Breast Cancer is a Bitch

Tamixofen Users - Don't Take Antidepressants, Too!!!!

2009-05-30T19:21:00.000-07:00

Many women take Tamixofen, which cuts in half the chances of their estrogen-positive breast cancer from coming back. Because hormone pills are a no-no for such situations, antidepressants have been prescribed in the past to help fight hot flashes.

As everyone should know, drugs can interact and interfere with each other. Some drugs can diminish or completely cancel out the effectiveness of other drugs.

Recent cancer studies on about 1200 women over a year by Medco Health have found that some (not all) anti-depressants (Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft and others) decrease the effectiveness of Tamixofen. They found that about 7% of women not on anti-depressants have a cancer recurrance but this percentage doubles for women who are on anti-depressants.

Medco's chief medical officer, Dr. Robert Epstein recommends staying away from Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft for now. Dr. Claudine Isaacs, a breast specialist at Georgetown University's Lombardi Cancer Center, agrees and recommends erring on the side of caution and avoiding those three particular anti-depressants .

Back in 2006, an advisory panel recommended putting a warning label on Tamixofen but the FDA has yet to implement action.

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Please see the other articles listed in the margin. You might also be interested in reading about: Hormone Receptor Postive Breast Cancer.

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Chemo & Nerve Damage (Neuropathy)

2009-04-30T10:03:00.000-07:00

One of the side effects of the some chemo drugs is nerve damage (neuropathy). Most of the time neuropathy affects the hands/arms and feet/legs but it can strike anywhere. I have it in my right big toe (strange, but true!) and a new friend of mine who also went through chemo has it in her "lady parts." For us it feels like either a cramp (Charlie horse) or being suddenly stabbed by a sewing needle. It's no fun (especially for my friend)!

Chemotherapy drugs can affect otherwise healthy nerve cells. The result ranges from tingling, numbness, weakness, to outright pain. Some people have difficulty dressing, grooming, sitting, walking or picking up objects. They appear to be clumsy. Internal nerve damage can cause digestion and bladder issues.

People suffering from neuropathy are likely to suffer injuries and accidents. It's best to avoid sharp and hot objects. Keep fingernails short because one can accidentally scratch too much causing injury to a numb area. Dropping things and falls are common.

The chemo drugs Cisplatin (Platinol), carboplatin (Paraplatin), vincristine (Oncovin, Vincasan, Vincrex), and Paclitaxel (Taxol, Nov-Onxol, Onxol, Paclitaxel NovaPlus) can strip the myelin sheath (nerve coatings). Patients receiving very high doses or frequent doses have the greatest chance of suffering from neuropathy.

One should know that chemo is not the only cause of neuropathy. It can also be caused by the cancer itself and radiation treatments, as well as by diabetes, kidney problems, and poor nutrition.

There are a few ways to prevent neuropathy. Calcium and/or magnesium IV's just before chemo starts can help. Amifostine (Ethyol) given just before chemotherapy begins can help as well. Ask the doctor in advance about which chemo drugs are planned and if any are likely to cause neuropathy. It's important to stay active and keep moving during the chemo treatment months.

Tell the doctor right away if any neuropathy symptoms are experienced. Luckily, there is treatment for neuropathy. A tricyclic antidepressant might be prescribed for tingling and numbness while an anti-convulsant might be prescribed for sharp stabbing pains. Sometimes a capsaicin cream or something else is recommended for pain in the hands and feet. See if the doctor is agreeable to trying out acupuncture.Vitamin B and magnesium levels are sometimes lowered by chemo or poor nutrition. These deficiencies can also cause neuropathy. The doctor might recommend Vitamin B, folic acid and magnesium supplements.

Sufferers of neuropathy need to keep moving, get the blood flowing to the extremities. Resist the temptation to become a couch potato. Make sure someone is nearby or assisting in case a fall or other accident.

Sometimes the neuropathy only occurs on the day of treatment or lingers for awhile but in some cases the nerve damage is permanent. Some people might need physical therapy or occupational therapy to regain mobility and independence.

Breast Reconstruction - Implants & Nipple/Areola Tattoos

2009-03-31T19:25:00.001-07:00

The Women's Health & Cancer Rights Act of 1998 says that if an insurance plan or coverage provides medical and surgical benefits for a mastectomy, then it must also include coverage for reconstruction of the breast on which the mastectomy was performed, surgery and reconstruction of the other breast to produce a symmetrical or balanced appearance, the prostheses (or breast implant), and any physical complications at all stages of mastectomy, including lymphedema.

After a mastectomy, many women choose to get breast implants. They help restore the psychological sense of being female as well as help clothing fit better, especially items that are fitted. Implants come in different diameters. Choose the diameter that fits your skeleton best. Implants come in different sizes, similar to cup sizes, but they are labeled according to how much fluid they can hold. The plastic surgeon should have some samples to see.

One type of implant is a saline implant. It has a clear silicone shell that looks like a balloon and is filled with a sterile saline solution (salt water).

Silicone implants are the other option. For several years they were off the market because of public concerns that the silicone gel inside might leak and cause immune system problems. Subsequent studies have shown that silicone gel implants do not increase the risk of immune system problems and so they are once again available.

There are two approaches to breast reconstruction:

One-Stage breast reconstruction can be done right after the mastectomy when the skin is preserved. After the surgeon removes the breast tissue, a plastic surgeon steps in and places the implant where the breast tissue used to be.

In Two-Stage reconstruction, the skin and chest wall are tight and flat after the mastectomy. First, a deflated "tissue expander" is put into place. Think of it as a temporary implant. It's job is to slowly stretch the skin, making it ready to receive the permanent implant. The expander has a tiny valve that the surgeon injects a little bit of saline solution into during several visits over time. Once the skin over the breast area has stretched enough, there is a second surgery to remove the expander and put in the permanent implant. Some expanders can be left in place as the final implant. Two-Stage reconstruction also allows for the option of waiting until after radiation treatment to begin reconstruction.

Things you should know about implants:

Implants may not last a lifetime. They usually come with a "warranty" for a certain number of years but might need replacing in the future. That means surgery again.

There might be complications from any surgery such as scarring, pain and infection.

Contact sports and activities are no longer allowed because a blow to the chest can cause a break or leak to the implant.

Capsular contracture (hard scar tissue around the implant) might occur. The plastic surgeon will show the patient massage techniques to counteract this during the healing process but it's not a 100% guarantee. Only a few people have this problem.

The end result might not be the "beautiful breasts" that one dreams of. It's a reconstruction, not a recreation.

A word about nipples- believe it or not, new nipples/areolas can be tattooed on. Yes, the surgeon can do this! There is a little bit of post-operative care but it's easy.

Daffodil Days

2009-03-22T08:54:00.000-07:00

I went to the Wellness Center last week and was presented with a small bunch of daffodils. Someone had donated heaps and heaps of bouquets to the center and in turn they were handing them out to their visitors and members.

Every year, during the two months before the first day of spring, cancer societies across the globe sell daffodils. Daffodils were chosen because they are one of the first flowers to bloom in the spring and are a "message of hope." The daffodils are sold to individuals, businesses, schools and organizations. Many are donated to cancer treatment centers that in turn give them to their patients. The funds raised are used to help people facing cancer get testing and treatment, push for laws toward access to screening and health care for everybody, as well as fund research to find causes and cures.

In the northern hemisphere, daffodil orders are collected in January and February. In the southern hemisphere, they are taken in May and June. Growers are usually near the equator - if their spring weather stays mild and allows a longer growing season, then orders might be taken for a few extra weeks into the next month. Anyone can sell as well as buy daffodils. Below is a list of participating societies.

American Cancer Society

Australian Cancer Society

Canadian Cancer Society

Irish Cancer Society

Marie Cure Cancer of Care of The United Kingdom

New Zealand Cancer Society

Please tell me if there are other countries with cancer societies that sell daffodils and I will add their links to my list. Thanks!

Chemotherapy & Low White Blood Cell Count

2009-03-15T08:53:00.001-07:00

Chemotherapy works by killing fast-growing cancer cells. Unfortunately, chemo drugs can’t tell the difference between cancer cells and fast-growing healthy cells, including white blood cells. A side effect is a low white blood cell count which means the body cannot fight off infections, even small ones from a simple cold.

The day after your chemo treatment, you will have to return to the doctor to receive a shot because you are suddenly quite vulnerable to infections. If you catch a cold, the doctor will make you check into the hospital. It's that serious. The shot is that important. My shot was called Neulasta. It was kind of stingy and hot feeling but it went away quite fast, thank goodness.

Here are some ways to protect yourself from infections:

No mall, grocery store, schools, restaurants or other public places. Best to stay home a week and see how your next blood count check comes out. You will get your counts taken once a week. Once the doctor says your white count is good, then you can quote MLK - "free at last!"
Have your kitchen and bathroom wiped down and sprayed often with something that kills bacteria, germs and viruses. Someone else should do this, not you.
Wash your hands with warm water and antibacterial soap often - when you get up in the morning, after you get dressed, before and after every meal, after working with dishes or laundry, after doing any cleaning. Follow up with a leave-on anti-bacterial sanitizer.
Bathe and shampoo daily.
Get a super soft toothbrush. I got myself a baby's 1st toothbrush. You need to avoid bleeding gums which sometimes happens after brushing.
Use lotion to help prevent cracks in your skin. Make sure your cuticles get some.
No manicures or pedicures at public salons. Never cut cuticles or pull hangnails.
Wear gloves to prevent cuts and scrapes. Better yet, let someone else handle knives and garden equipment. If you do get a little cut, wash it well with warm water and anti-bacterial soap, put on some triple antibiotic cream and cover with a bandaid. Keep it dry until a good scab has formed. Of course, call the doctor for anything beyond "minor."
Use an electric razor instead of a blade for shaving.
Avoid bad fitting shoes or any activity that could cause blisters on hands or feet.
No raw food at all. This includes seafood, meats, unpasteurized milk, and all fruits and veggies! Opt for canned fruit rather than fresh. Cook food thoroughly to kill infection-causing bacteria that may be in raw food.
Watch for signs of infection - redness, swelling, hotness, streaking, fever, weakness, pus.

Call your doctor immediately if you have:

Fever higher than 100F. Take your temperature every morning, afternoon and night.
Chills
Sneezing, runny nose, cough or sore throat
Loose stools/diarrhea
Changes in urination or a discharge that isn't "normal" urine
Mouth ulcers or sores in the throat. One of your chemo drugs might cause these. Open sores in the mouth area are extra susceptible to infection.
Hemorrhoids or sores near the rectum
Unusual vaginal discharge, burning or itching
Redness, swelling, or sores anywhere on the skin or in the mouth

My mom cleaned my bathrooms for me using clorox bleach and wipes and did the cooking that first week after each treatment. I wore gloves that went to my elbows while in the garden and told my neighbor I could not prune her roses anymore (I usually took care of them for her). I stayed indoors for a whole week after each treatment. I washed my hands and used sanitizer a lot. I was incredibly healthy during my four months of chemo. About a month after my last treatment I caught a wicked cold - it's as if my body knew to wait until I could handle it. I did have a "friend" at chemo who ended up in the hospital for 2 weeks because she caught a simple cold.

How To Do A Breast Self Exam

2009-03-14T07:01:00.000-07:00

The best time to do a self-exam is when the breasts are not tender or swollen, so avoid "that time of the month." Most experts suggest checking your own breasts once a month but every weekend is better. You need to get to know what's "normal" for your breasts.

All women over 20 years old should examine their breasts whether they are natural, have implants, are pregnant or are nursing. If anything is unusual, make a doctor appointment for the same week. Most of the time, it's nothing to worry about. But if it is cancer, an early find and fast response can make a difference in how far it spread and whether you have to have mastectomy or lumpectomy, and whether you can to go through chemotherapy.

Breast cancer is not restricted to "old people." There is a growing group of women in their 40's getting it. It is also linked to high hormone levels due to the Pill, hormone replacement therapy and pregnancy. Hereditary breast cancer can strike at any age.

