Breastcancer.org Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Breast Cancer Risk and Race Aug 06, 2020

Show notes

Dr. Lola Fayanju is assistant professor of surgery at the Duke University School of Medicine. In addition to treating people with breast cancer surgery, Dr. Fayanju’s research interests include using big data and sophisticated analyses to reduce disparities in outcomes after breast cancer diagnoses and to improve the value of breast cancer care. When she was a general surgery resident at Washington University in St. Louis, her research found that women treated by safety-net primary care doctors in the greater St. Louis area were more likely to be diagnosed with more advanced-stage breast cancer than women who had private insurance. She also looked at the reasons behind this disparity, and her work led to an overhaul of the referral process for underserved women in the St. Louis area.

In a June 2020 New England Journal of Medicine article, at least two widely used tools estimating breast cancer risk have been found to offer lower risk estimates for women of color.

Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Fayanju explain:

how these tools were created
why an artificially lower risk of breast cancer can be harmful for women of color
the factors that she thinks need to be incorporated into risk calculators for minority women
how women of color can accurately figure out their risk of breast cancer and develop an appropriate screening plan with their doctor

Running time: 25:12

Acupuncture to Ease Breast Cancer Treatment Side Effects Jul 22, 2020

Show notes

Dory Ellen Fish is a board-certified, state-licensed acupuncturist with 25 years of experience in 5 Element and Traditional Chinese Medicine acupuncture. She holds a diplomate in acupuncture from the National Commission for the Certificate of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. For the past 15 years, much of her continuing education has been focused on cancer care. She completed the acupuncture course in oncology for cancer patients at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital and the Oncology Training for Acupuncture course at MD Anderson. Dory Ellen has lectured and taught at various universities, hospitals, and organizations. Her clinical practice is in Bryn Mawr, Penn.

Listen to the podcast to hear Dory Ellen explain:

what acupuncture is
the benefits of acupuncture
the risks of acupuncture, including the risk of lymphedema
her top three recommendations for someone who wants to try acupuncture for the first time

Running time: 27:38

Sexual Side Effects of Breast Cancer Treatment Jul 10, 2020

Show notes

Dr. Kelly Shanahan is a metastatic patient advocate and METAvivor board member. She had to give up her OB/GYN practice because of side effects from metastatic breast cancer treatment. At the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, Dr. Shanahan was one of the moderators of a panel sponsored by Breastcancer.org and Sermonix Pharmaceuticals on the sexual side effects that breast cancer treatment can cause. As a dual citizen of this discussion — she’s both a metastatic patient who has experienced some of these side effects and an OB/GYN who used to treat people for these side effects — she’s uniquely qualified to help us all understand the topic and offer solutions.

Listen to the podcast to here Dr. Shanahan explain:

her personal journey with breast cancer
why anti-estrogen medicines and chemotherapy can cause vaginal dryness, vaginal atrophy, and pain during intercourse
some of the causes of loss of libido
solutions to some of the most common sexual side effects, including vaginal dryness and thinning, pain, lack of desire, and hot flashes

Running time: 37:20

September and October 2014 Research Highlights Jun 24, 2020

Show notes

In this Breastcancer.org podcast, Brian Wojciechowski, M.D., Breastcancer.org medical adviser, discusses some of the research that was published in September and October 2014.

Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Wojciechowski explain:

results of a study that found the targeted therapy Perjeta increased overall survival by about 1.5 years in women diagnosed with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer
why wearing a bra IS NOT linked to breast cancer risk
why breastfeeding decreases breast cancer risk
how Trelstar might increase the chances that some premenopausal women get pregnant after going through breast cancer treatment

October 2014 Research Highlights Jun 24, 2020

Show notes

In this Breastcancer.org podcast, Brian Wojciechowski, M.D., Breastcancer.org medical adviser, discusses some of the research that was published in October 2014.

Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Wojciechowski explain:

results of a study that found the targeted therapy Herceptin offers long-lasting benefits for women diagnosed with early-stage HER2-positive disease
a study that found occult cancers in more than 2% of women who were having their ovaries removed preventively because of genetics or family history
why Hispanic women still need to take steps to reduce their risk of breast cancer, even if they have a genetic variant that may lower their risk
why more research is needed before a new genomic test can be used to make treatment decisions

Aniela McGuinness: Choosing to Laugh at What Life Gives Her Jun 24, 2020

Show notes

This Breastcancer.org podcast features Aniela McGuinness, an actress and the creator of the My Breast Choice blog. Aniela knew she had an abnormal BRCA1 gene and lost her mother to ovarian cancer in 2013. A year and a half later, at age 31, Aniela was diagnosed with stage I breast cancer, three days before her appointment to schedule a preventive double mastectomy.

Listen to the podcast to here Aniela talk about:

why she decided to create her blog and YouTube channel
how she uses humor to get cope with things that upset her
how she came up with the idea for her mastectomy photo series
her Halloween costume and why Halloween is the best holiday for people with cancer

The Elements Project -- Heard in the Halls: Voices From the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium Jun 24, 2020

Show notes

Beth Fairchild, president of METAvivor, talks about the #ThisIsMBC Elements Project.

Shades of Brown Foundation -- Heard in the Halls: Voices From the 2018 American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting Jun 24, 2020

Show notes

Sheila McGlown, who was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer 5 years after her mother died of the disease, talks about her work with the Shades of Brown Foundation to advocate for, educate, and support Black women diagnosed with breast cancer.

Talzenna Patient-Reported Outcomes Jun 23, 2020

Show notes

Dr. Jennifer Litton, a board-certified medical oncologist and professor of breast medical oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where she is chief of the Section of Clinical Research and Drug Development for Breast Cancer. She also is a member of the Breast Immuno-Oncology Task Force of the National Cancer Institute.

At the American Association for Cancer Research virtual annual meeting, Dr. Litton presented results from the EMBRACA trial, looking at using Talzenna (chemical name: talazoparib), a type of medicine called a PARP inhibited, to treat advanced-stage HER2-negative breast cancer in people with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation. She joins us today to talk about the results, especially the patient-reported outcomes, which showed that people treated with Talzenna had better quality of life than people treated with chemotherapy.

Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Litton explain:

what a PARP inhibitor is and how it works
how quality of life was better for people treated with Talzenna compared to chemotherapy
why she thinks Talzenna is a good treatment option for people diagnosed with metastatic HER2-negative breast cancer who also have a BRCA1 or a BRCA2 mutation

Running time: 14:04

Low White Blood Cell Counts and Infection Risk Jun 17, 2020

Show notes

Brian Wojciechowski, M.D., practices medical oncology in Delaware County, Pennsylvania at Riddle, Taylor, and Crozer hospitals and also serves as Breastcancer.org's medical adviser. A native of South Philadelphia, he trained at Temple University School of Medicine and Lankenau Medical Center. Dr. Wojciechowski is a sought-after speaker on the topics of medical ethics and the biology of cancer.

Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Wojciechowski explain:

the different types of white blood cells and what they do in the body
how chemotherapy and targeted therapy medicines lower white blood cell counts
why low white blood cell counts raise the risk of infection
how doctors monitor white blood cell counts
symptoms of infection to watch out for
steps you can take during chemotherapy to keep your risk of infection as low as it can be

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