Surgical Breast Care At Columbia: State Of The Union
In an interview with Columbia Surgery, Roshni Rao, MD, discusses what patients can expect from surgical treatment in 2021.
We’re starting to do more and more what we call axillary reverse mapping when we do lymph node dissections, says Roshni Rao, MD, chief of breast surgery and the Vivian L. Milstein Associate Professor of Surgery at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. A study at Columbia, opened by Bret Taback, MD, as part of a national trial, is an effort to try to better visualize these tiny lymphatics so that more can be preserved at the time of surgery to potentially avoid lymphedema in the future.
What Is The Goal
The early goal of Breast Cancer Awareness Month was to educate women about breast cancer and early detection tests so that they could take charge of their breast health. One of their key goals that they wanted to achieve was to promote mammograms as an important tool to be used in the fight against breast cancer.
During the month of October, breast cancer survivors and those with breast cancer are celebrated and encouraged to share their stories. The month is also dedicated to raising funds for breast cancer research and other related causes.
In A Global Effort To Raise Awareness On Breast Cancer October Has Been Designated As The Pink Month The Pink Month Is A Month Where Efforts To Educate Those Concerned About The Disease Including Early Identification And Signs And Symptoms Associated
In a global effort to raise awareness on breast cancer, October has been designated as the Pink Month. The Pink Month is a month where efforts to educate those concerned about the disease, including early identification and signs and symptoms associated with breast cancer.
To commemorate 2015 Pink Month, the WHO Ethiopia Staff Association organized a breast cancer awareness session for women staff where breast self-examination techniques were taught by Dr Fikir Melese, WESA Chairperson. The orientation included updates on the current situation of cancer in Ethiopia, and prevention of breast cancer.
“We are the World Health Organization, the global body for ensuring the health of peoples around the world we should also be proactive about ensuring health for our own staff, for ourselves,” Dr Fikir said, explaining the motivation for WESA’s organizing such an orientation program.
Highlighting that 90% of early stage breast cancers are curable, often with treatments that conserve the breast, Dr Fikir urged colleagues to self-examine themselves once a month for any early signs, to visit their doctor regularly, and to get mammography periodically.
Every year, breast cancer kills more than 500,000 women around the world. In resource-poor settings, a majority of women with breast cancer are diagnosed at an advanced stage of disease, resulting in low survival rates.
For more information, please contact:
Don’t Miss: Is Stage 4 Breast Cancer Curable
As Breast Cancer Awareness Month Ends These Facts Are Worth Remembering
Breast cancer doesnt take a break when November rolls around and the pink ribbons of Octobers breast cancer awareness month fade from view.
Physicians at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons have been speaking and writing about what people, not just women, should know about breast cancer.
Here, weve summed up some of their latest advice, good for all 12 months of the year.
Calendar Of Health Promotion Days
The calendar features health awareness:
- days
- months
Events marked with an asterisk take place on the same day every year.
These events are either promoted by recognized health organizations or recognized in the professional health community. Not all websites and events listed are celebrated or endorsed by Health Canada.
You can submit a health promotion awareness event for 2021 on behalf of your organization. Events are removed from the calendar once the date has passed, unless you mention next year’s event. If your annual event was removed, you can submit it again when the next occasion is announced.
You May Like: Stage 6 Breast Cancer
Rethinking Routine Mammography Among Older Women
Underutilization of breast cancer screening by some groups is a well-known problem, but mammography can also be overused. Columbia researchers are deploying de-implementation science to help improve outcomes and reduce unnecessary procedures.
Read more about the project on the Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research website.
Help Support Canadians With Breast Cancer
One of the best ways to help those impacted by breast cancer is to donate to its research. Make a donation to honour a loved one affected by the disease and help improve the outcomes of someone diagnosed with breast cancer in the future.
If breast cancer is a cause that is close to your heart, we offer life insurance plans that can allow you to leave a legacy donation by financially supporting the cause. Organizations that work hard towards finding a cure, like The Breast Cancer Society of Canada, can be named as a beneficiary of your life insurance policy, helping to bring them closer to their mission. To explore your life insurance options, contact us today, and we can help you get started.
Did you know that if you have a family history of breast cancer, have been previously diagnosed with the disease, or are a breast cancer survivor, you can still qualify for affordable life insurance coverage? Talk to a Canada Protection Plan advisor to learn more about our No Medical & Simplified Issue Life Insurance. Get a no-obligation quote today and discover the difference of peace of mind.
Canada Protection Plan and its employees and Advisors do not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction.
BLG534-1021EN
You May Like: Stage 3a Breast Cancer
Dense: Breasts: And: What: To: Do: About: Them
The only way you know you have dense breasts is when a radiologist looks at your mammogram, Friedlander adds. Dense breasts are not something your doctor can detect on a physical examination or not something you yourself can feel.