In the "old days" it was recommended to do examinations while standing in the shower. Nowadays laying on your back is the recommended way because the breast tissue spreads more evenly across your chest which makes it much easier to feel all the breast tissue.

Use the finger pads of the 3 middle fingers on your left hand to feel for lumps in the right breast. Use the right hand to check out your left breast. Make overlapping circular patterns with your finger pads to feel the breast tissue. Do this once lightly, again with medium pressure, and then a third time with firm pressure so you can feel down to your ribs.

Do the entire "circle" of your breast, in between them (sternum/breast bone) and all the way up to your collar bone. Your breast is actually teardrop shaped and goes up pretty high. Also check your sides up into the arm pit.

While standing in front of a mirror with your hands pressing firmly down on your hips, compare them for changes in size difference or shape. Check the skin for dimpling, redness, scaliness, orange peel textures, dimpling, inverted or changed nipple appearance. Use a hand mirror to examine the undersides.

Examine your underarms while upright and with your arm only slightly raised so you can easily feel in this area. Don't raise your arm too high because this makes the skin and muscle real tight which makes it harder to find changes.

These self exams are very important. I found my lump this way - it was very high toward the collarbone and too high to be captured in mammogram pictures. Mammograms alone are not enough. You must do both.
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Chemotherapy and Protein Drinks

2009-03-09T11:43:00.000-07:00

Chemotherapy is going to kill off most of your blood cells. Your body will immediately start making new blood cells but in the meantime your counts are low enough to classify you as anemic and highly vulnerable to infections. I was so darn tired for a whole week! If your red cells aren't recovered enough by your 1 week follow up, you might receive a shot in the arm that is no picnic.

Your oncologist will tell you to take in as much protein as possible to help your red blood cell count recover. It's very hard to take in lots of protein without also taking in too much fat and sodium unless you go vegetarian. I got tired of the same old eggs for breakfast, lunch meat for sandwiches and chicken or fish for dinner.

Another way to get more protein is to make protein shakes. Protein shakes aren't just for guys building muscles! It's been over a year since my last chemo and my red blood cells are still not quite right so I am currently drinking protein shakes.

Energy First makes 100% natural whey shakes. You can get chocolate, vanilla or flavorless protein powder. You can make shakes, smoothies or add the powder into a recipe. They also sell energy bars, vitamins and supplements, omega 3 and raw almonds as well as supplies and books. Their website has an extensive recipe list. They have some really yummy sounding smoothies listed.

Please look into protein supplement shakes during your chemotherapy treatments.

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Hormone Receptor Positive Cancer

2009-03-05T07:15:00.000-08:00

Your doctor will request a biopsy test to see if the cancer is sensitive to estrogen and progesterone. If the test is positive, the cancer likes to grow in a high-estrogen environment. Think of ER-positive cancers as ones that like to "eat" hormones. One way to fight these kinds of cancers is to take away their "food." In women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancers, hormonal therapy is part of the treatment.

Women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer are usually prescribed Tamoxifen or Raloxifene, pills that reduce the risk of cancer in high-risk patients, prevent cancer from returning as well as to fight a current cancer. Please read about the STAR study that compares these two medications' ability to fight cancer.

Besides the ovaries, estrogen comes from fat cells so overweight patients should lose some pounds in their effort to lower estrogen levels and fight the cancer. Statistically, overweight patients have a higher mortality rate.

In pre-menopausal women, the primary source of estrogen production is the ovaries and they are sometimes surgically removed or shut down with medication.

In post-menopausal women, a class of drugs called aromatase inhibitors (AI's) may be used instead of Tamoxifen. These inhibitors prevent androgen from turning into estrogen in the blood. Right now there are three that are FDA approved for fighting breast cancer: anastrazole (Arimidex), exemestane (Aromasin), and letrozole (Femara).

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Foods That Fight Cancer

2009-02-25T06:27:00.000-08:00

Studies have shown a link between preventing/fighting cancer and the following list of foods:

University of Illinois researchers discovered that the spice, turmeric, reduced the chronic inflammation caused by H. pylori, a bacteria associated with colon cancer. The inflammation itself is what has been associated with the development of cancer. The best way to increase your intake of turmeric is to eat Indian food, especially yellow curry, which contains turmeric and often cancer fighters such as garlic and onions. Another way to get some turmeric into your diet is by using mustard on your sandwiches. The bright yellow mustards are high in turmeric.

The American Institute on Cancer Research (AICR) found evidence that foods containing whole grains can decrease one’s risk of developing colorectal cancer. Whole grains are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and plant compounds (phytochemicals) that protect cells from the types of damage that may lead to cancer. Whole-grain foods include breads, rolls, pasta and cereals; whole grain oat cereals such as oatmeal, popcorn, wild rice, tortilla and tortilla chips, corn, kasha (roasted buckwheat) and tabouleh (bulghur wheat).

The AICR also says that cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, bok choy and kale) probably protect against cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, and stomach. Lab studies suggested that cruciferous vegetables help regulate bodily enzymes that defend against cancer of the breast, endometrium, lung, colon, liver, colon and cervix.

Scientists believe that several active ingredients in soy beans may have anti-cancer effects. Soy has been shown to slow the growth of prostate cancer cells. Foods made from soybeans include tofu, soymilk, soybeans, soynuts, miso (soy paste), tempeh, soy burgers and soynut butter.

Note -soy consumption is not recommended for women with estrogen-receptive breast cancer or who are taking anti-estrogen medications such as tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors. Researchers suggest that these patients avoid soy until more is known.

Both black and green teas contain numerous active ingredients, including polyphenols and flavonoids, which are potent antioxidants. One kind of flavonoid, called catechin, has recently become the focus of widespread study for their anti-cancer potential. Tea is the best source of catechins in the human diet, and green tea contains about three times as much as black tea. In lab studies, green tea has been shown to slow or completely prevent cancer developent in colon, liver, bladder, stomach, pancreas, throat, breast and prostate cells. Other studies involving green tea have shown similar protective effects in tissues of the lung, skin and digestive tract.

White tea surpasses green tea at preventing colon cancer. Oregon State University's Linus Pauling Institute tested the two teas' abilities to block colon-polyp growth and white tea was about 10 percent more successful. In fact, it stopped polyps as effectively as Sulindac, a powerful anti-inflammatory drug. Prescription anti-inflammatories can cause internal bleeding and ulcers but tea is pretty much safe from such side effects. 3 cups a day of white tea be enough to lower your cancer risk.

Note: Very high amounts of green tea components (usually associated with overdosage of green tea supplements) have been shown to interact with drugs that affect blood clotting such as aspirin. Be careful!

The AICR says spinach, kale, romaine lettuce, leaf lettuce, mustard greens, collard greens, chicory and Swiss chard are excellent sources of fiber, folate and carotenoids. Dietary fiber reduces one’s chances of developing colorectal cancer. Folate helps decrease the risk of developing pancreatic cancer. Foods containing carotenoids discourage cancers of the mouth, pharynx and larynx as well as breast, skin, lungs and stomach.

Flaxseed is an excellent source for substances called lignans. Lignans are classified as phytoestrogens (plant estrogens) because they seem to mimic the action of estrogen in the body. In some studies, this has been linked to reduced cancer risk. Flax is also the richest plant source of the omega-3 fatty acid, alphalinolenic acid (ALA). In several large scale studies, this fat has shown protection from heart disease and some cancers. In several laboratory studies, flaxseed has inhibited the formation of colon, breast, skin and lung tumors. However, there is some indication that the anti-cancer effect of flaxseed varied widely depending upon the variety of flaxseed and its growing conditions. Flaxseed is available as flaxseed flour, flaxseed meal (which has the texture of cornmeal), flaxseed oil and whole flaxseeds. The whole seeds cannot be digested, so they provide no nutritional or health benefits unless they are ground. In some short-term human studies, flaxseed has changed estrogen metabolism in ways that suggest protection against estrogen-receptor negative breast cancer.

Note - flaxseed oil does not naturally contain lignans, although some manufacturers add them during processing.

Caution: High amounts of flaxseed and flaxseed oil can reduce blood clotting and promote bleeding, and may interact with drugs that that have a similar effect, such as aspirin.

The tomato has lycopene which tends to concentrate in tissues of the prostate. The AICR found substantial and convincing evidence that foods containing lycopene probably protect against prostate cancer. In animal studies, consumption of tomatos has been linked to large decreases in the risk of prostate cancer risk. Processed tomatoes (juice, paste, sauce) allow easier absorption and an even better lowering of cancer risk. Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant, together with a group of related compounds collectively called the “red family,” has shown anti-cancer potential in different studies. In the lab , tomato components have stopped the proliferation of several other cancer cells types, including breast, lung, and endometrial.

A recent 12-year Harvard study of nearly 48,000 men found that those who ate fish more than three times a week were 40 percent less likely to develop advanced prostate cancer. It's a combination of Omega-3s, vitamin A and vitamin D all of which may help prevent prostate cancer. Eating real fish is recommended over taking Omega supplements. Salmon, mackerel, and herring have the best balance of omega-3s, vitamin A, and vitamin D.

The Allium family includes garlic, onions, scallions, leeks and chives. According to the AICR, foods belonging to the allium family probably protect against stomach cancer. Their report shows that garlic, in particular, probably decreases one’s chances of developing colorectal cancer. They found that the more garlic one ate, the greatest decrease in risk. In lab studies, components of garlic have shown the ability to slow or stop the growth of tumors in prostate, bladder, colon and stomach tissue. Lab research has also shown that one garlic component (diallyl disulfide) has preventive effects against cancers of the skin, colon and lung. Recently, this compound proved able to kill leukemia cells in the laboratory. A compound derived from garlic called ajoene has displayed similar activity. In animal studies, components in Allium vegetables have slowed the development of cancer in several stages and at various body sites: stomach, breast, esophagus, colon and lung.

Both grapes and grape juice are rich sources of resveratrol. Scientists believe that resveratrol has a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect. In laboratory studies, resveratrol has been able to prevent the kind of damage known to trigger the cancer process in cell, tissue and animal models. Other lab research points to resveratrol’s ability to slow the growth of cancer cells and inhibit the formation of tumors in lymph, liver, stomach and breast cells. Resveratrol has also triggered the death of leukemic and colon cancer tumors. In one series of studies, resveratrol blocked the development of skin, breast and leukemia cancers at all three stages of the disease. The skin of the grape contains the most resveratrol. Red and purple grapes contain significantly more than green grapes. However, grape jam and raisins contain much smaller amounts of this phytochemical and should not be considered therapeutic. The AICR does not recommend grape wine because alcohol is associated with an increased risk for cancers of the mouth, pharynx and larynx, esophagus, breast, colon and rectum.

A University of Arizona study found that people who regularly eat citrus zest cut their risk of squamous-cell skin cancer by 30 percent. Animal studies suggest that citrus zest can actually shrink existing tumors. Even lab rats lived longer when citrus zest was part of their diets. The oils in the peels of oranges, lemons, and grapefruit contain compounds that stimulate the body's production of a detoxifying enzyme. If chewing on peels isn't your thing, then grate the colored portion of the peel and add the pile of zest (at least a tablespoonful per person) to soups, salads, and salsa, or sprinkle it on chicken and fish.

Ohio State University researchers treated human prostate cells with whey protein and then measured the cells' levels of a natural cancer-blocking compound called glutathione. It ends up that these levels rose by 64 percent when whey was consumed. An excellent source of whey is yogurt; a lot of the protein is in the clear liquid on top, so don't pour it off. You can also pick up powdered whey-protein isolate and add it to instant oatmeal.

Researchers at UCLA say cranberries contain tumor-blocking compounds, including phenolicacids, glycosides, and anthocyanins. These compounds are effective at preventing cancer in the colon and prostate as well as on the head and neck. They either kill the cancer cells or slow down their growth. Every day, have some cranberry juice, cranberry sauce or dried cranberry snacks.

