Think Pink by Messenger-Inquirer

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Sunday, October 1, 2017 Messenger-Inquirer

Cancer terms to know A

cancer diagnosis is often shocking. Once the shock begins to wane and patients and their families start examining their treatment options, it’s easy to grow confused by the terminology physicians and their staffs use. The following are some common cancer terms, courtesy of the American Cancer Society and Cancer.net, to help lessen confusion and ensure cancer patients and their families are as informed as possible.

• Ablation: Ablation, or ablative therapy, is treatment that removes or destroys all or part of a cancer. Ablation may also refer to removing or stopping the function of an organ, such as when ovaries are removed to prevent them from making hormones. • Adhesions: Adhesions are scar tissues that form after surgery or injury. If this scar tissue tightens, it can bind together organs that would normally be separate. • Alopecia: Alopecia is hair loss that, in instances where cancer is present and being treated, can result from chemotherapy or radiation therapy treatments. • Bilateral: When cancer is bilateral, it is present on both sides of the body. This term may be used to describe the presence of breast cancer in both breasts. • Biopsy: A biopsy is the removal of a small amount of tissue for examination under a microscope to determine if cancer is present. • Bone marrow: Bone marrow is soft tissue found in the center of large bones where blood cells are formed. • Cancer cell: A cancer cell is one that divides and reproduces abnormally and is capable of spreading throughout the body.

• In situ: In situ refers to cancer that has not spread from its point of origin to nearby tissue.

• Precancerous: Cells described as “precancerous” have the potential to become cancerous.

• Invasive cancer: Contrary to cancer described as “in situ,” cancer • Carcinoma: Cancer that begins in the described as “invasive” has spread lining layer of organs. The ACS notes outside the layer of tissue in which it that 80 percent of all cancers are started and can potentially spread to carcinomas. other parts of the body.

• Sarcoma: Cancer that develops in the tissues that support and connect the body, including fat and muscle.

• Carcinogen: Any substance that causes cancer or helps it to grow. Tobacco smoke is loaded with carcinogens.

• Chemotherapy: A form of cancer treatment that employs drugs to kill cancer cells.

• K-ras: A gene that can mutate into a cancer accelerator and allow colorectal cancer to grow.

• Lobules: The milk-producing glands in • Five-year survival rate: The a woman’s breasts. percentage of people with a particular cancer who are alive five years or longer after diagnosis. Five- • Metastasize: The spread of cancer cells to one or more sites elsewhere year survival rates generally improve in the body, often via the lymph the earlier the cancer is detected. system or bloodstream. • Hemoglobin: The part of a red blood • Oncologist: A doctor who specializes cell that carries oxygen and is often in treating patients with cancer. There measured in complete blood count. are various types of oncologists, That count can get very low in including surgical oncologists and pediatric oncologists. people who have cancer.

• Stage: A way to describe cancer that may refer to its location, where it has spread and whether or not it is affecting the function of other organs in the body.

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Sunday, October 1, 2017 Messenger-Inquirer

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Understanding inflammatory breast cancer

any women know that a irritation that may be mistaken for an lump, pain or some other insect bite. Over time, the irritation abnormality in the breast can become more red, swollen and may be indicative of breast cancer. warm. Other changes to the breast But a rash, redness or swelling may skin may occur, including nipple also be linked to a rare form of breast inversion or flattening, a pitted cancer known as inflammator y breast appearance to the skin or dimpling. cancer. This dimpling is caused by a buildup Inflammator y breast of fluid in the breast cancer, or IBC, accounts that’s due to cancer Inflammatory for roughly 1 to 5 percent cells blocking the lymph breast cancer, or vessels. This prevents of all breast cancers in IBC, accounts for the fluid from draining the United States. The symptoms of IBC can normally. roughly 1 to 5 differ from symptoms IBC is a ver y percent of all of other forms of breast fast-moving cancer. By breast cancers in the time symptoms are cancer, and a rash-like appearance may be part of the United States. discovered, IBC may it, according to Healthline. already have advanced The National Breast Cancer to Stage 3, necessitating aggressive Foundation, Inc., says IBC is a treatment. This usually includes a fast-growing breast cancer that combination of surger y, radiation, infiltrates the skin and lymph chemotherapy, and hormone treatments. vessels of the breast. When IBC is present, no distinct tumor or lump Breast cancer comes in many can be felt and isolated in the breast. different forms and can present in Instead, earlier symptoms include various ways. Never overlook any the appearance of a rash or small abnormality on or around the breast.

