tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68510017804287166452011-11-27T16:33:35.191-08:00Breaking news about current breast cancer research. News articles provided by trusted sources with commentary on them for you .dr.ahmed.ezznoreply@blogger.comBlogger591100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001780428716645.post-20498344975687598802009-03-30T10:18:00.000-07:002009-03-30T10:19:22.853-07:00

Given all the confusion about the terminology, it’s comforting to know that the pro-cedure for the lumpectomy itself is not nearly so confusing. In short, a lumpectomy isthe removal of a mass of tissue that has been identified as suspicious either by mam-mogram, ultrasound, needle biopsy, or any or all of the above. The surgeon also re-moves what he—and you—hope is a rim of benign tissue all the

dr.ahmed.ezznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001780428716645.post-17598481117090203332009-03-30T10:17:00.002-07:002009-03-30T10:18:16.813-07:00

Your surgeon may recommend a “partial mastec-tomy.” The words sound scarier and more dramatithan “lumpectomy,” as if somehow they’re goingto remove lots of tissue. In reality, “partial mastec-tomy” is often synonymous with “lumpectomy”and the term doesn’t necessarily suggest howmuch tissue your surgeon plans to remove. Inaddition, a partial mastectomy may or may notinvolve the removal of lymph

dr.ahmed.ezznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001780428716645.post-1025642200109141912009-03-30T10:17:00.001-07:002009-03-30T10:17:45.654-07:00

A lumpectomy by any other name is still a lumpectomy, which is the removal of alump or mass of tissue. For certain cancers, the lumpectomy combined with radiationtherapy has proven equally as effective as a mastectomy, which is the removal of theentire breast. Your surgeon will use one of the following terms: surgical biopsy, (in-cluding perhaps a reference to excisional or incisional biopsy),

dr.ahmed.ezznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001780428716645.post-8682228505947625472009-03-30T10:16:00.002-07:002009-03-30T10:17:12.640-07:00

In This Chapter➤ What “lumpectomy” means➤ Anticipating the surgery➤ What to expect during surgery➤ The post-surgery forecastWhen the surgeon says, “We’ll take out a lump about the size of a golf ball,” he maybe describing your lumpectomy. Depending on the size and stage of your cancer andthe size of you, a lumpectomy can refer to the removal of anything from 1 percentto 50 percent of your breast.

dr.ahmed.ezznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001780428716645.post-10912721869204507572009-03-30T10:16:00.001-07:002009-03-30T10:16:42.595-07:00

The initial shock that you have breast cancer turns into a rather long series of shockwaves. Once diagnosed with breast cancer, you’ll likely find yourself fully immersed inits treatment for most of the next year, maybe longer.This part of the book takes you through the surgery (maybe more than one) and thelikely follow-up with chemo, radiation, and/or hormone therapy. We’ll detail eachtreatment

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Sometimes, the more you know, the more you need to know. That is the case with dis-crimination and breast cancer. Although no one expects you to become an expert—especially at this time when your top priority is your health—it’s important that youunderstand your legal rights in the workplace as a person with breast cancer. Here arethe basics: As of July 26, 1994, the Americans with Disabilities

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Can your company establish an attendance policy? Yes. Are you allowed sick days?Yes, in most cases. What are the guidelines in this situation?The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 requires employers with more than 50 em-ployees to provide a certain term of unpaid leave time for serious illness of self, child,spouse, or parent. Here are some of the specifics of this act:➤ During a year,

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Although no hard-core data exists, it seems quite obvious to both survivors and theirdoctors that cancer patients who “have places to go and things to do” seem to livelonger and enjoy the lives they are living more than those who withdraw from life.Keeping this in mind, you may want to keep working as much and for as long possi-ble. To work most effectively and efficiently, keep these tips in

dr.ahmed.ezznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001780428716645.post-44519531047817521732009-03-30T10:12:00.001-07:002009-03-30T10:12:54.671-07:00

What the Law SaysFederal law and most state laws require an employer to provide an employee reason-able accommodation. Reasonable accommodation is a change in job duties to helpyou during the time you have breast cancer. It may be a change in actual job re-sponsibilities or flexible working hours to allow forchemotherapy or radiation therapy treatments.For survivors, a routine or something close

dr.ahmed.ezznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001780428716645.post-78977866970804335102009-03-30T10:11:00.000-07:002009-03-30T10:12:03.829-07:00