Purdue University researchers studied Gamma Tocopherol (a form of viamin E) against prostate and lung cancer and discovered that it was able to stop the cells' growth. It also helped kill existing tumor cells without hurting the healthy ones. Gamma Tocopherol isn't included in most E supplements. You can find it in sesame oil and walnuts.

The active ingredients in beans that scientists believe may play a role in cancer prevention include saponins, protease inhibitors and phytic acid. These compounds are found naturally in plants and appear to protect our cells from damage that can lead to cancer. Beans are also rich in fiber. Foods containing dietary fiber, like beans, can decrease one’s risk of developing colorectal cancer.

Berries are known as good sources of vitamin C and fiber. According to the AICR, foods high in vitamin C probably protect against cancer of the esophagus, while foods containing dietary fiber can probably decrease one’s risk of developing colorectal cancer. All berries, but particularly strawberries and raspberries, are rich in a substance called ellagic acid. In lab studies, this chemical has shown the ability to prevent cancers of the skin, bladder, lung, esophagus and breast. Research suggests that ellagic acid seems to utilize several different cancer-fighting methods at once: it acts as an antioxidant, it helps the body deactivate specific carcinogens and it helps slow the reproduction of cancer cells. Strawberries also contain a wide range of other phytochemicals, called flavonoids, each of which seems to employ a similar array of anti-cancer strategies. Blueberries contain a family of phenolic compounds called anthocyanosides, which many scientists believe are among the most potent antioxidants yet discovered.

Calcium Linked to Preventing Cancer

2009-02-23T16:56:00.000-08:00

CHICAGO - A National Institute of Health and AARP study in nearly half a million older men and women supports that diets rich in calcium may help protect us against some cancers. The people in the study ate foods high in calcium, rather than calcium supplements. Duke University nutrition researcher Denise Snyder said these results favor the idea that food rather than supplements is our best source for calcium. The results of this study appear in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

The recommended amount for older people is 1,200 milligrams. Getting much more than that amount didn't result in any greater protection but those who got quite less than the 1200 mg had a higher rate of cancer.

Here are some calcium-rich foods:

Yogurt
Milk
Cheese, including American, ricotta, cheddar cheese and mozzarella cheese
Ice cream
Eggnog
Salmon
Tofu
Rhubarb
Sardines
Collard greens
Spinach
Turnip greens
Okra
White or baked beans
Broccoli
Peas
Brussel sprouts
Sesame seeds
Bok choy
Almonds
Calcium-fortified breakfast cerealCalcium-fortified orange juice
Calcium-fortified soy milk
SunnyD with Calcium
Instant oatmeal
Calcium-fortified bread or English muffins
Calcium-fortified drink mixes

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Invasive Breast Cancer - What Is It?

2009-02-22T10:01:00.000-08:00

"Invasive" cancer has spread beyond the breast's ducts or lobes and has gotten into other tissues inside the breast. It is more serious than non-invasive cancers because it can spread cancer cells throughout the entire body via the lymphatic system and bloodstream. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 180,000 women in the United States find out they have invasive breast cancer every year.

There are two types of invasive breast cancer: Invasive Ductal Carcinoma and Invasive Lobular Carcinoma.

Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) is the most common type of breast cancer. It starts in the milk ducts. About 80% of all breast cancers are this kind. Invasive ductal carcinoma also affects men.

There are some types of IDC that happen less frequently. These cancer cells look and behave somewhat differently than typical invasive ductal carcinoma cells do.

Tubular carcinoma of the breast accounts for about 1-2% of all breast cancer cases. The tumor is usually small and made up of tube-shaped cells that are "low grade” which means they look similar to normal, healthy cells and tend to grow slowly. Tubular carcinoma of the breast is less likely to spread outside the breast than other types of breast cancer. It’s also easier to treat. Studies have found that the average age of diagnosis for tubular carcinoma ranges from the mid-40s to late 60s.

Medullary carcinoma accounts for about 4% of all cases of breast cancer. It is called “medullary” carcinoma because the tumor is a soft, fleshy mass that is shaped like a part of the brain called the medulla. It usually affects women in their late 40s or early 50s. It tends to be more common in women with a BRCA1 mutation. It is also more common in Japan than in the United States. These cells look like aggressive, highly abnormal cancer cells, but they don’t act like them. Because they do not grow quickly, the cancer is usually found and treated before it has spread outside the breast to the lymph nodes. For this reason, it’s typically easier to treat than other types of breast cancer.

Mucinous or Colloid carcinoma accounts for about 2-3% of all breast cancer cases. The tumor is formed from abnormal cells that “float” in pools of mucus that becomes part of the tumor itself. This kind tends to affect women after they’ve gone through menopause. It is less likely to spread to the lymph nodes than other types of breast cancer and is also easier to treat.

Invasive Papillary carcinomas occur in about 1% of all invasive breast cancers. In most cases it is found in women who have already been through menopause. This type of tumor usually has a well-defined border and is made up of small, finger-like projections. In most cases of invasive papillary carcinoma, ductal carcinoma in situ is also present.

In invasive cribriform carcinoma, the cancer cells have gone into the surrounding breast tissue in nestlike formations between the ducts and lobules. Within the tumor, there are distinctive holes in between the cancer cells, making it look something like Swiss cheese. Invasive cribriform carcinoma is usually low grade. In about 5-6% of invasive breast cancers, some portion of the tumor can be considered cribriform. Usually, some ductal carcinoma in situ of the cribriform type is present as well.

Signs and Symptoms - At first IDC may not cause any outward symptoms. Sometimes, the first sign is a lump or mass in the breast that you or your doctor can feel or an abnormal spot on a mammogram.

Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) is the second most common type of invasive breast cancer. It starts in the milk-producting lobules. According to the American Cancer Society, about 10% of all invasive breast cancers are ILC. This kind tends to occur later in life than invasive ductal carcinoma — the early 60s as opposed to the mid- to late 50s. Some research has suggested that the use of hormone replacement therapy during and after menopause can increase the risk of ILC.

Signs and Symptoms - At first ILC may not cause any symptoms. Sometimes, an abnormal area turns up on a routine mammogram but it tends to be more difficult to see on these tests. That’s because instead of forming a lump, the cancer cells spread out to the surrounding tissue in a line formation. Sometimes, the first sign of ILC is a thickening or hardening in the breast that can be felt, rather than a distinct lump. Other possible symptoms include an area of fullness or swelling, a change in the texture of the skin, or the nipple turning inward.

Signs and Symptoms of all breast cancers - Other symptoms besides those mentioned above include swelling of all or part of the breast, skin irritation or dimpling, breast pain, nipple pain or the nipple turning inward, redness, scaliness, or thickening of the nipple or breast skin, a nipple discharge other than breast milk, a lump in the underarm area.

Make sure to include the entire armpit area, between the breasts, and all the way up to the collarbone when doing self exams.

Kylie Minogue's Breast Cancer

2009-02-17T05:48:00.000-08:00

In 2005, singer/actress Kylie Minogue was diagnosed with breast cancer, the treatment of which, forced her to cancel the rest of her "Showgirl - The Greatest Hits Tour" and her participation in the Glastonbury Festival.

Minogue was treated in Melbourne where she received surgery and chemotherapy. Prime Minister John Howard issued a statement supporting her and the Victorian Premier Steve Bracks warned the international media/paparazzi that any disruption of the Minogue family's rights under Australian privacy laws would not be tolerated. Friends such as singer/entrepreneur Olivia Newton-John, who had fought her own battle against breast cancer, asked the media and fans to respect Minogue's privacy.

On 8 July 2005, Minogue visited a children's cancer ward at Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital and then returned to France where she completed her chemotherapy treatment at the Institut Gustave-Roussy in Villejuif, near Paris. Her children's book, The Showgirl Princess, written during her period of convalescence, was published in October 2006.

Upon her return to Australia for her concert tour, Minogue compared her cancer battle and chemotherapy to surviving a nuclear bomb. Whilst appearing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in the United States, Minogue spoke of how her cancer had originally been misdiagnosed and getting a second opinion is very important.

Kylie Minogue talks about her cancer on the Ellen DeGeneres Show:

Gene Identified in Breast Cancer of Asian Women

2009-02-17T05:21:00.001-08:00

Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center investigators have discovered that Chromosome 6 has an area that is linked with breast cancer in Asian women. It is now recommended that Asian women should be regularly screened from 35 or 40 onwards.

Scientist already know that genetics plays a role in the disease and that some breast cancer susceptibility genes, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, account for only a small part of all genetic causes. Mutations in these genes increase the risk of inherited forms of breast cancers. Most of the genetic factors responsible for the vast majority of cases are still undiscovered.

The research team assessed the families of 277 women in whom mutations in the breast cancer genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 had been identified. Of these women, 190 had breast cancer, 48 had ovarian cancer, and 33 had both. Only six were free of cancer.

Based on their findings, the researchers calculated that first degree relatives testing negative for BRCA1 and 2 still had around three times the risk of developing breast cancer by the age of 50 as compared to the general population.

This discovery of the link between Asian breast cancer and Chromosome 6 will be written up in the journal, Nature Genetics.

Breast Cancer - Risk Based on Race, Nationality and Ethnicity

2009-02-14T08:33:00.000-08:00

All women should know their risk for breast cancer which can affect women of every age, race and ethnic group. No one is safe. However, the rates of developing and dying from breast cancer vary among various racial and ethnic groups.

Here are the known risk factors for being statistically more likely to have breast cancer:

Being female. Only 1% of breast cancers are in men.

Getting older. The longer you are alive, the more likely it is that something will happen.

Having a family history of breast cancer. You should get a BRCA test if this is the case.

Having a personal history of cancer in one breast.

Having your first child after age 30 or never having children.

Getting your period early in life (before age 12).

Reaching menopause after age 55.

Being overweight (especially in the waist).

Long term use of combined (estrogen and progestin) - hormones, the Pill.

Being a carrier of an altered form of the breast cancer gene, BRCA1 or BRCA2.

According to the National Cancer Institute:

White, non-Hispanic, women have the highest overall incidence rate for breast cancer among U.S. racial/ethnic groups.

Korean American women have the lowest rate.

Among women ages 40-50, African American women have a higher incidence of breast cancer than do white women.

African American women also have the highest mortality rate from breast cancer. The higher death rate from breast cancer among African American women has been linked to the stage, or extent, of the cancer at diagnosis. Studies show that African American women tend to seek treatment when their cancer is in a more advanced, less treatable stage. This is definitely something that can be changed.

Chinese American women have the lowest death rate.

Women who do not have a family doctor that they visit on an annual basis for screenings and check-ups are more likely to discover their breast cancer at a more advanced stage. This contributes to a higher death rate. Unfortunately, not having or seeing a regular doctor is linked to certain groups.

Factors that interfere with getting regular, proper care from a doctor include lack of transportation, too high co-pays for visits, poverty, lack of health insurance, and no nearby health care facilities or screening programs. A language barrier between the women and her doctor can interfere or inhibit a person's ability to discuss health concerns.

Education plays a part, too. Women who are not aware of disease risks and symptoms are more likely to delay seeing a doctor until they are in pain or their symptoms interfere with daily tasks.
Women of some cultures may try traditional or "folk" remedies before seeking treatment from a western educated physician. Beliefs in healing and miracles, as well as distrust of the health care system may keep some people from getting routine preventive care.

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Inflammatory Breast Cancer - What Is It?

2009-02-11T06:49:00.001-08:00

Inflammatory Breast Cancer develops rapidly. It accounts for up to 6 percent of all breast cancer cases in the USA. Survival rates are lower than those of other locally advanced breast cancers. The exact cause of IBC is unknown.

Different from other breast cancers that have a lump, Inflammatory Breast Cancer has the breast appearing normal in the beginning until tumor cells get into and block lymphatic vessels in the skin. This lymph fluid gets backed up causing the breast to swell up and become red, swollen and sore.

