario. Growing up I looked forward to the blazing colors on the trees, now I eagerly anticipate the pink lined shelves of my supermarket. Aside from the colors, there are the events. During the month of October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the local news here in Metro Detroit showcases survivors and their efforts to raise money and breast cancer awareness through the different events sponsored by organizations truly committed to finding a cure for breast cancer. What’s not to love about October? This past weekend, was the three day walk... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=931491 Fri, 05 Oct 2007 20:51:03 +0100 931491 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=918174&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fits-breast-cancer-awareness-month-again%2F Pink is a great time of year. As a breast cancer survivor, I love walking into department stores this time of year. A lot of new pink products start lining the shelves. I feel warm and cozy, thinking that those big companies had me in mind when they started painting their merchandise pink. I know there is the usual controversy about these companies marketing to the breast cancer cause and making a profit, but, I am completely unaffected by those arguments. I love that there is pink all around us! Besides not even a portion of all the money those Web sites and organizations spend trying to urge people not to buy pink goes to breast cancer research. The fun thing about pink products is that nowadays all kinds of smaller and specialty companies are joining in on the “pink” craze. I love h... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=918174 Mon, 01 Oct 2007 21:19:16 +0100 918174 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=912317&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fa-response-to-my-universal-healthcare-blogs%2F There has been an overwhelming response to my blogs on healthcare. Everyone has an opinion, that’s for sure. Let me make it very clear why this issue is so relevant to me; breast cancer patients and survivors cannot be without healthcare. It is that simple. While I am in possession of a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, and never shy away from discussing politics, but that is not my motivation here. If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, or are in any year of survivorship, you know that it is imperative that you continue to see a doctor, get regular testing and have access to treatment. Although there may be a debate over universal healthcare, there is no argument against the increased survival rate of those diagnosed early and treated quickly. That is the case with most ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=912317 Fri, 28 Sep 2007 21:29:17 +0100 912317 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=906330&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fhot-flashes-and-fried-food%2F Hot flashes have not been a major problem for me during treatment for my breast cancer or after removal of my ovaries. Having said that, I have been experiencing an increase in incidence and intensity of hot flashes over the last couple of days. I can actually attribute this to eating fried fatty foods. I rarely if ever eat anything fried, so the fact that I have enjoyed usually outlawed fried foods over the past couple of days is very revealing. In addition to the fried foods, I have not eaten my usual amount of vegetables, but, I have skipped servings of vegetables here and there before without a change in symptoms. Therefore, I can 100% confidently tell you that fried foods cause an increase in hot flash activity for me. OK, I’ll tell you what I ate – french fries and buffalo wings,... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=906330 Wed, 26 Sep 2007 20:53:58 +0100 906330 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=897342&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Ftaking-chemo-brain-head-on%2F I still experience that numb spacey feeling that comes with chemo brain. Chemo brain is the condition that you become aware of after months of chemotherapy. You know you have chemo brain when you begin to wonder who stole your brain. It produces brain fog, memory loss, slow-wittedness and more. Aside from writing several blogs dedicated to chemo brain over the past year and a half, I also had the opportunity to discuss it in a HealthTalk Live webcast last December. During the year since, I have found the medical community more open to accepting that this condition exists, however, we are still a long way off from understanding how it is caused, or how it can be treated. The fact that I am still writing about it a year later is discouraging for me; it may be getting better, but it is not go... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=897342 Mon, 24 Sep 2007 22:32:51 +0100 897342 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=885539&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fgetting-to-know-your-cancer-drugs%2F It has been about a year since I stopped taking Arimidex, an aromatase inhibitor. The side effects I experienced are long gone. Gone are the horrendous aches and pains I had in my joints and bones. When I finally made the decision to stop, it had gotten to the point where it hurt to walk and even get up in the morning. For me the decision wasn’t difficult. As I have told you before, I insisted my oncologist put me back on Tamoxifen, which is still a viable drug in reducing cancer risk. For some of you the decision to stop an armoatase inhibitor isn’t so easy; the cancer may be more advanced or the fear of the return of cancer is overwhelming. There is still no counter evidence to suggest other than the effectiveness of aromatase inhibitors like Arimidex (anastrozole) and Femara (letroz... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=885539 Thu, 20 Sep 2007 00:27:34 +0100 885539 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=872584&cid=t_132475_136_f&fid=36032&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Flife-with-breast-cancer%2Fthere-is-a-cure-for-breast-cancer%2F For many of us diagnosed with breast cancer that has spread into breast tissue, or lymph nodes, often the discussion with the oncologist on treating cancer doesn’t include curing it. Well, the truth is; breast cancer in all stages is curable, the cure just hasn’t been discovered yet. That is my stance, and I’m not backing down. While preparing my Wednesday blog on “The cancer vote counts” I decided that it is just a matter of resources, money and research to find the cure. The cure is there. That is why healthcare, cancer research and other health science issues need to stay in the forefront for next year’s presidential election. I came across an article at the National Cancer Institute about the National Cancer Act of 1971, wherein then President Richard Nixon declared war on ... Life with Breast Cancer blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=872584 Fri, 14 Sep 2007 19:50:31 +0100 872584 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=832688&cid=t_132475_131_f&fid=35743&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthegenesherpa.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F08%2Ftip60-tips-off-breast-cancer.html According to a study published today in the journal Nature shows that a gene called Tip60 is involved in the development of breast cancer. But more importantly.........reduced expression of Tip60 protein leads to more aggressive tumors. Tip60 is a tumor suppressor gene unlike others.....Let me explain. Usually you are required to have both copies of a tumor suppressor gene affected to start developing tumors. I feel that this theory along with all things mendelian will start to fade away. Why? Because we are much more complicated that punnet squares. The field of systems biology is growing and we will soon realize that we are a complex interactome, not just autosomal/Xlinked/Ylinked dominant/recessive genes.So where were we? Well it turns out that this tumor suppressor gene only needs one ... Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=832688 Thu, 30 Aug 2007 16:13:00 +0100 832688