In This Chapter➤ Still an asset, not a liability➤ Setting the workplace tone➤ Knowing employee rights➤ Where to go for help—if you need it“And, what do you do for a living?” When you meet someone for the first time, doyou often ask this question first? Whether we work inside or outside the home, volun-teer our services or receive a paycheck, at least part of our self-esteem is attached tothe work

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Medical folks often suggest that patients take a good multiple vitamin, minerals, andantioxidants. Always read labels, however, and know what they mean. Then ask youroncologist to make sure nothing you’re taking will interfere in any way with othertreatments. In addition, many survivors report using herbal teas and juices to helpthem feel better. Be aware, however, that there is no FDA

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Along with the treatment(s) you have decided on, you may want to consider certaincomplementary treatment. Some survivors report a resulting boost in their battleagainst breast cancer. We’re talking about methods used along with, but certainly notinstead of, treatments previously discussed. These are therapies that help managestress and discomfort, ease side effects, or provide a nutritional boost

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As soon as you have the slightest hint that breast cancer lurks in your future, callyour insurance company. Get the name of a representative whom you can call on aregular basis. On the first page of your notebook, right below your doctors’ namesand numbers, write this person’s name, direct phone number, and toll-free number.Explain your situation and ask for advice. Start a file (might as well

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One of the decisions you may face is your doctor’s or surgeon’s request that you par-ticipate in a clinical trial. Lest you think you’ve been asked to become a humanguinea pig, know that prior to subjecting patients to this new treatment, the researchprotocol undergoes stringent review by a board of scientists, doctors, nurses, andlaypersons. In most cases your risk is minimal, but you may have

dr.ahmed.ezznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001780428716645.post-58459602369015723112009-03-30T10:06:00.002-07:002009-03-30T10:07:51.812-07:00

If You Have … The Usual Treatment Is …Stage 0Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) Observation OR in special circumstanceswith certain risk factors, bilateralmastectomyStage 0Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)a. DCIS in 2 or more quadrants a. total mastectomy (without lymphnode dissection)b. DCIS in 1 quadrant and negative b. total mastectomy (without lymphmargins node dissection) OR lumpectomy

dr.ahmed.ezznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001780428716645.post-61498395285545241272009-03-30T10:06:00.001-07:002009-03-30T10:06:39.836-07:00

If your surgeon recommends something dramati-cally different from the so-called standard, ask forreasons behind his or her decision. At the sametime, however, remember there’s no such thing as“standard breast cancer,” so “standard treatment”is only a set of averages. Every woman’s case car-ries a unique set of details, and your surgeon anddoctors have all these details in mind when theyoffer

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We’ve already talked about selecting your medical team (see Chapter 4, “Taking TheirWord for It”). Now, assuming your surgeon and/or doctors are in place, your next de-cision is choosing what treatment is best for you. With breast cancer, “treatment” isusually plural, involving at least one kind of therapy and perhaps as many as three orfour. Depending on the type of cancer you have and how

dr.ahmed.ezznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001780428716645.post-60781147082889404282009-03-30T10:05:00.001-07:002009-03-30T10:05:37.464-07:00

In This Chapter➤ Decisions that are up to you➤ When—and what—your insurance dictates➤ Keeping the mind-body connection healthy➤ Decision-making, the communication process, and your medical teamSome women take offense with the doctors who say, no questions asked, “Here’s whatwe’re going to do.” Other women are scared out of their bras to hear the doctor orsurgeon say, “Here are your options. Here

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Karla, a survivor whose story you read at the beginning of this chapter, told me, “Youhave to like and trust your doctor.” Her new doctor “actually calls me at home to seehow I’m feeling when I haven’t called him.” Choosing your medical team is a bit likechoosing your husband. It’s a long-term relationship for better or worse, through sick-ness and health. So it’s a crucial decision. Your medical

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Let’s assume now that you’ve settled on a doctor and/or surgeon. Does that meanthat whatever he or she says is now the gospel? Hardly. Remember, you’re an in-formed consumer. And doctors, like all the rest of us, think differently: some are moreaggressive, others more conservative. Thus, you may need a second opinion. Or evena third.So now you may worry, “Will I offend this doctor if I say I want

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Before you make your final choice, check two more important details. First, does yourinsurance cover the services of the doctor and/or surgeon you want? If not, you mayneed to reconsider. Second, talk to survivors—particularly those whose doctor and/orsurgeon is the one you’re considering. Were they satisfied?If worse comes to worse and you feel you need another choice, call your state orcounty