Here are some symptoms of IBC:

Sudden, fast change in the appearance of one breast, over the course of days or weeks

Thickness, heaviness or visible enlargement of one breast

Discoloration, giving the breast a red, purple, pink or bruised appearance

Unusual warmth of the affected breast

Dimpling or ridges on the skin of the affected breast, similar to an orange peel

Itchiness

Tenderness, pain or aching

Enlarged lymph nodes under the arm, above the collarbone or below the collarbone

Flattening or turning inward of the nipple

Swollen or crusted skin on the nipple

Change in color of the skin around the nipple

If the breast becomes red, swollen or sore, see a doctor immediately (I mean the same week!) to rule out Inflammatory Breast Cancer. If the breast fails to improve despite a week of antibiotics, ask your doctor to do more like ordering an ultrasound, mammogram or MRI and a biopsy of the skin. You might ask for a referral to a breast specialist.

Inflammatory Breast Cancer can easily be confused with a breast infection but it won't go away with antibiotics. A breast infection also causes redness, swelling and pain, but breast infections usually develop only during breast-feeding. You will probably have a fever with an infection.

Another cause of breast changes are breast surgery and radiation therapy. These might block the lymphatic vessels in breast skin, temporarily making the breast swell and become discolored. These changes will gradually go away.

The average women with IBC is 59 years. Black women are slightly more likely than are white women to get it. Men can develop IBC, too.

If the biopsy confirms IBC, the next step is to see how advanced the cancer is. The doctor might order a CT scan of your chest and abdomen, chest X-ray, and bone scan. The biopsy will be tested for the presence or absence of hormone receptors and to see if the cancer produces too much of a protein called HER2. Inflammatory breast cancers are often hormone receptor negative and HER2-positive.

Inflammatory breast cancer is classified as stage III-B or stage IV breast cancer. Stage III-B is locally advanced cancer — meaning it has spread to nearby lymph nodes and to the fibrous connective tissue inside the breast. Stage IV cancer has spread to other parts of your body, beyond the breast. About two-thirds of newly diagnosed inflammatory breast cancers are stage III-B.

Treatment for IBC involves chemotherapy, surgery and radiation therapy. About half the women diagnosed with the condition survive five or more years, and nearly one-third are alive 20 years after diagnosis.

Chemotherapy is done first to shrink the cancer and resolve skin problems before surgery. This allows proper healing of the skin. Most ladies receive more chemotherapy after healing. Radiation (it's like getting an x-ray, very easy!) is given to kill any remaining cancer cells in the breast and under your arm. Typical RT is 30 to 35 treatments, once a day, on week days.

The doctor might recommend further treatment to prevent cancer from returning. If the cancer tested positive for estrogen receptors, then you'll take hormone pills that are engineered to kill the cancer cells (they like to "eat" hormones). If the cancer is HER2-positive, the doctor will prescribe a pill for that, too.

Gammagrams - A New Test for Breast Cancer

2009-02-10T06:56:00.000-08:00

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Breast-Specific Gamma Imaging aka the "Gammagram " uses a radioactive injection and then a picture is taken. Tumor cells brighten up quite vividly on the picture because they have a fast metabolism. This test is used when cancer is suspected, not as a screening tool like the annual mammogram. Whether it becomes commonly used will depend upon future studies that show it saves lives and money.

The benefits of a Gammagram is that doctors can easily read them and can make an immediate diagnosis. It also lets women avoid biopsies. When x-rays are too cloudy, the doctor usually says, "Come back in 6 months for a follow up test." No one wants to delay action for six months if it is cancer, so the Gammagram is a great follow up tool.

Ladies will like the fact that a Gammagram doesn't do any squishing (and you know what I mean!). The test takes less than an hour. Patients sit in a chair with their breast put between a plastic shield and a camera device.

Gammagrams are preferred over mammograms for women with dense breasts, breast implants, previous breast surgeries or lobular breast cancer. They can be used as a follow up if a lump is found or if there is an unusual mammogram result. Right now studies are ongoing to compare Gammagrams to MRI's and positron-emission tomography (PET) scans.

It's an expensive machine for the provider to purchase but all doctors really prefer its fast and easy to read results. Most insurance plans pay for the test.

ARF1 Protein Linked to Breast Cancer

2009-02-05T19:21:00.000-08:00

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Canadian researchers from the Université de Montréal and the University of Alberta have found a protein in the progression of breast cancer. Their study, published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, finds that the protein ARF1 plays a major role in cancer cell growth and the spread of tumors.

Dr. Claing and her colleagues used invasive breast cancer cell lines to study ARF1's role. When ARF1 activity was chemically blocked in the study, breast cancer cell migration and growth was slowed down. Conversely, when ARF1 was overproduced in these cells, their movement was enhanced.

This ARF1 protein could become a therapeutic target for the treatment of invasive breast cancers.
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The A.M.A.S. Test for Breast Cancer

2009-02-02T05:05:00.000-08:00

The Antimalignin Antibody in Serum (AMAS) Test is 97% sensitive in predicting which small breast masses or lesions on mammography would be found to be malignant on subsequent biopsy.

The AMAS Test is being used in the U.S. and abroad as an aid to the early detection of cancer. Since the test indicates whether active cancer cells are present in the body but does not tell their location, it is used together with other clinical procedures and tests which suggest where the lesion is located.

AMAS is also used with the PSA , CA125 and CAT scans. In studies, the AMAS elevation often precedes PSA or CA125 elevation by weeks or months.

In patients who have recently, or in past years, had cancer treated, the AMAS Test is also being used to monitor for remission or recurrence. As shown in a study of 8,090 patients and controls, this use for monitoring is as accurate as that for early detection.

Doctors also order the AMAS Test for individuals who have never had cancer but are at a higher risk. In individuals where the family history indicates an earlier onset of cancer, AMAS testing has been ordered routinely in the 30’s or 40’s.

Free Mammograms

2009-02-01T07:13:00.000-08:00

The following sites either donate money toward or provide free/discounted mammograms:

Click HERE for a listing of several organizations offering free or low-cost mammograms in Florida.

Early Detection Works offers free and low-cost mammograms in Kansas.

Blessing Hospital offers free mammograms to residents of Brown and Pike counties in Illionois.

Click HERE for free mammograms in southeastern Texas, including Jefferson, Orange and Hardin counties.

The US Center for Disease Control's National Breast & Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program offers free mammograms throughout the USA.

The Breast Cancer Site donates money to provide free mammograms to women in need. The money comes from us simply clicking their ads, our donations, and purchases from their store.

Show Me Healthy Women gives free mammograms in Missouri. See if you qualify.

If you live in Logan County, Colorado click HERE for more information on free mammograms.

The Every Woman Counts program in California offers free mammograms to underserved women.

The Center For Disease Control has a directory of places throughout the USA that offer free or low-cost mammograms.

Click on ads HERE to support free mammograms for women who live on Long Island, NY.

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Eating Walnuts Slows Growth of Breast Cancer Tumors

2009-01-29T12:22:00.000-08:00

This information is from the American Institute of Cancer Research:

Evidence has been found that a daily dose of walnuts reduces the growth of breast cancer tumors in mice. Their study is the first to investigate the effect of walnut consumption on cancer. The human equivalent to what the mice ate would be to eat 14 walnuts every day.

“This is an intriguing finding that needs to be repeated, and ultimately confirmed in humans...but it fits with some of what we’ve seen from other studies. We know that walnuts have a lot to offer, such as omega-3 fat, vitamin E, and other antioxidants. Many of these substances have already shown anti-cancer potential individually” says Karen Collins, Nutrition Advisor for AICR.

A group of 22 mice with human breast cancer tumors was divided into two groups. The test group was fed ground walnuts daily and the control group consumed a diet supplemented with corn oil, vitamins, minerals and fiber that were similar to the amounts occurring in the walnut diet.

After a month, the tumors of the walnut-fed mice were only about half the size of the tumors in the mice that were not fed walnuts.

Walnuts are one of the few plant foods that contain this kind of omega-3 fat, which protects against heart disease, inflammation and, hopefully, cancer as well.

Studies suggest that omega-3 fats exert their influence by increasing the production of hormone-like, anti-inflammatory compounds. There is growing evidence that inflammation plays a role in the development of cancer.

Other much-studied cancer-protective substances within walnuts include gamma-tocopherol (a form of vitamin E), phytosterols and flavonoids. Lab studies have shown that these compounds may slow cancer cell growth and fight inflammation.

A Healthy, but Calorie-Dense, Food Walnuts also contain fiber, which studies have shown can help with weight control. One caution, notes AICR’s Collins, is that walnuts pack a lot of calories into a relatively small portion.

Because walnuts have their own calories, it’s best to substitute them for other foods so you don’t end up gaining unnecessary weight.

Breast Cancer Myths

2009-01-27T05:37:00.000-08:00

1. "I’m too young to worry about breast cancer."
Fact: While it’s true that your breast cancer risk increases as you get older, the fact is that women of all ages are at risk for developing breast cancer. See: 5 Reasons Why Young Women Should Perform Monthly Breast Self Exam.
Note- I was in my 40's when diagnosed. The doctor told me there is a new, fast-growing incidence of ladies in their 40's getting breast cancer.

2. "There’s never been a case of breast cancer in my family so I don’t need to worry about it happening to me."
Fact: The truth is the majority of women diagnosed with breast cancer don’t have a family history of this devastating cancer. However, if your mother, sister, or grandmother ever had breast cancer your risk is significantly increased.See: Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool.
Note- I am the one and only person with breast cancer in my family tree.

3. "I don’t have a mutated BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene so I’m sure breast cancer is not in my future." Fact: Don’t fool yourself! Not having a mutated BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene does not mean you won’t get breast cancer. Actually, the truth is that almost all women (90 to 95 percent) diagnosed with breast cancer have neither a family history nor mutated BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, according to the American Cancer Society. See: Understanding the BRCA Gene and Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer
Note- I had the BRCA tests and they were negative.

4. "The majority of women diagnosed with breast cancer had more than one risk factor prior to diagnosis."
Fact: All women are at risk for developing breast cancer whether they have known risk factors. In fact, the majority of breast cancer patients had no known risk factors, other than being female, for this frightening disease. See: Understanding Breast Cancer Risk
Note- I had no risk factors.

5. "Breast cancer is preventable."
Fact: Although a drug classified as an antiestrogen called, Tamoxifen may decrease breast cancer risk in certain women, the cause of breast cancer remains unknown and is not completely preventable. The real key to surviving breast cancer is early detection and treatment. See: FDA Approves Tamoxifen for Breast Cancer Prevention in High Risk Women
Note- there are many unavoidable environmental causes of breast cancer (pollution, food, chemical exposure...) and many more yet undiscovered ones. Living in a bubble and not eating your whole life is not an option.

6. "Having yearly mammograms will expose me to too much radiation and cancer will occur as a result."
Fact: According to the American College of Radiology, the benefits of annual mammograms far outweigh any risks that may occur because of the minute amount of radiation used during this screening and diagnostic procedure.See: Mammography Screening
Note- Don't worry about this!

7. "I’m not going to breastfeed because breastfeeding would increase my risk of getting breast cancer."
Fact: Just the opposite is true. Breastfeeding may actually decrease the risk of perimenopausal breast cancer. See: Breastfeeding Benefits Mom and Baby
Note- I didn't breast feed and still got cancer (but not the hormonal kind)

Source: Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation

Christina Applegate and Breast Cancer

2009-01-23T13:27:00.000-08:00

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In 2008, the 36-year old actress and already established breast cancer advocate, Christina Applegate found herself being diagnosed with breast cancer with a very important decision to make. Her cancer was found during a routine breast MRI that's able to find cancer cells earlier than mammograms can.

Her mother, singer Nancy Priddy, fought breast cancer twice and carries the BRCA1 breast cancer gene. Christina chose a double mastectomy even though her cancer was found in only one breast because the statistics were against her. Luckily, chemotherapy and radiation were not necessary.