Having dense breasts does not mean you will get breast cancer. It does mean you need to be vigilant and get mammograms once a year.
3D mammography does a bit better at finding breast cancers in all women but particularly in women with dense breast tissue, Friedlander says.
Creative Ways To Promote Breast Cancer Awareness Month At Work
Every October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an opportunity to spread awareness about the disease that kills nearly 41,000 women each year. No matter your office budget, there are plenty of ways to raise breast cancer awareness in the workplace. Its also a fantastic opportunity to engage the local community through educational events and fundraising challenges.
Ready to get started? Heres 14 ideas to spread breast cancer awareness:
1. Wear a pink ribbon daily in October
At the start of the month, hand out pink ribbons to everyone in your office. Encourage your employees to wear it daily as a reminder and to keep conversation opportunities open about breast health.
2. Art Your Bra auction
Gather up bras to bedazzle and auction off at a gala or other fundraising event. The fancier, the better! If someone in your office is battling breast cancer, send the proceeds to help pay for treatment. Or, send the funds to a local breast cancer research center.
3. Host a pink fashion show
Invite friends and family to a fashion show run by employees hitting the runway in all pink clothing. Add in crazy hats, feather boas, and big sunglasses. Throughout the evening, the emcee can share facts and resources about breast cancer.
4. Hold a pink pumpkin contest
5. Breast cancer awareness bulletin board
6. Host a 50/50 raffle
7. Lunch and Learn with a breast cancer survivor
8. Share Beyond The Shock resource
9. Organize a walk/run event
10. Donation dress-down
Recommended Reading: Healing Cancer With Baking Soda
How You Can Help
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is an annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease. Ready to RISE to the occasion? Here are a handful of ways you can help:
Rally In Screening EveryoneMake a donation to provide life-saving mammograms to women in need. New this year, choose exactly where your donation goes. Take our educationaleBookQuiz to find relevant breast health resources.
Rally In Serving EveryoneMake a donation to support patient navigators who specialize in serving at-risk populations.Volunteer to join virtually in Helping Women Now.
Rally In Supporting Everyone
Communities Are Coming Together To Make Breast Cancer Beatable Our Events Like The Canadian Cancer Society Cibc Run For The Cure Bring Together Like
Although significant progress has been made over the years, theres still more work to be done. Breast cancer continues to be the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death among Canadian women.
With an estimate of about 27,000 new breast cancer cases this year, we need your help more than ever. With your support, we can continue to invest in groundbreaking cancer research as well as services and programs that ensure Canadians affected by breast cancer get the support they need to live their lives as fully as possible.
Recommended Reading: Stage 3 B Cancer
What To Know About Breast Cancer Screening
The age at which screening should begin is an area of controversy, leaving patients confused as to what they should do. Elise Desperito, MD, explains here.
These aggressive forms of breast cancer, such as triple negative breast cancer, are less responsive to standard cancer treatments and are associated with poorer survival.
All women should be evaluated for breast cancer risk no later than age 30, Desperito adds. breast cancer risk assessment at age 30 is particularly important for these women.
Your Support Helps Fund Innovative Research To Detect Breast Cancer Earlier
What if a bra could detect breast cancer? Through a grant awarded by CCS and partners, Dr Elijah Van Houten and his team are developing a bra that can detect small breast cancer tumours using cutting-edge technology that can sense and measure the differences between breast tumours and healthy breast tissue.
When detected early, breast cancers are more likely to be treated successfully. In addition to regular mammograms, this amazing technology could be part of the life-saving future of breast cancer screening.
We hope to transform breast cancer screening, making it a more comfortable, simple, regular and convenient way to undergo screening at home, says Dr Van Houten.
This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, donate to help create a world where no Canadian fears breast cancer.
When you donate, you can also create a digital pink ribbon, a virtual badge to print or share through your social networks to honour or remember loved ones affected by breast cancer.
Don’t Miss: Do You Gain Weight With Breast Cancer
Dont Play With Your Health Get Checked
1 in 7 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Mammograms are the best way to find breast cancer early, when it is easier to treat, and before it is big enough to feel or cause symptoms.
Currently there is not sufficient knowledge on the causes of breast cancer, therefore, early detection of the disease remains the cornerstone of breast cancer control. When breast cancer is detected early, and if adequate diagnosis and treatment are available, there is a good chance that breast cancer can be cured. If detected late, however, curative treatment is often no longer an option.
The majority of deaths occur in low- and middle-income families, where most women with breast cancer are diagnosed in late stages due mainly to lack of awareness on early detection and barriers to health services.
Breast Cancer Risk Factors
The most significant risk factors for breast cancer are sex and age. As women get older, breast cancer rates increase. 83% of the cases of breast cancer occur in women over 50 years of age.
Simply being a woman is a risk factor for breast cancer. Women develop breast cancer at a much higher rate than men because their breast cells are exposed to the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. These hormones, especially estrogen, are linked with breast cancer and boost the growth of some breast cancers.