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Ideally, you’d like an experienced medical team that’sseen and done everything. You want to know thatthey have a broad range of experience, to be assuredyour treatment is not a first for them, that they knowwhat to expect of your diagnosis, and exactly how todeal with it. Breast cancer specialists who work withthe condition every day certainly have more experi-ence than those who deal with only a

dr.ahmed.ezznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001780428716645.post-55422356296362084702009-03-30T10:01:00.002-07:002009-03-30T10:02:02.603-07:00

To help you with your battle against breast cancer, you’ll have a team of medicalspecialists, part of whom may already be in place. Your primary provider, family doc-tor, or gynecologist probably sent you for your mam-mogram. A radiologist read this x-ray, and when itshowed something suspicious, a radiologist—perhapsthe same one—did a biopsy. If the biopsy showeda pre-cancerous or cancerous

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In This Chapter➤ Choosing your doctor and/or surgeon➤ When—and if—to get another opinion➤ What the survivors tell you➤ What’s right for youOne survivor put it bluntly: “It’s important to find a doctor you really, really like andtrust. He or she is going to lead you through some very unpleasant stuff, and attitudeplays an important role in how well you tolerate it. It also plays a role in your

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After you’re brain dead from reading stacks of print and bleary-eyed from Web brows-ing, you’ll probably want someone to talk to, to listen, to answer questions, to serveas a sounding board. Whatever the case, survivors are ready to help. (For more aboutconnecting with other survivors, see Chapter 17, “Groupies: Yea or Nay?”) How canyou hook up with someone to talk with? Try some of these steps:1

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Timely if You Have the TimeMagazines carry the most up-to-the-minute information, but you may spend hourssearching before you find something worth reading. If you have the time, however,check your library’s periodical index (it may be online, on CD-ROM, or in print), butconsider the same advice we gave previously: Anythingmore than a couple of years old is probably too old tobe meaningful. And

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Maybe the hotline answered your most immediate questions, but you need more de-tails than chitchat can deliver. Now it’s time to hit the books. Before you think youcan’t go back to those school-day study binges, cheer up. You’ve started in the rightplace with this book. We’ll give you a clear, accurate overview of what breast cancer iall about, help you get a handle on possible treatments and

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With your diagnosis in mind, you’re ready to ask questions and search for answers.Many women turn first to a cancer hotline. Some are local, and if no one told youabout a local hotline when you got your biopsy report, ask your doctor about it now.Even in small communities without a formal hotline, someone probably has made astanding offer to talk with newly diagnosed folks about the news.Other

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All kinds of cancer, including breast cancer, are categorized by stage, which generallyindicates how far it has spread, which in turn determines treatment. The higher thestage, the more aggressive the treatment. So find out at what stage the pathologisthas categorized your cancer. The report may use one of two staging systems, or evena combination. Here’s a summary of them and what they mean:The

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The first document that goes into your notebook is acopy of your mammogram report. What does it show?How has it changed from your previous one(s)? Askquestions of nurses, doctors, or the radiologist whowrote the report. Keep asking until you understandeverything there.The next document is your diagnosis. Exactly what does the doctor say you have?What kind of cancer? Where is it located? What does

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Not knowing—a diagnosis, the meaning of a word, or the potential side effects of atreatment option—only feeds your anxiety. You feel helpless, hopeless. In this battle,you are what you know. The more you understand about your diagnosis and recom-mended treatment, the more you can do to make it successful.The first step to becoming informed is to understandyour diagnosis. Breast cancer comes in

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In This Chapter➤ The doctor’s words and what they mean➤ What the books and periodicals say➤ Internet information guidelines➤ Talk, ask, listen, talkOnce you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer, you’ve entered a brave (or not sobrave) new world. It’s time to hit the information highway and become an informedconsumer. Some folks listen to the doc’s advice and go with it. Nothing wrong withthat, if

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➤ You do not owe anyone the personal, intimate details about your illness. Youchoose what you want to share, when, and with whom.➤ Try to compose yourself before telling others. They will pick up and reflectyour state of mind.➤ While there are general things to keep in mind when breaking the news, alsothink of specific concerns that different people will have.➤ Seek professional help from those

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When we decide to share our news of being diagnosed with breast cancer, we havethe very best intentions in how we relate it to others. And although our intentionsare good, it does not mean that we will always be successful. No matter how long wehave thought it through or how carefully we have selected our words, we still maynot be able to help those around us cope or even understand.If this is

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I was speaking at a luncheon. During the meal, I began a conversation with the ladynext to me. When she asked me about my current project, I mentioned the book. Shetold our table a story that put tears in everyone’s eyes.A single working mother in her town found out she had breast cancer. Her family andestranged ex-husband were several states away, and she knew she was going to needhelp. She got