Returning to work and future reconstructive surgery are in her future. She says she looks forward to have "great boobs" when she's in the "old folks home." By then, I don't think she'll be alone in that physical attribute!

Now Christina is focused not only on breast cancer awareness, but also to encourage early detection and help women get the tests they need and finances to pay for them.

Not all health insurers cover breast MRI's which can be quite expensive, so Applegate created the "Right Action for Women" organization aka the Christina Applegate Foundation. Its goal is to help women who have a higher risk for breast cancer receive and pay for breast MRI's. One of her fundraising efforts is to auction off ribbon roses, made from the ribbons of Christina's get-well-soon bouquets while she was in the hospital.

Applegate appeared on The Tonight Show, stating "If I can just save one person. That’s why I am doing this.”

"I'm going to face challenges, but you can't get any darker than where I've been," she said on Good Morning America. "So, just knowing that in my soul gave me the strength to just say, 'I've got to...I have to get out there and...and make this positive."

On the Oprah Winfrey Show, Applegate shared, "This is my opportunity now to go out and fight as hard as I can for early detection...there is this need and this desire to make every single day count...I used to say … 'Don't sweat the small stuff, not even the big stuff.' At the end of the day, none of it matters but your own joy, your own spiritual journey that you go on. God, your loved ones, your friends, your animals - these are the things you've got to cherish and love and embrace."

For more information of BRCA genes, click on http://breastcancerisabitch.blogspot.com/2008/12/genetic-hereditary-breast-ovarian.html#links

Famous People Who Died From Breast Cancer

2009-01-20T07:29:00.000-08:00

The following list is from Wikipedia. These are famous people, celebrities and other notable people who lost their battles with breast cancer:

Lila Abboud, mother of noted Lebanese-American clothing designer Joseph Abboud; Abboud's sister also died due to breast cancer.

Kathy Acker, American author (died at age 50)

Margery Allingham, British mystery writer (died at age 62)

Generosa Ammon, widow of murdered New York businessman and multimillionaire Ted Ammon (died at age 47).

Luana Anders, American film actress (died at age 58).

V. C. Andrews, American horror fiction writer (died at age 62).

Mary Anning, British fossil collector and paleontologist (died at age 48).

Anne of Austria, mother of King Louis XIV of France and Philippe I, Duke of Orléans, wife of King Louis XIII of France, daughter of Habsburg parents, King Philip III of Spain and Margarita of Austria, sister of Philip IV of Spain, aunt and mother-in-law of Spanish Habsburg princess Maria Theresa of Spain, and possible lover of French Prime Minister Jules Cardinal Mazarin (died at age 66).

Brenda ("Mardi") Nowak Arquette, psychiatrist and mother of American actors Patricia, Rosanna, Ale, Richmond and David Arquette, and wife of actor Lewis Arquette and daughter-in-law of actor Cliff Arquette (died in 1997).

Mary Astell, English philosopher and feminist writer (died at age 65)

Judi Bari, American environmentalist and labor leader (died at age 47).

Jeanne Bates, American film actress (died at age 89).

Sally Belfrage, American author and journalist (died at age 57).

Frances Belzer, mother of American actor, Richard Belzer (died when Richard was 18 years old).

Ingrid Bergman, Oscar-winning star Swedish actress (died at age 67).

Betty Berzon, American psychotherapist and lesbian activist (died at age 78).

Bibi Besch, Austrian-born American actress (died at age 56).

Colette Besson, French athlete (died at age 59).

Rose Elizabeth Bird, first female Chief Justice of the California Supreme Court (died at age 63).

Carina Bleeth, French-Algerian-born American model, businesswoman and mother of American actress Yasmine Bleeth (died at age 47 when Yasmine was 20 years old).

Brandi Borr, American stand-up comedian (died at age 39).

Anita O. Bowser, former Indiana State Senator (died at age 86).

Mary Brogan, wife of Florida politician Frank Brogan.

Vanessa Brown, Austrian-born American actress.

Coral Browne, Australian-born American actress (died at age 77).

Mary-Ellis Bunim, American film/TV producer (died at age 57).

Barbara Burton, wife of American politician Dan Burton, United States Representative from Indiana (died at age 65).

Rachel Carson, American environmentalist and author of Silent Spring (died at age 56).

Rose Chan, Chinese-born "Queen of Striptease" exotic dancer (died at age 62).

Elizabeth Ries Chavira, mother of American actor Ricardo Antonio Chavira (died at age 43 when Ricardo was 15 years old).

Madonna Louise Ciccone, mother of American singer/songwriter Madonna (died at age 30 when Madonna was 5 years old).

Cassie Cisyk, Ukrainian-American soprano (died at age 44).

Heather Clarke, wife of Northern Irish golfer Darren Clarke (died at age 39).

Doris Coley, African-American singer (one of The Shirelles) (died at age 58).

Joan Riddell Cook, American journalist and labor activist; founded JAWS (Journalism and Women Symposium) died in 1995 (died at age 73).

Norma Crane, American actress (died at age 44).

Linda Creed, American songwriter (died at age 37).

Mary Culpeper, mother of English botanist, herbalist, physician, and astrologer Nicholas Culpeper (died circa 1635).

Faye Dancer, former star of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League and the inspiration for Madonna's character in the film A League of Their Own (died at age 77).

Julia Darling, award-winning British writer (died at age 48).

Bette Davis, American Oscar-winning star actress (died at age 81).

Jo Ann Davis, U.S. Representative from the State of Virginia (died at age 57).

Skeeter Davis, American Grand Ole Opry star (died at age 72).

Cecilia de la Hoya, mother of Mexican-American boxing champion Oscar de la Hoya (died at age 35).

Mary Jean Woolslair Denton, mother of American actor James Denton (died in 2002).

Helen Dewar, American reporter for the Washington Post newspaper (died at age 70).

Kelly Jo Dowd, American mother of 13-year-old American golf protege, Dakoda Dowd; cancer has metastasized).

Siobhan Dowd, British children's writer (died at age 47).

Shirley Graham DuBois, African-American author, playwright, composer, activist and wife of noted African-American thinker, writer, and activist W. E. B. DuBois (died at age 80).

Peggy Duff, British political activist and organiser of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmamen (died at age 71).

Lady Lucy Duff-Gordon, London-born Canadian early 20th century fashion designer known as "Lucile"; sister to screenwriter Elinor Glyn (died at age ).

Eileen Dugan, Brooklyn, New York State Assemblywoman (died at age 51).

Julie Ege, Norwegian actress

Belinda Emmett, Australian actress (died at age 32).

Miriam Engelberg, San Francisco-based graphic writer/blogger (died at age 48).

Margaret Ewing, Scottish National Party politician and Member of the Scottish Parliament and wife of fellow MSP Fergus Ewing (died at age 60).

Judith Campbell Exner, JFK relationship-related American celebrity (died at age 65).

Oriana Fallaci, Italian writer and journalist (died at age 77).

Faith Fancher, African-American television journalist for KTVU and breast cancer activist (died at age 53).

Heather Farr, American LPGA Tour golfer (died at age 28).

Sandra Feldman, former president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) (died at age 65).

Sandra Regina Machado Arantes do Nascimento Felinto, Brazilian politician; daughter of soccor player Pelé (died at age 42).

Kathleen Ferrier, British opera singer (died at age 41).

Syvilla Fort, African-American dancer and choreographer (died at age 58).

Lacey Fosburgh, American author and wife of American author David Harris (died around age 50).

Kay Francis, American film star of the 1930s (died at age 63).

Georgia Frontiere, American businesswoman; owner of the NFL team, the Saint Louis Rams (died at age 80).

Kathryn Frost, Retired U.S. Army Major-General and former Commander of the United States Army and Air Force Exchange Service from August 2002 to April 2005, wife of Martin Frost, former Democrat U.S. Representative from Texas (died at age 57).

Bea Gaddy, African-American Baltimore City Council member and advocate for the poor (died at age 68).

Helen Gahagan, American actress and (under the name Helen Gahagan Douglas) a politician; wife of actor Melvyn Douglas (died at age 80).

Betty George, American musical theatre actress (died on November 16, 2007).

Megan Lloyd George, British politician, daughter of Prime Minister David Lloyd George (died at age 64).

Sophie Germain, French mathematician (died at age 55).

Yamila Cuevas Gharib, mother of Colombian-Lebanese U.S. singer/songwriter, Soraya (died in 1992 when Soraya was 22 years old).

Margaret Gibson, Canadian novelist (died at age 57).

Barbara Gittings, LGBT activist (died at age 74)

Shirley Glass, psychotherapist, author of Not Just Friends and mother of public radio personality Ira Glass (died at age 67).

Gloria Grahame, Oscar-winning American actress (died at age 57).

Betty Gray, younger sister of American actress Linda Gray (died in 1989).

Kate Greenaway, British illustrator (died at age 55).

Lady Augusta Gregory, Irish nationalist landowner (died at age 80).

Alvaleta Guess, African-American film actor and Broadway performer (died at age 41 in 1996).

Florence Halop, American comedienne/comedic actress (died at age 63).

Fannie Lou Hamer, African-American anti-segregation activist (died at age 59).

Sara Henderson, Australian author and pastoralist (died at age 68).

Dorothy Hewett, Australian writer (died at age 79).

Regine Hildebrandt, German biologist and politician (died at age 60).

Klara Hitler, Austrian mother of Adolf Hitler (died at age 47).

Anita Hoffman, American writer and wife of former "Yippie" activist Abbie Hoffman (died at age 56).

Judy Holliday, American Oscar-winning star actress (died at age 43).

Bertha Holte, mother of African-American singer/author/actress Patti LaBelle; Patti watched her mother as well as her three sisters all die of cancer before any of them reached 45 years of age.

Shirley Horn, African-American jazz singer; died due to complications of diabetes and breast cancer (died at age 71).

Lady Anne Hyde, Duchess of York, first wife of James, Duke of York (the future King James II of England), mother of Queen Mary II of England and Queen Anne of Great Britain and daughter of Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon (died at age 34).

Jeanne Hyde, wife of U.S. Congressman Henry Hyde (died in 1992).

Diana Hyland, American actress (died at age 41).

Trina Schart Hyman, American children's book illustrator (died at age 65).

Jill Ireland, British actress, wife of American actor Charles Bronson (died at age 54).

Molly Ivins, American journalist and author succumbed to inflammatory breast cancer (died at age 62).

Alice James, American diarist, sister of American psychologist William James and American author Henry James and daughter of American theologian Henry James Sr. (died at age 43).

Jessica James, American actress of stage, film and television (died at age 60).

Pauline Johnson, Native Canadian poet and orator, who was born on the Six Nations Reservation in Ontario, Canada (died at age 52).

Fannie Ann Little Jones, mother of African-American rapper Nas (died in 2002).

Puma Jones, American singer (Black Uhuru) (died at age 36).

June Jordan, African-American professor of African-American studies, poet and author of 28 books (died at age 62).

Helen Kane, American singer and entertainer (died at age 62).

Barbara Ann Karmanos (died in 1989)

Caron Keating, Northern Irish celebrity (died at age 41).

Marie Keating, mother of Irish singer Ronan Keating (died in 1998).

Virginia Clinton Kelley, American mother of former President Bill Clinton (died at age 71).

Margaret Kilgallen, American artist (died at age 33)

Susan G. Komen, American breast cancer activist; sister of Nancy Brinker (died at 36 years of age).

Marianna Komlos, Canadian bodybuilder and fitness model (died at age 35).

Irene Kral, American jazz singer (died at age 46).

Helen Gorman Kushnick, NYC-born Hollywood producer (died at age 51).

Jewel Lafontant, Republican politician from Cook County, Illinois

Mary Lakes, mother of American Florida Gators football player Reggie Nelson (died on December 21, 2006).

Paula Schlesinger Lang, mother of Austrian-American film director Fritz Lang.