Family history can also increase your risk of developing breast cancer over your lifetime. Having one first-degree relative with breast cancer can double a womans risk of breast cancer, however, it is not clear whether a familys pattern of cancer is due to chance, shared lifestyle factors, genes, or a combination of these factors.
Though family history is out of your power, some risk factors are in your control. These include alcohol consumption, obesity, and physical inactivity. It is essential to eat a balanced diet and maintain an active lifestyle to decrease these risk factors as you age.
Regardless of family history or lifestyle, it is vital that all women consider their risk for breast cancer and get regular checkups and screenings. Regular breast cancer screenings are one of the best prevention measures you can take against the disease.
You May Like: Grade 3 Invasive Ductal Carcinoma
Empowering A Sisterhood Healing By Fostering Hope Encourage To Cope And Survive To Thrive
Because of sponsors and donors like you, BCRC can provide valued services to our community free of charge. Please help the BCRC continue to provide essential support services during this critical time.
Presenting Sponsor
- Principle Women’s Care, Dr. Melissa Drake andOma Fertility, Dr. Daniel F. Rychlik
- Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians
- Sotheby’s International Realty
Treatment Options And Developments
There are two chief options for treating breast cancer once it has been diagnosed: local treatments like surgery and radiation and systemic treatments such as chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and targeted therapy.
Surgery seeks to remove as much breast cancer as possible through lumpectomy , mastectomy , and/or lymphadenectomy . Radiation therapy is often prescribed in concert with other treatments. This involves the use of high-energy rays to pinpoint a specific area in an effort to eliminate any cancer cells left behind by other treatments.
Chemotherapy drugs may be administered orally or intravenously to target cancer cells throughout the body. Despite side effects, chemotherapy is one of the most effective treatments for eliminating breast cancer and preventing the formation of new tumors. Hormone therapies often follow other treatments to reduce the risk of recurrence, while targeted drugs may stop the growth of certain types of cancer cells even in cases where chemotherapy is ineffective.
Some targeted therapies showing promise are PARP inhibitors. These are primarily useful against cancers caused by BRCA mutations. Another promising therapy involves anti-angiogenesis drugs that stop the development of blood vessels needed to feed growing tumors.
Don’t Miss: Invasive Ductal Carcinoma Stage 2 Survival Rate
What Is Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is abnormal and uncontrollable growth of cells in the breast that create a mass of tissue called a tumor. Despite advances in scientific and medical research, the causes of breast cancer remain unknown.
Breast cancer doesnt usually present any signs or symptoms in its early stages, which is why regular screening is so vital to detecting the disease and improving outcomes for women.
Facts Everyone Should Know About Breast Cancer
Read more recommendations from Luona Sun in NYP’s Health Matters.
Knowing your risk status is the most important first step, Sun says. This means having a consultation with your doctor to determine your risk. It could also include genetic testingif the patient is comfortable with it and wants itand a full family history evaluation.
Based on a persons risk level and age, doctors can map out a personalized screening plan moving forward.
For people with average risk, the American Cancer Society recommends that women 45 to 54 years old should get annual mammograms, and women between 40 and 44 have the option to begin annual screening. .
You May Like: Chemotherapy Cycles For Breast Cancer
Regular Screenings Can Significantly Reduce Mortality
Screening tests help find breast cancer before any symptoms develop. Early detection and diagnosis lead to better treatment outcomes.
The most reliable way to detect breast cancer early in women is with a mammogram, a low-dose breast x-ray that identifies if cancer is developing in tissue. Depending on your age, the frequency of mammograms changes. Most women are advised to begin getting mammograms at age 50. Be sure to talk to your doctor about your breast cancer risk and determine if having a mammogram is right for you.
You can also perform self-examinations at home. A self-examination involves checking your breasts for lumps or changes. Many breast problems are first discovered by women themselves. Learn how to perform a breast self-exam at least once a month from the comfort of your home and communicate any concerns or abnormalities to your family doctor.
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer
Events such as Making Strides Against Breast Cancer by The American Cancer Society, are also a good way to raise both awareness and funds for early detection, support services, and research. Survivors, caregivers, and those whose lives have been touched by breast cancer can volunteer, raise money, and participate in charity walks to support the cancer community.
What More Can You Do?Raising awareness, making personal financial contributions, and helping fundraise on behalf of breast cancer research and support services are all great ways to get involved. There is also another way, if helping prevent and some day eradicate breast cancer is your passion: you can pursue a career in a field like nursing or health administration.
This type of education can put you at the forefront of advances in the fight against cancer, or simply allow you to ease the suffering of patients undergoing treatments. A career in health care is ideal for anyone who is fervently committed to finding the cure, and helping cancer patients along the way.
Read Also: Her2 Stage 3 Breast Cancer