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“A friend in need is a friend indeed.” Those words ring especially true when it comesto coping with an illness like breast cancer.For some of you, your friends are closer to you than your family and will want tohelp in whatever way they can. Because they are your friends and not your family,they may be easier to tell. Usually, friends are not as close as family, and this little bitof distance may

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Age comes into play when telling your parents about your illness. If your parents arevery old, physically ill, suffering from senility, or living far away, you may decide notto tell them at all.If you do decide to tell—and if you’re at all close to your parents we recommend thatyou do—understand that the news their child has a life-threatening illness violatesthe natural order of things. They are

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When you tell your children, do so in an age-appropriate manner. Generally speak-ing, the younger they are, the more comfort they’ll need. Preschool children need theKISS (Keep It Simple, Sweetie) approach. Don’t lie to them, but keep it very simple.Hug them. Let them know there will always be someone around to take care of them.If it becomes necessary, you may also need to help them understand

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With rare exceptions, you should tell your children about your condition. Have youever tried to keep a secret from a child? It’s impossible. They eavesdrop. They hear thenews from other children or adult friends. If youneed help in telling them the news, seek help froma support group, a therapist, or a school psycholo-gist.If your children are still young, your first job is toreassure them that

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You’ve delivered the news. One person is angry and rages at the unfairness of it all.One has just become numb and withdrawn. One has tears rolling down his face andwants to hold you. Where do you go from here?The only option open to you at this point is to accept each person’s reaction as bestyou can. Know that, like you, he or she will eventually adjust to the news in his orher own way. Remember

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Let’s talk variety here. Remember one of your high school math teachers talkingabout a 180-degree turnaround? Now you get to see this in action! Here are just someof the 180 degrees you might expect:➤ From anger to tears➤ From closeness to distance➤ From numbness to frantic➤ From grieving to not grieving➤ From questions to silence➤ From compassion to stoneNot everyone in your life will react in

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When it’s time to start thinking about how to informyour loved ones, try to figure out how much—ingeneral—you want to relate about having breast cancer.Then decide the point of view you’ll take when tellingparticular individuals in your life. You probably won’tsay the same things in the same ways to your partnerand to your children, for instance, or to your best friendand to your co-worker. Let’s

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Different? Well, that is certainly an understatement about what a cancer diagnosisdoes to our lives! You’ve just been thrown into a card game that you really don’t wantto play. Although you can’t choose the cards you’re dealt, you can choose how to playthem.When it comes to letting the people you love know of your new situation, you alsohave lots of choices. You can choose whom to tell, when to

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In This Chapter➤ Picking the right time➤ Understanding what others might be thinking➤ Family matters: telling the kids➤ Sharing fears with loved ones➤ Making a temporary shift in the day-to-dayCancer. It remains one of the most difficult words in the English language to hear orto say. At the same time, out of necessity, it’s become a pretty common topic of con-versation because of it’s

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The call has come. The diagnosis is in. You have breast cancer. If you’re like most ofus, your first reaction is shock. Shock that without warning, your life has gone out ofcontrol. Shock that even though you feel fine, nothing hurts, and you have no fever,you have a life-threatening disease. Shock that you know someone who died of breastcancer and now you have it, too. Shock that your family

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Not every doctor handles the telltale call the same way. Some insist you come to theoffice for the results of a biopsy because they don’t want to give bad news over thephone. Others prefer to call you in the comfort of your home where you don’t haveto compose yourself to walk out through the waiting room or try to be courteous tostrangers around you. Find out ahead of time what your doctor will

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Surgical Snip-SnipA surgical biopsy is just that—surgery. The surgeonremoves a small lump of tissue, much like a lump-ectomy. (See Chapter 7, “Taking Your Lumps:Lumpectomy,” for all the details.) Sometimes thesurgical biopsy follows a needle biopsy.It’s Not the Avon Lady CallingThe biopsy results give the final word. Malignant or benign. Up until now, you had“maybe,” “probably,” “possibly,” or “

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A core needle biopsy uses a really big needle (bor-rowed from the veterinarian?) to withdraw a corespecimen of tissue. The core can be taken withstereotactic guidance or by ultrasound guidance. Astereotactic biopsy is usually used when the mam-mogram shows a microcalcification cluster. The ul-trasound guidance is usually used when a lump isfelt or seen on a mammogram. In either case, thecore

dr.ahmed.ezznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001780428716645.post-38273329166090380142009-03-30T09:41:00.002-07:002009-03-30T09:42:11.247-07:00