Joi Lansing, American actress (died at age 43).

Jennifer Lash aka Jini Fiennes; British writer/artist; mother of six-Ralph, Martha, Joseph, Magnus, Sophie and Jacob Fiennes (died at age 55).

Thomasina Lawson, daughter of former British Chancellor of the Exchequer Lord Nigel Lawson and sister of British journalists Nigella Lawson and Dominic Lawson (died at age 32).

Beatrix Hamilton Leacock, wife of Canadian writer Stephen Leacock (died in 1925).

Frances Lear, Lear magazine publisher and ex-wife of American TV producer Norman Lear (died at age 73).

Violette Leduc, French author (died at age 65).

Elisabeth Leseur, French diarist (died at age 47).

Nikolai Leskov, male Russian writer (died at age 64).

Lorraine Hunt Lieberson, American opera singer; in 2000 her younger sister Alexis also died due to breast cancer (died at age 52).

Ronnie Lippin, music industry publicist/business manager (died at age 59).

Audre Lorde, African-American author (died at age 58).

Juliette Gordon Low, American Founder of Girl Scouts of the USA (died at age 67).

Datin Seri Endon Mahmood, wife of the Prime Minister of Malaysia Abdullah Ahmad Badawi. Two years before, her twin sister, Noraini, also died due to breast cancer. (died at age 64).

Shirley Ardell Mason, American artist, inspiration for the book and film of the life of "Sybil" (died at age 75).

Denise McAllister, wife of former Scottish football captain Gary McAllister (died aged 39).

Lady Linda McCartney, American singer, activist, wife of former British Beatles member, Sir Paul McCartney (died at age 56).

Mary Mohin McCartney, County Monaghan, Ireland-born mother of "Beatle" Sir Paul McCartney (died when Paul was 14 years old).

Mary McCollough, mother of African-American actor, Bernie Mac (died during Bernie's sophomore year of high school).

Hattie McDaniel, African-American actress (died at age 57).

Susan McManus McGahern, mother of late Irish writer, John McGahern (died in 1943)

William McGhee (aka Bill McGhee), African-American actor (died at age 76).

Jane McGrath, wife of Australian cricket champion Glenn McGrath

Sarah Parkinson Merton, screenwriter and wife of British actor Paul Merton (died on 23 September 2003).

Sylvia Millecam, Dutch actress (died at age 45).

Mary of Modena, Italian-born Queen Consort of King James II of England (died at age 59).

Charlotte Moorman, American cellist and performance artist (died at age 57).

Bernadette Doyle Mowbray, late wife of Scottish footballer/manager, Tony Mowbray

Jean Muir, English fashion designer (died at age 66).

Melissa Nathan, British novelist (died at age 37 on April 7, 2006).

John W. Nick, namesake of The John W. Nick Foundation, founded "to help eradicate breast cancer in men and women through education, prevention, early detection, state of the art treatment, and to provide support groups, and services to cancer patients and their families."

Eileen O'Connell, Nova Scotian Member of the Legislative Assembly for the riding (constituency) of Halifax-Fairview (died on September 27, 2000).

Roseann Murtha O'Donnell, the mother of American actress/television personality/comedian Rosie O'Donnell (died at age 38).

Siobhan O'Hanlon, Northern Irish Sinn Féin official and former PIRA member (died at age 43 on April 11, 2006).

Gayle Olinekova, Canadian marathon runner and bodybuilder (died at age 50).

Elizabeth Owens (aka Kathe Schneider Feist), American actress and theatre producer (died on March 8, 2005, aged 77).

Grace Paley, American poet, writer and political activist (died at age 84).

Edith Pechey, aka Mary Edith Pechey-Phipson; one of the first British female doctors and a women's rights activist (died at age 63).

Jacqueline Peart, wife of Canadian musician Neil Peart (died in 1998).

Susan Peretz, American film and television actress (died at age 64).

Ruth Picardie, British writer (died at age 33).

Margaret Morgan Potter, wife of British writer Dennis Potter (died in 1994 shortly before her own husband's death).

Barbara Pym, British author/writer (died at age 66).

Dina Rabinovitch, British writer and journalist (died at age 44).

Irma Rangel, American politician, Texas State Representative; died of inflammatory breast cancer (died at age 71).

Deirdre Redgrave, née Hamilton-Hill, wife of British actor Corin Redgrave and mother of British actress Jemma Redgrave (died in 1997).

Sherill Lynn Rettino, American actress (died at age 39).

Angelena Rice, mother of United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (died in 1985 at age 61).

Kathleen Fenton Richards, mother of American actresses Kyle Richards, Kim Richards and Kathy Hilton, and the maternal grandmother of Paris and Nicky Hilton (died in March 2003).

Minnie Riperton, American singer, mother of American actress Maya Rudolph (died at age 31).

Lila Roberts, former model and mother of Canadian model and actress Rachel Roberts (died in 1995).

Toby Robins, Canadian actress and television journalist (died at age 55).

Rod Roddy, American male radio and television announcer (died at age 66 of breast and colon cancers).

Roxie Roker, American actress, mother of American singer/songwriter Lenny Kravitz (died at age 66).

Patsy Rowlands, British actress (died at age 71).

Rosalind Russell, American star actress (died at age 69).

Caroline St John-Brooks, British journalist and academic (died at age 56).

Lyudmila Salita, mother of boxer Dmitry Salita (died in 1999).

May Sarton, Belgium-born American poet, novelist, and memoirist (died at age 83).

Delia Scala, Italian actress (died at age 74).

Jane Scott, English writer, dramatist and theatre manager (died in 1839, aged 59).

Irene Mayer Selznick, American theatrical producer (died at age 83)

Penny L. Severns, Illinois State Senator (died at age 46 in 1998).

Elizabeth Seymour, Duchess of Somerset (died at age 55).

Carol Shields, Canada-based U.S. author (died at age 68).

Marjorie Shostak, American anthropologist (died at age 51).

Dorothy Shula, wife of former American Miami Dolphins football coach Don Shula who founded the Don Shula Foundation for breast cancer research (died in 1991).

Rosalie (Ricky) Gaull Silberman, American activist who co-founded the Independent Women's Forum (died at age 69).

Charlotte Smith (née Hennessy), mother of screen legend Mary Pickford & co-founder of United Artists, (died in 1928).

Soraya, (full-name Soraya Raquel Lamilla Cuevas), Colombian-American singer, songwriter, guitarist, arranger, and record producer, as well as breast cancer advocate (died aged 37).

Jo Spence, British photographer (died at age 58).

Wendie Jo Sperber, American actress (died at age 47).

Dusty Springfield, British songwriter/singer (died at age 59).

Athena Starwoman, world-famous astrologer, columnist for Vogue and Woman's Day, and TV commentator. (died in her mid-50s).

Doris J. Stein, American philanthropist and mother of Susan Stein-Shiva

Susan Stein-Shiva, American philanthropis, daughter of Doris J. Stein

Nettie Stevens, American geneticist (died at age 50).

Glenda Stewart, wife of artist Mark Stewart (died in September 1995).

Hendrickje Stoffels, artist model and mistress of Dutch artist Rembrandt.

Marie Stopes, Scottish author and birth control advocate (died at age 78).

Susan Strasberg, American actress; daughter of theatre director and drama coach Lee Strasberg and Paula Strasberg, and the sister of John Strasberg (died at age 60).

Pauline Styron, mother of writer and novelist William Styron (died in 1939)

Audrey Cowell Sumner, mother of British actor/singer/activist Sting (died in 1987).

Rell Sunn, American world surfing champion (died at age 47).

Jacqueline Susann, American writer (died at age 56).

Myfanwy Talog, Welsh actress and long-term common-law-spouse of British actor Sir David Jason (died at age 49).

Patti Tate, crime victims activist and sister of Manson Family murder victim actress Sharon Tate (died at age 42).

Mary Gay Taylor, WCBS-AM radio reporter/radio personality (died at age 71).

Empress Theodora, empress of the Byzantine Empire and wife of Emperor Justinian I; both are commemorated on November 14 as saints in the Eastern Orthodox Church (died before the age of 50).

Betty Thompson, Canadian television host of a children's programme produced at CKCO's studios (died at age 60).

Dorothy Perry Thompson, African-American professor and poet (died at age 68).

Penny Thomson, Scottish theatre and television director (died at age 56).

Jane Tomlinson, British athlete and campaigner/fund raiser for cancer charities (died at age 43).
Marietta Peabody Tree, American socialite and political activist (died at age 74).

Louise Troy, American actress and wife of British actor Douglas Seale (died at age 60).

Danitra Vance, African-American actress (died at age 40).

Vivian Vance, American actress, singer (died at age 70); also suffered from bone cancer as a result of metastasis.

Annabelle Lane Vincent, Kentucky Democratic politician and member of the Kentucky Democratic State Executive Committee (died at age 55)

Geraldine Warrick-Crisman, African-American television executive and former assistant New Jersey state treasurer (died at age 76).

Angela Webber, 52, Australian comedienne and writer (died at age 52).

Dolly Wilde, Anglo-Irish socialite & niece of writer Oscar Wilde; diagnosed with breast cancer in 1939, died two years later of uncertain causes.

Suzie Shapiro Wilson, mother of American child actress Mara Wilson (died at age 46 when Mara was 9 years old).

Stephanie Williams, American journalist and author (died at age 32).

Thelma Wood, American sculptor (died at age 69).

Syreeta Wright, African-American singer/songwriter and ex-wife of African-American singer/songwriter Stevie Wonder; (died at age 58)

Chen Xiaoxu, Chinese actress and Buddhist nun (died at age 41)

Kim Yale, writer and editor for multiple comic book companies, including Marvel, DC, First and Warp Graphics; wife of fellow comics creator John Ostrander.

Amalie von Wallmoden, Countess of Yarmouth (died at age 61).

Judith D. Zuk, American conservationist, horticulturist and environmentalist (died at age 55).

Underwire Bras and Breast Cancer

2009-01-20T06:40:00.001-08:00

I heard something about underwire bras causing breast cancer. Well, unless they're using radioactive metal, I think it's a bunch of hogwash and decided to do some research.

Evidentally someone wrote a book and posed their own fantasy theory (to make their book sell) about this issue and now it has become a minor urban myth.

Please make sure your medical facts come from the medical experts, not gossip passed from one person to the next and definitely not from a non-expert trying to sell a book. Beware of conspiracy theories. There is no evil plot.

Never fear. Underwires do NOT cause cancer. Every single link shown below agrees with my hogwash opinion.

http://cancer.about.com/od/breastcancer/f/underwirebras.htm

http://askville.amazon.com/wearing-underwire-bras-breast-cancer/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=603714

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/OnCallPlusRiskAndPrevention/story?id=3636127

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_2_1x_Forwarded_Emails.asp

For a listing of more breast cancer myths, visit http://breastcancerisabitch.blogspot.com/2009/01/breast-cancer-myths.html#links
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History of the Pink Ribbon

2009-01-14T07:38:00.000-08:00

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This is a short history on the use of ribbons as a symbol of rememberance and awareness.

It starts with 19th century American women who wore a yellow ribbon in their hair as a symbol of their devotion to husbands and sweethearts who were away, serving in the US Calvalry. The Calvalry's official color was yellow. The John Wayne movie "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon" is a direct reference to this custom.

There is also the marching song "Round Her Neck, She Wore A Yeller Ribbon," sung in the US military that was copyrighted in 1917. (and no, that's not a typo)

In 1973 "Tie A Yellow Ribbon 'Round the Old Oak Tree," sung by Tony Orlando & Dawn, was a number one hit in the USA, UK and Australia. The message of this yellow ribbon was "You Are Welcome Home."

Six years later, during the Gulf War, Penney Laingen tied yellow ribbons on the trees in her front yard, showing the world her longing for the release and return of her husband who was a hostage held in Iran. Penney's display got into the news and yellow ribbons appeared on trees all over the world, in support of loved ones away at war.

