Thanks to reader Macy for heading me to this fun video, part of the Stand Up to Cancer movement and starring Jim Parsons — the guy who plays Sheldon on TV’s “The Big Bang Theory” (never watched it myself, but Macy says Sheldon is her fave). So, can you spare 3 minutes? Then take a peek, and tell me what you think.
Archive for the ‘Prevention’ Category
Keep the Whole World Cancer Free
Saturday, February 6th, 2010Happy World Cancer Day!
Thursday, February 4th, 2010
Photo: istock.com
It might not seem very happy that there must be a World Cancer Day, but if we use the day for good, well, then, it can be a happy February 4. Set the dismal stats aside (without intervention, an estimated 84 million people will die of cancer between 2005 and 2015, uugh!), and instead, do something that ensures the disease will one day fade into the shadows. Some ideas: stop smoking, limit alcohol consumption (yea, that too), eat right and exercise well, get your recommended screenings (like mammograms and skin check-ups) and ditch the stress.
Another idea: honor those in your life who have done battle with cancer, because you know what? They are the ones who pave the way for the progress we do see in the fight against such a crappy disease.
Today, I thank all the women who went before me and volunteered their bodies to test the wonder drug Herceptin, which happened to become available just when I needed it. It might just reduce my chance of recurrence by something like 50 percent, and that, well, that makes me very happy.
Happy World Cancer Day!
Skin Cancer Scares Me, Too
Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010I don’t worry only about breast cancer. I’m a little freaked about skin cancer, too. It’s because I spent far to many hours seeking sun in my younger years, and I am painfully aware of the side effects of such behavior. I’ve had several pre-cancerous lesions cut and frozen off my fair skin, I have a one-and-a-half-inch scar where a basal cell cancer was removed a year ago, and just today, my dermatologist shaved off a bit of a mole she didn’t like — it was an odd color, different from the others on my body, she said.
A piece of my mole is on its way to a lab somewhere, and in about a week, I’ll know if it’s cancer or not. If it is, it’s likely one that is common and can be cut out without any serious health consequences. But in the back of my mind, there’s this little twinge of fear that melanoma is in my future. Melanoma is the deadly kind of skin cancer, and it’s real, folks. Just ask Miss Melanoma — she lost a toe, part of her foot, and all 16 lymph nodes from her groin to the disease. And if you don’t think it’s serious stuff, listen to Claire Oliver in the video below.
See why I’m scared? If you are, too, the best thing you can do is cease all tanning, and get yourself to a dermatologist every year for a thorough once-over. That’s how my funky mole was discovered. It wasn’t even on my radar. Ah, and don’t forget your sunscreen.
For more skin cancer facts and figures, head over to The Skin Cancer Foundation and the American Cancer Society. To check out The Skin Cancer Council Australia (referenced in the video), visit here.
Prevent Cancer by Kicking Butts
Sunday, December 20th, 2009
isabel bloedwater, Flickr
As you may have noticed, it seems like just about everyone is getting breast cancer nowadays, which makes it critical that we do every itty, bitty thing we can in the spirit of prevention — like quitting smoking, even if it’s just an occasional habit.
According to the Breast Journal, women who smoke 100 or more cigarettes in a lifetime increase their odds of getting breast cancer by 25 percent. So, kick those butts, and make sure all the young women in your life know why it’s so important they never start puffing away.
Oh, and while you work at ditching the smokes, you might want to shed a few pounds and start working up a sweat, because getting fit and slimming down can cut your cancer risk, too. Hey, no one said being healthy was easy, right?
No Mammograms at 40, No Self-Exams at All
Tuesday, November 17th, 2009
feelyourboobies.com
While I find it pretty odd that the task force of 16 declaring women don’t need mammograms starting at age 40 anymore does not include any oncologists — what? — I won’t spend too much time arguing about this topic. I just don’t have the tools to determine whether or not this is a good recommendation. I mean, I tend to think not, but I see the point that over-testing does lead to false positives, anxiety and unnecessary biopsies. A mammogram did not find my cancer, after all — I did. Which brings me to the point I am going to argue.