In ignorant bliss, I assumed a biopsy was no big deal. I’d heard the term “needle bi-opsy.” It sounded pretty much like getting a shot. Wrong! In fact, a biopsy is a surgicalprocedure in which tissue is removed and examined by a pathologist. In addition tothe fine needle aspiration discussed earlier (which can be and sometimes is biopsied)there are two kinds of biopsies: core needle and

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Some of us have had lots of “irregular” mammograms.The call comes, saying “We need to do another mam-mogram. There’s a questionable area we need to re-check.” So we trudge in, scared witless about what’swrong, only to discover that it’s nothing after all. Butthen one day a different call comes. You may be toldyour mammogram shows a lump or microcalcifications,tiny specks of calcium. Scattered

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Okay, so you’ve called the doctor. You have an appointment. What happens then?Chances are, in addition to a clinical breast exam, you’ll be scheduled for a mammo-gram.Why are mammograms so important? They can detect cancer that can neither be seennor felt, thus identifying the earliest forms of breast cancer. The radiologist who readsthe film can see suspicious spots smaller than the head of a

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We’ve also been taught that we should study our breasts in the mirror. So, what doyou look for? There are three clues:➤ A dimpling anywhere on the breast (looks just like a smile dimple in a cute littlekid’s cheek)➤ A change in the nipple, especially if it seems to be drawing inward or looks scaly➤ Any drainage from the nippleIf you spot a visible clue, there’s no need for panic. But you

dr.ahmed.ezznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001780428716645.post-80654979420531932752009-03-30T09:38:00.000-07:002009-03-30T09:39:30.736-07:00

Since everything we know about breast cancer leads us to know that early detection isthe real secret to successful treatment, what are our first clues? How do we first knowthat we may be one of the eight? Is it pain? A lump? An irregular mammogram?Peas and Marbles: Finding a LumpSince only rarely does a woman feel any pain with breast cancer, the American CancerSociety and others have emphasized

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A 37-year survivor described her surgery and treatment by radioactive radium. Con-fined to the hospital for six weeks and in isolation for most of that time, she under-went what by today’s standards would be a brutalregimen. You had to wonder, having heard her story,if she still glows in the dark.Twenty-five years ago, my mother-in-law called in tears.The doctor had found a “highly suspicious”

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The statistics sound like a bad movie plot. By the time a given group of women is 85years old, one in eight of them will have breast cancer. The older you get, the morelikely it will be you. Fortunately, however, what used to be a doomsday diagnosis istoday not nearly as serious. Not that breast cancer isn’tserious. It is. Not that breast cancer can’t be fatal. It can.In fact, 43,000 women died

dr.ahmed.ezznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001780428716645.post-75877609788562180302009-03-30T09:36:00.003-07:002009-03-30T09:36:54.108-07:00

In This Chapter➤ Breast cancer—the big picture➤ First clues in lumps and pictures➤ Diagnosis with a biopsy➤ When the shocking news comesAt this moment, more than two million breast cancer survivors are hugging their kidsand grandkids. They’re trotting off to work or trekking the Rockies, chairing a fund-raiser or a family reunion. We breast cancer survivors make up a huge sisterhood (anda tiny

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Getting the word that you have breast cancer is surely one of the biggest shocks inyour life. You feel fine. Nothing hurts. You have no fever. But with the four simplewords “You have breast cancer,” your life’s path takes a sharp turn. You’re dumpedunceremoniously into the midst of another world. The folks in this new world comedressed in white jackets and green scrubs and throw words at you that

dr.ahmed.ezznoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6851001780428716645.post-32744142871261921652009-03-30T09:35:00.000-07:002009-03-30T09:36:00.195-07:00

This book is divided into five sections that take you from the first skirmish of the bat-tle with breast cancer through the front-line attacks and on to the victory field. Here’show the book is arranged:Part 1, “The Big Shock: First Events,” begins where we all begin—with the discoveryof a lump or a suspicious mammogram. Then you’ll learn ways to prepare for battle bysharing your news with family

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Like any other cancer ,Breast cancer is an uncontrolled growth of breast cells. For better understanding of breast cancer,we should understand how any cancer can develop.Cancer occurs as a result of mutations, or abnormal changes, in the genes responsible for regulating the growth of cells and keeping them healthy. The genes are in each cell’s nucleus, which acts as the “control room” of each

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