At the 1990 Tony Awards, actor Jeremy Irons wore a red ribbon. This is considered to be the first time an actor wore a red ribbon publicly to bring awareness to the serious problem of AIDS. Soon after, other actors and public figures followed suit.

The Susan G. Komen Foundation handed out pink ribbons to participants in the 1991 Race for Breast Cancer in New York City.

Charlotte Hayley, who had breast cancer, handed out peach colored ribbons with cards attached that stated that the National Cancer Institute only spends 5% of their $1.8 billion on prevention. She felt prevention and early detection deserved more attention.

Alexandra Penney (editor-in-chief at Self magazine) and Evelyn Lauder (senior VP at Estee Lauder) approached Hayley about working together but Hayley declined. Penney and Lauder teamed up to create pink ribbons as the international symbol of breast cancer awareness.

Legally, in most places, the symbol of the pink ribbon is considered public domain. In Canada, the pink ribbon is the official trademark of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

Arabic: شريط وردي
Spanish: Lazo Rosado
French: Ruban Rose
Italian: Nastro Rosa
Galician: Lazo Vermello
German: Rosa Schleife

Dutch: Roze Lint
Danish: Lyserøde Sløjfe
Croatian: Ružičasta vrpca
Czech: Růžová stužka
Finnish: Roosa Nauha
Hungarian: Rózsaszín szalag
Norwegian: Rosa Sløyfe
Latvian: Rozā lente
Lithuanian: Rožinis kaspinas
Persian: روبان صورتی
Polish: Różowa Wstążka
Romanian: Panglica Roz
Ukrainian: Рожева стрічка
Russian: Pозовая лента
Slovak: Ružová stužka
Swedish: Rosa Bandet
Catalan: Llaç Rosa
Turkish: Pembe Kurdele
Japanese: ピンクリボン
Chinese: 粉红丝带
Serbian: Ružičasta mašna
Slovenian: Rožnati trak

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CANCER CAUSES HYPOCHONDRIA

2009-01-05T07:30:00.000-08:00

I am finished with my treatments. Now it's just follow-up visits with the surgeon and the oncologist. Both want me to get mammograms and MRI's done before each visit, the out-of-pocket cost being about $250 each time. I am done with going every three months, thank goodness, and will graduate to the once every 6 months schedule for the next 4 years.

We do not know if every single cancer cell was killed off by the chemo and radiation so I will be watched for 5 years, then put on the once-a-year schedule which all women my age should be on anyway. I do not know if it'll just be mammograms or if MRI's are going to continue as well.

I have a bomb inside me and we don't when or if it'll go off. The tumor was like having a dandelion inside me that started to go to seed. Did the surgeon get all of the root out? Did the radiation kill off any fine root hairs that were left behind in the soil? Did the chemo kill every single last seed that the wind blew into my lymph nodes.

According to the charts and the treatment I chose, my Stage 2A breast cancer gives me a 90% chance of living another 5 years and a 65% chance of making it 10 years. To some that might sound okay, but at the time of diagnosis I was only 47 and had a 10 year old daughter. Another 5 or 10 years is not acceptable. There is no data for 15 or 20 years, perhaps because most breast cancer patients are in their 60's when diagnosed and die of some other natural cause.

Every time I visit the doctor he asks me if any of my bones are hurting. I've read that bones are a popular place for the little escaped cancer cells to set up a new residence. I am fine-tuned into my bones, now.

During the summer of my chemo, I developed a very sharp pain in my right big toe that would suddenly come and go, sometimes making driving dangerous. It's a strange place for cancer to spread to and it's embarrasing to say "I have cancer in my toe" to people, but I asked the doctor about it anyway. I was referred to an orthopedist who order a million x-rays of my toe and foot. Nothing there but the normal things a 47-year old foot could have and nothing to explain the location of the pain. The orthopedist suggested it might be nerve damage, caused by the chemo. My two visits to the orthopedist cost $20 each. Can't recall what the x-rays cost - I probably blocked it out!

I also have a new pain in my left wrist. The orthopedist found nothing in the x-rays or his manipulation of my wrist to explain the pain. Once again, it might be nerve damage from the chemo. Maybe it's too much typing at my computer. Or it could just be that I am weird.

During the research for my article on Chemo Brain, I read that chemo can cause nerve damage, so that makes sense. I've been taking Aleve, 3 pills each day, for a month for my toe and wrist. They are feeling better lately so I'll consult a neurologist only if they start bothering me again.

This past fall, a tiny area on the inside of my ribs was sharply sore one night when I rolled over in bed. OMG - has it spread? The doctor kept asking me about bone pain and now I have it! After running around in circles with my hands waving in the air, I calmed down and told myself to give it one more day of pain before calling the doctor.

I called my oncologist on the second day and they got me in that afternoon. The doctor poked and prodded me and ordered x-rays, which cost me another $200. The x-rays came out negative for a long list of rib, chest and lung issues. Okay, now I can stop hyperventilating, and start feeling like a fool. A few weeks later, a friend told me that the area of my pain is near the gall bladder and perhaps I had a tiny stone that got expelled before the x-rays were taken.

I have friend, who died from breast cancer this past summer. She had headaches which her GP was treating as a sinus and migraine issue. Ended up the cancer had spread to her brain as well as the liver and lungs. Radiation and some chemo pills were able to zap the brain and liver but the lungs remainded cancerous.

I am so paranoid of this happening to me, getting treated for something else when it's really cancer that has spread. If I get anything that I can't explain I run to one of my cancer doctors rather than my GP. I want to rule out cancer first, before assuming it's something else. If cancer comes back a second time, the odds of winning are very low. It can be won but it depends how soon you catch it and where it is.

So my plan is, for the rest of my life, I am going to panic and run to the doctor for every last little thing. I don't know if they are laughing at my sense of humor, hypochondria, or all the way to the bank!

CHEMO BRAIN

2008-12-30T17:44:00.000-08:00

Chemo Brain is a strange thing. Doctors don't really know what to make of it or what to do. Is it physical, psychological or imagined? It's definitely "in your head" no matter how you look at it. Is it even related to chemotherapy? It's not on any list of side effects from chemotherapy drugs.

One thing is agreed. Many chemo patients have complained about impaired thinking and assumed it had something to do with the chemo drugs. Studies are just now starting to investigate this strange complaint.

Here are some of the documented complaints in these new studies:

Forgetting things that one shouldn't forget
Trouble concentrating on tasks
Forgetting names, dates, memorable events
Difficulty multi-tasking
Slower thinking, processing and completion of mental tasks
Forgetting common words

Personally, after my 1st chemo treatment, back home that night, I received calls from relatives and friends wanting to see how I fared. For the life of me, I could not concentrate on their words or answer simple questions, let alone carry on a conversation. It was like I had a buzz from a drink or cold medicine. As soon as I felt my mind wandering (to nowhere) I handed to phone to my mom and said, "You take it." I felt bad brushing off my sister's call but I could not function! Luckily this only happened for that one night. I put myself to bed the other nights, not trying to socialize. I was always fine the next day.

According to recent studies, "mild cognitive impairment" ranges from a one-time-only event to long term condition. Some people complain of slight changes in ability while others are hit harder, like I was. It appears more often in patients with higher doses of chemotherapy drugs.

Experiments have linked nerve damage to some chemotherapy drugs but the effect on the brain cells is too new for results. Experts are concerned about chemotherapy treatments that are aggressive and high dosed. Possible treatment options that protect the brain are being studied as are existing medications that might also help treat chemo brain.

The causes and triggers of chemo brain are unknown at this time. Pictures of brain activity show changes in chemo patients that don't show up in non-chemo cancer patients. For some participants, these differences are still showing up 5 to 10 years after treatment ends.

Right now the best guesses as to the cause of chemo brain include the cancer itself, chemotherapy drugs, medication used to manage side effects of chemo drugs, patient age, stress, low blood counts (chemo kills off blood cells), depression, fatigue (chemo makes one anemic), and hormonal changes. Both men and women complain of chemo brain. About 25% of chemo patients report having thinking problems.

Personally, I think my chemo brain was a combination of things:

I had to suck down 5 bags of drugs.

I was in a strange place with people I didn't know fussing over me - poking a needle into my chest for the IV hookup, all of which was overwhelming and stressful.
I definitely think depression is a part - surgery, tests, poking and prodding, chemo...it's a sudden loss of control over one's life.

Fatigue - chemo kills off the red blood cells and makes you anemic and tired. After my subsequent chemo's I pretty much slept for a week, getting out of bed for meals and helping my daughter with schoolwork only.

Hormonal changes were definitely part of my experience. Ladies' ovaries are shut down by the chemo. Younger ladies bounce back after the treatments are over. I was old enough to be thrown into permanant menopause. I don't know about guys' hormones. I am relatively young so I don't think advanced age is on my list of possible causes. Most of my "mates" were old enough to be my parents or grandparents. The nurses called me "The Kid."

So what do us foggy-headed people do about this? Well, here is a list of what might help out:

Write down your schedule rather than try to remember everything

Make to-do lists
Do puzzles and other thinking games or exercizes

Get lots of rest

Exercise to help improve mood and decrease fatigue

Eat vegetables (studies show it helps the brain)

Create routines and rituals

Forget trying to multi-task for awhile

Keep a diary of times you have trouble thinking (times, food, meds, activity etc)

Accept the problem as temporary and have a sense of humor about it. Give yourself permission to be a little kooky.

Tell friends and family about it so they are aware of what you are going through

If chemo brain gets too severe, meet with a neurologist, psychoneurologist, or psychologist. These experts can test brain function and suggest mental activities to help you overcome or lessen the effect of chemo brain. Hopefully in the next few years, more will be known and more can be done to avoid or treat chemo brain.
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GENETIC / HEREDITARY BREAST & OVARIAN CANCER

2008-12-26T09:22:00.000-08:00

Every 1 in 9 people (men and women) will develop breast cancer at some point in their lifetime. This is about 200,000 people per year. Researchers and scientists suspect up to 25% of these cancers are hereditary mutations on our genes.

Scientists are naming these genes BRCA (BReast CAncer) with a number afterward. They have been nicknamed "broken genes." The BRCA1 gene was the first one to be discovered. It is on the 17th chromosome. A second one, BRCA2, was discovered on the 13th chromosome. Right now BRCA1 & 2 are suspected for causing about 0.2 percent of hereditary breast and ovarian cancers. They are the current "leaders" in cause by their share of percentage. Scientists feel upward of 25% of all breast cancers are genetic in some way and they are on the verge of identifying a BRCA3, also on the 13th chromosome.

If you have a "broken gene" you are not guarenteed to develop cancer. Your risk is just higher than that of the general popular so doing monthly self-exams, getting annual mammograms and clinical checkups are very important to catching it early, getting treatment right way, and perhaps saving your life. You can take medication which will cut your risk in half.

If you have parents, siblings or aunts/uncles with breast cancer then you are considered at "high" risk of having a genetic predisposition to breast cancer. If one of your parents has breast cancer, then your risk is 50/50. If you or your spouse has hereditary breast cancer or carry a broken gene, then each of your children have a 50/50 risk of developing it.

There is a simple (for you) blood test to see if you have the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation. Ashkenazi (Eastern European) Jews are 10 times more likely than the general population to have these two hereditary mutuations. If there is breast or ovarian cancer in your family tree, pressure your doctor to order the test. My insurance covered the cost (in full) which is good because it's several thousand dollars. My results were negative.

Don't rule out the men for developing breast cancer (1% of all breast cancers are men) or passing down a broken gene. Every year about 2000 men develop breast cancer and 450 will die from it. The famous "Shaft" actor Richard Roundtree has breast cancer. See this link for more on him: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/OnCallPlusBreastCancerNews/story?id=4028791. There is also a website for men and breast cancer. See http://www.menstuff.org/issues/byissue/breastcancer.html.