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Sunday, October 1, 2017 Messenger-Inquirer

How women can make mammograms more comfortable M

ammograms help to with your physician prior to your detect breast cancer procedure. early, improving women’s • Schedule your procedure for prognosis as a result. Susan G. the right time. Do not schedule a Komen states that mammography mammogram right before or during is the most effective breast cancer a menstrual cycle, when breasts screening tool in use today. already are ver y tender due to When women should begin hormonal changes. Waiting until getting mammograms remains open seven to 14 days after a period is a to debate. The American Cancer better bet. Society now recommends that • Take pain relief pills. A women between the ages of 45 and physician may suggest taking 54 receive annual mammograms. ibuprofen or acetaminophen prior Despite the benefits of to the appointment to reduce mammograms, many discomfort before and women avoid them out When women should after the procedure. of fear of the pain and begin getting • Speak with the discomfort associated mammograms remains technician. Women with the procedure. can express their open to debate. The But researchers are concerns about pain American Cancer Society to the mammogram examining how much pressure mammogram now recommends that technician, who machines need to might suggest various women between the to minimize apply to get accurate ages of 45 and 54 receive ways breast images. discomfort. annual mammograms. Until widespread • Learn about customized padding. Find an mammograms are imaging center that offered, women can take various uses padding on mammogram plates. MammoPad is a soft, white, steps to reduce the amount of discomfort they feel while single-use foam pad that is invisible undergoing these important to X-rays. screening procedures. • Avoid caffeine. Some women • Apply a topical numbing gel. find that caffeine contributes to BreastCancer.org says a study found breast tenderness. Avoid caffeine that applying a numbing gel an the week before the procedure. hour before having a mammogram Mammograms are an important resulted in less discomfort when health care tool. Reducing compared to placebo and other discomfort may encourage women pain-reduction techniques. Be sure to follow guidelines regarding to discuss application of the gel mammograms more closely.

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Sunday, October 1, 2017 Messenger-Inquirer

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Susan G. Komen helps the fight against breast cancer

ack in the early 1950’s, breast cancer was not acknowledged. The women who had breast cancer would quietly keep it to themselves until the disease eventually killed them. New York Times even refused to print the words “breast” or “cancer” in an ad for a support group. In the 1980’s not much had changed. The 5-year survival rate for first stage breast cancer was only 74 percent and a minimal 30 percent of eligible women were receiving annual mammograms. However, after the death of Susan G. Komen, Nancy Brinker promised her dying sister she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation was established in 1982. The fight against breast cancer began to make headway. Two local women, who were avid runners, Julie Blevins and Mary Beth Owens, had participated in Race for the Cure events across the country and decided to bring that event to Evansville. The first Komen Evansville Race for the Cure took place in 1997 with over 5,000 participants. By 1999, grants for local breast cancer services were awarded in the amount of $190,000 from the proceeds of the first two events and an additional $58,000 was awarded for breast cancer research. The total amount granted locally since 1999 is now over $8.1 million. These grants provide for mammograms, ultrasounds, biopsies, MRI’s, surgery, chemotherapy and radiation for people living in our Tri-State that are either uninsured or underinsured. The total donated to the Komen National Breast Cancer Research Program since 1999 is now over $2.9 million. The positive impact of this funding is significant, but it is not enough. As the community continues to grow, so

does the need for funding. Over 40% of our Tri-State population is either uninsured, underinsured or living with hardship income levels. Susan G. Komen Evansville Tri-State is the local resource for women who need breast cancer screening, diagnostic and treatment services. Through annual events including the Race for the Cure, the Owensboro Bowl for the Cure, and individual contributions, Komen Evansville Tri-State raises funds that enable women to detect and survive breast cancer. Unfortunately, women are still dying of breast cancer and often times, the younger the woman when diagnosed, the shorter the life expectancy. To learn more about local resources for women to be screened and treated for breast cancer, you can invite a health care professional to speak at the next meeting of your group or organization. The presentation, entitled “Saving Lives in our Tri-State” includes: • Mammogram locations and resources, including grants and programs that will cover the cost of the screening. • Resources and programs available to help cover diagnostic or treatment expenses for breast cancer. • Understanding breast cancer – what it is, who is at risk, when women should be screened and more. For more information, or to

request a speaker, please call the Komen Evansville Tri-State office at 812-962-2202. The good news is that now the

5-year survival rate for first stage breast cancer is at 99 percent and 75 percent of eligible women are now receiving regular screening mammograms. The fight against breast cancer continues but your help is still needed! Susan G. Komen’s mission is to save lives by meeting the most critical needs in our communities and investing in breakthrough research to prevent and cure breast cancer. With your help we can reach our bold new goal to reduce the current number of breast cancer deaths by 50 percent in the U.S. and our overall vision of a “World Without Breast Cancer.”