This same panel says women should stop conducting breast self-exams, and they should no longer be taught how to perform them. Seems they are not all that effective in turning up cancerous tumors, and there is no difference in mortality rates between women who perform them and women who do not. Uh, not so fast — there’s no doubt in my mind I’d be dead right now had I not been examining myself in the shower five years ago yesterday.
OK, so I’m just one woman, but isn’t that enough? And what exactly is wrong with doing the exam? Maybe it’s ineffective and doesn’t work — but is it hurting anything to do it, just in case? Why tell women to stop? Why not just tell them to not rely heavily on the outcome?
Here’s what I’m saying: Keep feeling your boobies! When you come across something that feels funny, go to your doctor and let that person determine whether you should worry or not.
Just be safe.
Not sorry.
Slim Down to Cut Your Cancer Risk
Monday, November 16th, 2009
cohdra, morgueFile
This isn’t always true, because I was not overweight prior to my breast cancer diagnosis (which means something else caused my unfortunate turn of events), but carrying around extra fat on your body is definitely linked to an increased risk for developing the disease. My friend, nutritionist and author Jonny Bowden says so — “Researchers estimate that extra body fat causes 33,000 breast cancer cases a year,” he says, and guess what? Probably 21,000 cases of endometrial cancer and more than 13,000 of colorectal cancer are caused by too much weight. Scary stuff, isn’t it?
There’s good news: You can reduce your risk by losing as little as 10 percent of your current body weight. (Well, if you are overweight, that is. No need if you’re currently maintaining a healthy number on the scale.) Here’s a bunch of tools to get you started. Oh, yea, and if you’re in the market for breast cancer treatment, be prepared to pack on some pounds. It happens (I was in the 10-pound club myself) — who knows why (the drugs, maybe) — but you might very well need to shed some skin after the fact. So these tools may come in handy down the road, even if you don’t need them now.
Can a Bra Cause Breast Cancer?
Sunday, November 8th, 2009
Tomás Fano, Flickr
I once had big boobs – really big boobs. So big I had them reduced and lost 4 whole pounds of tissue. Had I not had a breast reduction, my tumor might have been buried deep inside all that stuff, never to be found by me. But I did find the cancerous mass, because it was right on the surface, and so I’m very thankful that my small-ish boobs may have saved my life.
But that’s another story.
This story is about the bras I wore with those big breasts, because they were underwire bras, meant to heave those two things up and place them right in their intended spots, and there’s a doctor out there claiming that this very type of bra can cause breast cancer. Essentially, those contraptions I wore for my big boobs might have caused the cancer I found after they weren’t so big anymore.
Huh?
Sure enough, says medical anthropologist Dr. Sydney Singer, author of the book “Dressed To Kill: The Link between Breast Cancer and Bras
“Basically we are impairing our circulation of blood flow,” Singer says. And if the flow of both blood and lymph is constricted within the breasts, this will cause the buildup of toxins, which can cause disease. Of course, family history, bad genes, poor diets, obesity and more play a role, but bras — well, they are apparently pretty dangerous all on their own.
Not so fast, says the American Cancer Society — they refute the claim that bras are a risk factor for breast cancer. Although Ken Smith, an American Cancer Society Breast Health Facilitator, does agree that more research is necessary on this topic. Probably won’t happen, though, he says, because many hospitals and breast cancer research centers are supported by undergarment sales profit. Hmmm. Good point. There are more good talking points in this article, which is all about the bra-breast cancer connection. Take a look for yourself, and tell me what you think:
Are bras to blame? Or not?
Fight Breast Cancer and Other Major Diseases
Wednesday, November 4th, 2009
ClinicalResearch.com
The following was written by Julie Hurvitz, on behalf of Quintles and ClinicalResearch.com
It’s wonderful to know that approximately 89 percent of women with breast cancer will be there to tell bedtime stories to their children this year. This number is much higher than it was 20 years ago due to early detection and improved treatments. As a daughter of a breast cancer survivor myself, I’m thankful for every single day my mother and I have together and every telephone call that is made and received. Medicines and procedures such as chemotherapy, hormone therapies and targeted biologics slow cancer down and keep it from coming back. And these victories are all due to advancements in medicine made possible by clinical research.