SOURCES:
National Institue of Health
National Human Genome Research Institute
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Breast Cancer Awareness

2008-11-29T21:11:00.000-08:00

I would love to be un-aware for just one day, please!

Ever since I was diagnosed with cancer, my ears now perk up whenever I hear or see anything about the subject and this reminds me about my own health and it makes me sad. Enough encounters with these demonic reminders and I go into a depression. I would love to go one whole day without someone or something reminding me of my cancer.

It's bad enough that I am reminded every time I get dressed, take a shower, or apply Mederma to the scars. I also see one of my 3 doctors quarterly and have to get mammo's and MRI's just as often. That's enough reminding for me.

Imagine, if you can, people popping out of bushes or from behind corners shouting "You have cancer!" several times a day, every day. That's what it's like! I wish I could shut these annoying people up. (I know they mean well...)

Here are some examples of what my overexposure to breast cancer awareness is like:

Last year a friend made a donation to the Susan G. Komen fund in my name. SGK sent me a little card. It was a nice gesture by my friend but I really didn't need SGK to tell me.

After I was diagnosed, I received multiple visits from Teleflora and 1-800-Flowers. My surgeries coincided with the month of my birthday so I also received flowers from my brother-in-law who didn't know yet. I treasured this bouquet because these were not pity flowers.

This year two friends went on fundraiser walks/marathons and asked me to join them. I wasn't emotionally strong enough for this. I needed to distance myself.

The last time I replaced my latex dishwashing gloves my only choice was pink "breast cancer awareness" gloves from Playtex.

This past summer I buried a friend who died from breast cancer. She had been my "big sister" who held my hand and answered my questions when I "joined the club." She handed down her scarves to me, not knowing that a year later her own cancer would return. I was an emotional wreck at the funeral. I felt like Scrooge did when he met up with the Ghost of Christmas Future at the cemetary. Someone saw me loosing it and rescued me into her hug.

Every once in awhile I receive phone calls asking me to donate money to find a cure. I tell them I donated almost $3000 last year and this year looks like it's going to be about $1000.

The entire month of October the grocery store I shop at had a huge display of pink stuff for sale - scarves, mittens, vacuum cleaners, cupcakes, cakes, ice scrapers... I recently visited Linens'n'Things to take advantage of their going-out-of-business sale - there was a big display of pink M&Ms and Tic Tacs at the entry. I think I've developed an adversion to things pink.

I used to have long hair- half way down to my elbows. Maybe once or twice a month I'll run into someone I haven't seen in awhile and they always comment on why on earth did I cut my hair. Do I tell them the truth or lie?

At the cash register area of the local arts & crafts store last week, there was a huge display of silk flowers and grave markers - giant pink ribbon symbols. This little event just screamed DEATH as well as Breast Cancer to me.

I hear about breast cancer on tv, on the radio, on the internet, on magazine covers...it's everywhere and I am feeling a little too exposed to it. Yes, I am very aware, so let's please change the subject and talk about something else!

SIDE EFFECTS OF RADIATION

2008-11-06T09:41:00.000-08:00

You will hold your arm above your head during radiation. This creates a crease/fold of skin in the collarbone/neck area. This area might start feeling "sunburned" after a few weeks of treatment. My skin got a little pinkish and didn't look bad but suddenly one day that area became very raw feeling. I used clear Aloe Vera gel as instructed but using it more often didn't help. The nurse finally gave me a free sample tube of Biafine which helped greatly. The radiation area in general will become dark or slightly tanned looking. The creases between folds of skin are extra sensitive.

Your skin might look tanned or pink compared to the other side. Toward the end it might little tiny moles all over - kind of a freckly appearance. It's pretty funny really. Don't worry - within a month after your last radiation, "the girls" will start looking alike again.

After it's all done with, the irradiated skin will peel just like sunburn does. Mine took a few months to get through this process. I had racing stripes of new skin and old irradiated skin that was darker.

Another side effect is that radiation makes the bones that got irradiated become porous - brittle bones. You'll need to take calcium the rest of your life which most of us should be doing anyway. And you can't do anymore tackle football! No impacts allowed because a bone could break (more easily than before). Seriously - impact sports and car accidents are the things to avoid.

WEIRD SIDE EFFECTS FROM CHEMO...

2008-10-26T12:33:00.000-07:00

Losing my taste during the summer was weird. I couldn't taste strawberries or cherry pie! The only thing I could taste was salty stuff so that's what I ate- Mexican food, eggs with salt on top, chips, mashed potatoes, tuna sandwiches. I guess it's like having a cold and you can't taste anything. It's been a year now and I'm still not back 100%, especially with fruit flavors.

I was old enough that chemo put me into permanent menopause. I was happy to see Aunt Flo go away forever but the price was nuclear hot flashes! If I move around too much doing housework, let alone anything that actually qualifies as exercise, I get too warm and sweat covers my whole body in an instant. I have to wear summer jammies in the winter and be ready to throw off the blankets at a moment's notice. In the summer, it's a losing battle. Just breathing makes me get a hot flash. It's been a year and I am still "flashing."

I was so sleepy for about a week after each chemo treatment. It was the killed off red blood cells that made me anemic and tired. I'd get up for breakfast, go back to bed, get up for lunch, go back to bed, help my daughter with home and eat dinner, go back to bed until the next morning. Thank goodness my mom lived with us for 4 months to help out. XOXOXO to my "mommy."

How do I put this delicately? Let's just say "things" become thin and delicate as if I were 30 years older. The permanant menopause effect threw me into the world of geriatric intimate issues. It would have been nice to ease my way into this arena slowly over the years but unfortunately I was suddenly thrown into the deep end of this pool. The doctor wants me to try estrogen cream. Hope I didn't make you blush!

I usually did my chemos on Mondays. I received an IV bag of anti-nausea medicine there and pills for home and "tolerated" my treatments pretty well except for one thing - travel sickness - I would get car sick before even going a mile for the rest of the week. So even if I felt great and wanted to make a quick dash to the store, I stayed home for the next few days.

HAIR LOSS =:-O

2008-10-25T17:04:00.000-07:00

I read that it's good to get a short haircut before you even start chemo. Then as soon as the hair starts coming out, shave the head. This lets you be in charge of when the hair comes out. It's an important thing to do for your sanity. You are going through a "no sense of control" stage in your life with all the testing, surgeries, and treatments. All that poking and prodding! At least you can be in charge of the hair issue.

So I got a "long" pixie cut about a week before my first chemo. It was kind of cute. I've had my hair halfway down to my elbows for over 30 years. I decided I was going to do something similar once I got my hair back and not go back to super long.

About 2 weeks after my 1st chemo my hair started coming out in the shower. It creeped me out. I took maybe 2 or 3 more showers and finally got annoyed and had my mom cut my hair short with scissors and then my husband shaved my head. We did it outside in the backyard, leaving the hair for birds to use in their nests that summer.

I avoided looking in the mirror for a few days. It was hard to get used to. I signed up for a "Look Good Feel Better " class They teach you that now is a very important time to take care of your self esteem by taking the time to dress nice, use makeup and jewelry, and they showed tricks on wearing caps, hats, beanies and turbans as well as wig care. They gave each of us a tote bag that I swear was filled with quality cosmetics worth $200! When I was shopping at Kohl's a lady approached me and complimented my hat. It felt so good and I was feeling quite stylish that day!

My eyelashes and brows didn't come out until after my last chemo. The Looks Good Feel Better lady showed us how to do eyebrow pencil and eyeliner. Would you believe people said "at least you didn't lose your lashes" to me when I didn't have any lashes! That goes to show the wonders of makeup. I never opted for fake lashes, just used liner the right way.

My last chemo was October and my hair started coming back in December. It took another month to "fill in" and it wasn't until about March or April that I went out in public with nothing on my head. My hair was very short but I've seen women wear their hair that short so I felt confident that no one would think I was bald. It worked out fine. Nobody stared at me. I was so self-conscious. I continued to do the makeup and always wore earrings.

Some people's hair comes back different than it used to be. Curly, straight, slightly different color... Mine came in the same but there was more white than I remember. Perhaps I was just in denial of how much white I really had because I had been dying it for so many years!

So it's been almost exactly a year since my last chemo. My hair has grown about 4 inches.

The eyebrows didn't come all the way back. I have "glorified peachfuzz" but nothing you could actually call a hair. Who knows, maybe some of my peachfuzz hairs will mature into real hairs in the next year. My hair is thinner on crown. Some pink skin shows through. This is probably how I would look as an "old lady" but time got accelerated for me because of the chemo.

Summer was best. I wore a beanie/skull cap my friend made from t-shirt fabric (much better than wig liners) with either a pretty scarf or hat. I loved my hat. Wigs are no fun in the hot, sweaty summer! When the colder weather set in, wearing a scarf or summer style hat just didn't look right. At restaurants I wanted to dress up more. I started wearing my wig which is extra time and bother. Because I was trying to deceive people with fake hair, I was insecure and often worried whether people believed it was my own hair.

For unknown reasons my bald skin reacted whenever I wore anything on my head. Wig days were the worst. I got painful pimples on my head, even though I wore the cotton beanie/liner. I guess the rubbing did it. Every night I showered or bathed using facial acne soap on my head. My husband would dab acne medicine on the spots I couldn't reach. I was really disgusted with my appearance - bald and pimply! Once I figured out to use the acne treatments and to go bald around the house, my skin got better. I warned my daughter's friends who would come to visit for hours on end. I took some bravery to allow 10 and 11 year olds to see me, but I did it and they were very cool about it.

Footnote- enjoy not having to shave your pits and legs for as long as possible, ladies!

Here's my picture, taken about 6 months after my last chemo:

Chemo Therapy

2008-10-17T19:23:00.000-07:00

This is my story...
I had it in my head I was going to receive a simple IV through the arm. I've done that before, no problem. Big surprise - I had to go to the hospital as an outpatient and have this Power Port thing installed just below the collarbone on the other side. Great - another scar! About a month afterward, when the incision was pretty much healed I went in for my 1st chemo. My husband and father took me. They stayed once I was hooked up. I had to "drink" 4 IV bags - 3 chemo meds and 1 for nausea, one at a time. So I was there for 5 hours each visit. I brought cards for solitare, books for reading and watched TV.

I hate being hooked up! The needle into the chest was no picnic. One of the nurses was so great - she told me to close my eyes and visualize the ocean with a big wave coming and about to knock me over. Just as the wave was crashing, my brain was distracted with the drama of the story, rather than focusing on the needle. It popped in easily. Whenever I had chemo on a day that this nurse was working I always asked for her to hook me up. Just to let you know - I was the only whimp in our group of about 10 people. Everyone else was fine with getting their needle. I went once every three weeks. Total of 6 treatments.

Please add your own experiences...

Mastectomy Stories

2008-10-17T19:22:00.000-07:00

Please contribute your stories. Let other ladies know they are not alone in what they are going through. Let newly diagnosed patients know what to expect.....
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My Lumpectomy

2008-10-17T15:45:00.000-07:00

The surgeon skipped doing a needle biopsy and went straight for a lumpectomy. I went to the hospital very early in the morning as an outpatient. The morning wait was long - one person had the operating room ahead of me and then there was an emergeny appendectomy. The doctor shook me to wake me to say it was cancer. I rolled onto my side, pulled my knees up in fetal position, and cried and cried. I don't remember thinking anything, no words. Just emotion. Later on I cried, thinking to myself my daughter is too young (10) for her mommy to die.

I would have to return in about a week to have the margins and lymph nodes checked. For now it's up to the lab to test the lump for the individual characteristics of my cancer.

My tumor was about 10mm. My scar is about 2 inches long.

Finding the Lump

2008-10-17T15:38:00.001-07:00

I was just at the doctor for my yearly exam in November and do my self-checks several times a month. In April I scratched an itch and found a lump. I made an appointment with my doctor who ordered a mammogram and ultrasound and referred me to a surgeon and that set off the chain reaction that is now my life. One appointment, test, or surgery after another.