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Sunday, October 1, 2017 Messenger-Inquirer

The faces of breast cancer J

BY MEGHANN RICHARDSON

ulie Johnson was only a college student when she lost her mom to breast cancer in

2000. Dealing with the loss was hard, so Johnson turned to art therapy to help her cope. She ended up creating a statue in honor of her mother, Kitty Boswell. The sculpture began as an assignment Johnson had to complete in her ceramics class at the University of Kentucky. “This piece was ver y therapeutic for me as I processed my grief,” she said. “Art has always been that for me and I had actually created a sculpture of a mother holding a child that I gave to her on her last birthday.” Johnson said they were supposed to create a mask, but she chose to make hers with a base so that it could stand. It is held up by only one half of a torso, one breast and one shoulder, to represent the loss of a breast after mastectomy. “It is purposefully bald as a symbol of the devastating loss of hair that so many women face upon receiving chemo,” she said. Johnson said her mom went through cancer twice. “She was in remission almost five years, but it returned and spread to her spine and ultimately her brain,” she said. “The face is looking

down and has a tear drop coming from one eye, which is kind of an obvious expression of the sadness we experienced through it all.” Johnson’s sculpture is a ceramic face with a teardrop on the cheek — engraved on the back are the words mother, daughter, sister, aunt and the ribbon representing breast cancer. “The Face of Breast Cancer” has been on display at Owensboro Health Regional Hospital since its opening in 2013. David Boswell, Johnson’s father and Boswell’s husband, said she spend so many days in the hospital over her seven years of battling the disease. Boswell wanted the family wanted to acknowledge Dr. Prajapati, who was Boswell’s oncologist. He said her other doctors also played an important role in her treatment. “We were pleased with her treatment by these professionals and it meant so much to us when we would see nurses and hospital employees that we knew personally,” he said. Boswell also had Johnson’s piece on display at his home, but decided to donate it to the hospital instead.

Johnson’s sister, Aubrie Boswell Mitchell, currently works at Owensboro Health as a speech and language pathologist. Johnson said she and her sister have always been considered “high risk for breast cancer. “We have both had numerous ultrasounds, mammograms and an occasional scare, but so far we are okay,” Johnson said. “I was terrified of doing the BRCA gene testing and resisted for a long time. I even tried to talk my sister out of it, preferring to live in denial I guess. But, a few years ago, we both had it completed and it was negative, which was a huge relief and highly emotional for us, as we both have children of our own.” When in high school, Johnson’s mother was the one who suggested she become an art therapist. Johnson now works as a Licensed Counselor for community mental health in Owensboro. She offers art therapy as a mode of treatment, for the first time in her career. “It has been an exciting transition and I look for ward to expanding this in years to come,” she said.

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Sunday, October 1, 2017 Messenger-Inquirer

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Breast cancer facts Making strides One in eight women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women. Each year it is estimated that over 246,660 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 will die. Although breast cancer in men is rare, an estimated 2,600 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and approximately 440 will die each year. On average, every two minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer and one woman will die of breast cancer every 13 minutes. More than 2.8 million breast cancer survivors are alive in the United States today.

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Sunday, October 1, 2017 Messenger-Inquirer

Breast implants carry very low risk of causing cancerÂ

osmetic surgery to address cancer, but a separate strain of cancer anything from wrinkles to that can be found in the skin or lymph abdominal fat has become more nodes. Women who have had problems acceptable in recent decades. The with the implant, such as lumps or American Society of Plastic Surgeons asymmetry, are at a higher risk for the says that, since 2000, overall procedures condition than women who havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t had have risen by 115 percent. problems. However, ALCL is estimated Although procedures like lower body to occur in only one of every 300,000 lifts and nose reshaping remain popular, women with implants. breast augmentation was the most Breast implants remain a generally common of the 1.7 million cosmetic safe option for those seeking surgical procedures performed in augmentation or reconstruction. Many 2015. Breast augmentation includes of the risks associated with the implants lifts, reconstruction and will occur soon after implants. The safety surgery, if at all. These The safety of breast of breast implants is include settling and implants is continually may continually scrutinized, malpositioning. Leaking particularly with regard to scrutinized, and capsular contracture, the potential correlation or when a layer of scar particularly with between implants and tissue develops around regard to the cancer risk. implant, can occur in potential correlation the The U.S. Food and the first several years. between implants and Drug Administration The FDA suggests that recently updated its women carefully consider cancer risk. understanding and the pros and cons to warnings concerning implants before deciding cancer linked to breast implants. to go under the knife. In many cases, Nine deaths and 359 cases have been additional procedures or replacement in reported to the FDA that involved the future may be necessary. According a unique cancer that is associated to the FDAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Center for Devices and with breast implants. Extremely rare Radiological Health, while a few women anaplastic large cell lymphoma, or may keep their original implants for 20 ALCL, affects cells in the immune years or more, that is not a common system and can be found around the outcome. More information about breast implant. It is important to note breast implants and ACLC are available that ALCL is not a form of breast at www.fda.gov.