Today, I’m proud to introduce you to www.ClinicalResearch.com, a new resource that provides important facts about clinical research, encourages more people to become champions of clinical research and builds excitement for the promise of tomorrow’s medicines!
Sponsored by Quintiles, www.ClinicalResearch.com presents easy-to-use, comprehensive information for those who have little or no understanding of clinical research and the value it brings to healthcare. With a few clicks, patients who visit www.ClinicalResearch.com can identify ongoing or future clinical trials appropriate for their disease or condition and narrow them down to those that are geographically convenient. What else can ClinicalResearch.com provide?
- The Web site puts you in touch with supporting information about clinical research
- www.ClinicalResearch.com also provides videos and news from recent studies
In order to win the fight against diseases such as cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, viral diseases, heart disease and stroke, millions of people need to be aware of and participate in clinical trials and research. But more help is needed!
The clinical trial became the standard in developing drugs in 1962, and since then, the FDA has approved over 1,019 novel therapies. Virtually all the medicines used today are a result of clinical research, including all drugs for cancer, heart disease, depression, HIV, Alzheimer’s and asthma. Clinical research through clinical trials is arguably the greatest medical invention of the 20th century. It continues to deliver life saving medicines and treatments and gives hope to patients in need of better care and effective medicines. Need another reason to consider clinical trials? The research pipeline holds over 9,605 potential breakthroughs!
To hear patients and doctors tell their story about clinical trials, please click here.
Take a moment this afternoon to visit www.ClinicalResearch.com, browse around, and learn more about getting involved.
Mammogram and MRI: Mix ‘Em Up
Thursday, October 8th, 2009Check this out: I just read in Family Circle magazine (October 1, 2009) that alternating between mammograms and MRIs every six months is a potentially lifesaving measure for women at high risk for breast cancer. This comes straight from new research out of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. I find this reassuring because it’s the exact schedule I follow — mammogram, MRI six months later, mammogram six months later, and so on.
More research, from Dartmouth University in Hanover, New Hampshire, found that MRIs can spot tumors not found in mammogram or ultrasound in 20 percent of breast cancers.
I think I’m covered. Whew.
Doctors, Doctors, All the Time
Monday, October 5th, 2009
Photo: meddygarnet, Flickr
It seems like I just went for a cancer follow-up, and here I go again, this morning, at 8 o’clock. There are just so many doctors and procedures. I have a radiation oncologist (she’s the one I saw five weeks ago), a medical oncologist (seeing him today), and I go for mammograms and ultrasounds, and MRI scans, too. All these appointments are scattered around my calendar, along with my annual physical, my OB/GYN check-up, dental appointments, eye appointments, skin cancer screenings, whew! Seems if ever anything is about to go wrong with my body, someone — one of these qualified docs — is going to nip it in the bud. That’s my hope, anyway — that this constant monitoring is prevention at its best, or at the very least, will lead to nothing more than early detection.
It makes me feel safe to weave myself through the maze of needle sticks and blue gowns. And safe I’ve been for almost five years now (November is the big remission mark). I think I won’t change a thing. Well, maybe just the long waits and never-ending co-pays.
The BOOBY Scare
Thursday, October 1st, 2009Mammogram Bus Rolling Through Puerto Rico
Wednesday, September 16th, 2009
Ruta Pink mammogram bus
With early detection often leading to a 98-percent survival rate, mammograms are essential for women over 35. Unfortunately, millions of American women are uninsured, and don’t have the means to afford an annual mammogram test. But in Puerto Rico, uninsured women are turning to a new program for help.
Last year, Doral Bank in Puerto Rico partnered with Susan G Komen for the Cure and launched “Ruta Pink” (Pink Route). Ruta Pink is a pink mobile mammogram clinic that stops through various towns in Puerto Rico, offering women (and even men!) free mammograms, but also biopsies and referrals. These healthcare services are offered free of charge, for both sexes, whether they insured or uninsured.
In addition to providing direct health care services, Ruta Pink is also running free educational seminars about breast cancer prevention. The sessions also address self-esteem and healthy living tips for breast cancer survivors.
Since launching in June of 2008, Ruta Pink’s medical team has performed over 2,000 mammograms. And Doral is also committed to helping the Susan G Komen foundation by offering contributions every time a woman opens a “Pink” account with the bank.