Sunday, October 1, 2017 Messenger-Inquirer

Think Pink

Tips to know breast cancer signs

ne in eight women is diagnosed with breast cancer and unfortunately early detection is critical for survival but so many of them ignored it, that’s why all women have to be aware of possible breast cancer signs and symptoms. These below are symptoms and signs which associated to breast cancer, with information on tips to watch out for them

breast, this is could be the breast cancer symptoms, see your doctor immediately, cause so many women diagnosed with breast cancer after see a dimpling or wrinkling on breast skin area. Soreness and Skin Irritation Some women may experience soreness, skin Irritation, redness, swelling, heat and pain throughout the breast and nipple this is could be the breast cancer symptoms too. Sometime the symptom usually resembles a skin inflammation, like an allergic reaction to a product or fabric.

LUMPS

More than 80 percent breast cancer cases are diagnosed with her doctor, after found the lumps in her breast, actually discover a lump is easy, just do self-examination at your room, the lumps usually found during breast selfexamination.

BREAST PAGET’S DISEASE

Secondary or complex symptom of breast cancer as knows as Paget’s disease, with signs is the breast or / and nipple feels and appears as though it’s afflicted by eczema, with flaking, itchy, irritated and red, be extremely aware if you found it.

CHANGE OF BREAST SHAPE, SKIN TEXTURE OR SIZE

If you found the different or changes in shape, skin texture, or size of your

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Sunday, October 1, 2017 Messenger-Inquirer

Pregnancy is often possible after breast cancer

ore women are diagnosed with breast cancer than any other cancer. For many women, one of the more frightening aspects of a breast cancer diagnosis is the potential impact the disease can have on an area of the body often associated with femininity and motherhood. Cancer.net indicates the five-year survival rate for breast cancer if the cancer is only in one breast is 95 percent. That rate dips to 85 percent if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. Even though this is great news, women may worry about the long-term implications of post-cancer life, particularly how they relate to future pregnancy plans. Amy Willcox, board-certified OBGYN with Owensboro Health Medical Groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Obstetrics & Gynecology practice, said it is possible to conceive after being diagnosed with and treated for breast cancer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some experts will recommend postponing pregnancy for some time after treatment,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is to get patients past the period of highest relapse risk as well as to allow chemotherapy agents to be eliminated from their system in order to avoid pregnancy complications. Pregnancy after breast cancer does not appear to compromise survival rates.â&#x20AC;? Early detection and improvements in treatment have markedly decreased the numbers of breast cancer-related fatalities. However, the therapies used to treat breast cancer can affect fertility and a womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to have a successful pregnancy. While pregnancy after cancer treatment is often safe for both the baby and mother, women should still educate themselves about the potential effects of breast cancer treatment with regard to pregnancy.

Infertility risks and preserving fertility One of the main concerns women have after surviving a breast cancer diagnosis is the risk of infertility. Susan G. Komen says both chemotherapy and hormone therapy can impact fertility and decrease the window of time a woman has to have children. This is a particular concern for young women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Chemotherapy can damage the ovaries, while tamoxifen, a commonly used hormone therapy, can cause irregular periods or stop the menstrual cycle altogether. Both of these treatments also may bring on natural menopause earlier than usual, according to the International Breast Cancer Study Group. Young women can opt to have their unfertilized eggs or embryos frozen and stored prior to starting cancer treatment. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important to meet with a fertility specialist early on to discuss options. Wilcox said preserving fertility is definitely something worth considering. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some chemotherapy agents can be toxic to the ovaries making it difficult or even impossible to ovulate (and therefore conceive) after treatment,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Also, certain medications are recommended to be given for several years, and conception after treatment should be delayed for risk of harm to a developing fetus.â&#x20AC;? Waiting game According to the American Cancer Society, some doctors advise breast cancer survivors to wait at least two years after finishing treatment before they try to get pregnant. No research yet indicates that getting pregnant will make women more susceptible to the cancer coming back, nor will

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Sunday, October 1, 2017 Messenger-Inquirer

Think Pink

pregnancy increase the risks of birth defects or other long-term health concerns in children born to women who have had breast cancer. Breastfeeding after cancer Depending on the type of breast cancer treatment they receive, many women are still able to breastfeed. However, if radiation or surgery has affected breast health, milk production may be affected and the baby may have difficulty latching on. Using a breast pump to express milk may be an option. However, commercially produced infant formulas also can provide the nutrition growing babies need. Wilcox said patients who have breast-conserving surgery and radiation may still produce milk from the affected breast, however it is not recommended to breast feed from a previously radiated breast due to risk of mastitis. She said these patients should breastfeed from the non-radiated breast. “Breast feeding is not recommended during most chemotherapy and hormonal treatments,” she said. Choosing to have children after breast cancer is a personal decision. Thanks to medical advancements, the possibility to conceive and raise a family is strong. For more information or to schedule an appointment with an Owensboro Health provider, call 844-446-9663.

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