With breast cancer awareness month (October) just around the corner, Doral Bank in Puerto Rico is leading the way for breast cancer prevention and education with its innovative, award-winning Ruta Pink initiative.
For more information about the program, you can contact the program’s exclusive hotline at (787) 625-5830 or visit their website at www.RutaPink.com. You can also watch their videos on YouTube at www.youtube.com/rutapink
Running With Pink Ribbons
Sunday, August 9th, 2009
Photo: _e.t, Flickr
Running with pink ribbons — sounds interesting, doesn’t it? Well, you can find out more by clicking right here. Go ahead — click.
Get Fit and Get Your Mammogram
Friday, August 7th, 2009We don’t know what causes breast cancer, but we can take steps to decrease our risk. Here are two.
Simple enough, right? OK, maybe the getting fit part is easier said than done. But you can find some great inspiration for slimming down and working up a sweat over at That’s Fit — I’m an editor and writer there, so I’m partial to the place. And to make good on that mammogram (yes, it might hurt, but I promise it’s not as painful as breast cancer), check out these American Cancer Society recommendations for who should get a mammo and when. Self-exams are important too. Here, how to do them.
Happy Birthday to Me!
Friday, June 19th, 2009
Tomorrow is my birthday, and today I had a mammogram that looked perfectly pretty. The technician who delivered my results sang “Happy Birthday” to me, and I must say it feels pretty good to have almost reached the age of 39 when at the age of 34, I wasn’t so sure I’d live very long at all. Time to celebrate — should have kept that party dress I’m wearing in the photo above!
Mammogram + Ultrasound Today
Friday, June 19th, 2009Fingers crossed.
The Everything Flat Belly Cookbook
Wednesday, April 8th, 2009
This isn’t a breast cancer book, but it’s related in a kind-of, sort-of way. You know how we hear all the time that eating a clean diet can help ward off cancer, and how breast cancer recurrence is less likely if you feed yourself mostly nutritious foods? Well, The Everything Flat Belly Cookbook
There’s no question this book will help you stay healthy. It’ll keep your abs in fighting flat shape too. Now that’s a two-fer you’ve got to like.
Weighing on my mind
Friday, March 20th, 2009
I admit it, I’m concerned about my weight. Not worried about it, just concerned about in a way that makes me work at keeping it right where it is. But I don’t exercise and eat right (yesterday doesn’t count) for weight reasons alone. I also do it for my overall health, which really is a bigger concern for me than the numbers that stare up at me from my scale each day.
A healthy lifestyle as it relates to cancer prevention gets a lot of press. It’s pretty much a fact nowadays that by eating certain foods, ditching all the junk and working up a good sweat most days of the week, we can ward off all sorts of disease. Simple stuff. Also pretty high pressure.
Now that I’ve had cancer, I know that the way I live my life can quite possibly keep me from getting it again. So I do my best. But when I cheat and eat that plate of chicken nachos or skip a day (or week or month) on the workout circuit, I feel guilty, as if I’m rejecting the medicine that can keep me well. It’s a weird mix of motivation and burden. Knowing I have the key to a long, healthy life makes me want to eat veggies for all of time. But knowing I have the key to a long, healthy life makes me feel like I’m doing myself a major disservice when I steal fries of my kids’ dinner plates.
I know, I’m human, and I can’t be perfect all that time. Still, it weighs on my mind. Which is why today, I walked for 3.5 miles, and tomorrow, I plan to lift a few weights. A fruit salad is on the menu for breakfast this morning, and I’m recommitting to a ban on most packaged foods. It’s the least I can do to ensure I’m here for the long haul.
Enlist in the army
Tuesday, October 28th, 2008
Dr. Susan Love told Robin Roberts yesterday on Good Morning America that she’s trying to recruit 1,000,000 women for the Army of Women, a group of women who on a volunteer basis will be part of research efforts aimed at determining what causes breast cancer. All women are invited to participate. Just sign up here. When you do, you’ll get an e-mail about opportunities for being involved.
Love reports that about 200,000 women have signed up so far. She’s got a long way to go to hit that one-million mark. Just like we have a way to go to find that elusive cause of breast cancer. Help if you can. And thank you.