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Numbers are high, but so it hope for a cure By Andrew Bottrell abottrell@nptelegraph.com
Almost everyone has some kind of connection to breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Nebraska and nationwide, one of every three women diagnosed with cancer will have breast cancer. This year, there’s good news coming from the American Cancer Society. Death rates from the disease have dropped 34 percent since 1990. That study was published in the American Cancer Society’s Breast Cancer Facts and Figures publication, printed every two years. In Nebraska, there were 1,229 diagnoses of breast cancer in 2010, the latest figures compiled by the Nebraska Cancer Registry that is part of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. That number is the highest number of diagnoses of any type of cancer. In 2010, Nebraska ranked 36th in the nation with 72.7 percent of women aged 40 and older reporting that
they had a mammogram in the last two years. The West Central District Health Department headquartered in North Platte reported to DHHS that it has screening rates of 59.8 percent. According to that 2010 study by the Nebraska Cancer Registry, mortality rates fell from 28.3 per every 100,000 women diagnosed in 1995 to 19.2 in 2010. Both figures are below the national average. The West Central District Health Department covers Lincoln, Logan, McPherson, Arthur, Grant, Hooker, Keith and Thomas counties. Those counties had the second-highest mortality rate of any region in the state in 2011, with 30 per 100,000 women diagnosed. According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 232,340 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in 2013 nationwide. And in January 2012, more than 2.9 million women living in the U.S. had a history of breast cancer.
Prevention and Early Detection n Because obesity and excess weight increase the risk of developing breast cancer, the American Cancer Society recommends that women maintain a healthy weight throughout their life. Losing even a small amount of weight has health benefits and is a good place to start. n Growing evidence suggests that women who get regular physical activity have a 10-20 percent lower risk of breast cancer compared to women who get no exercise. Doing even a little physical activity beyond your regular daily routine can have many health benefits. n Many studies have confirmed that drinking alcohol increases the risk of breast cancer in women by about 7-12 percent for each serving per day. The American Cancer
Society recommends women limit themselves to no more than one drink per day. n A recent study by American Cancer Society researchers found that current smokers had a 12 percent higher risk of breast cancer than women who never smoked. Research also suggests that risk may be greater for women who begin smoking before they give birth to their first child. Quitting has numerous health benefits. n To find breast cancer early, when treatments are more likely to be successful, the American Cancer Society recommends women 40 and older have a mammogram and clinical breast exam every year, and younger women have clinical breast exams periodically as well (preferably at least every three years).
Source: American Cancer Society
AAA puts out pink tow truck for cancer awareness DETROIT (AP) — AAA Michigan is calling attention to Breast Cancer Awareness Month by putting a pink tow truck on the road in downtown Detroit. The truck made an appearance last week outside Comerica Park, where the Detroit Tigers hosted the Oakland Athletics in Game 3 of the American League division playoffs. AAA driver Tom Robinson put in an appearance with the official Tigers mascot on the street outside the ballpark. The auto club says the pink tow truck will be around through October.
The Associated Press
AAA Michigan shows off the auto club’s pink tow truck, which promotes breast cancer awareness, outside Comerica Park last week before the Detroit Tigers hosted the Oakland Athletics in Game 3 of the American League division playoffs. Stranded motorists in downtown Detroit will see the pink truck coming to their aid during October, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
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Study: Peanut butter is tough cancer fighter A mother makes peanut butter sandwiches for her children. Doing so for young girls could reduce their chance of developing breast cancer later in life, according to a recently completed study at Washington University School of Medicine and Harvard Medical School
By Heather Johnson hjohnson@nptelegraph.com
There’s more reason than ever to pack peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in school lunches. A new study shows that one of America’s favorite foods — peanut butter — could have powerful cancer fighting benefits. Results of the study, “Vegetable Protein And Vegetable Fat Intakes In Pre-Adolescent And Adolescent Girls, And Risk For Benign Breast Disease In Young Women” were released in the Breast Cancer Research and Treatment journal. The research was conducted by the Washington University School of Medicine and Harvard Medical School. The subjects were more than 9,000 girls, initially ages 9-15, who were already part of a Growing Up Today Study, launched in 1996. According to the breast disease study, evidence shows the time before a first pregnancy, when mammary gland cells are increasing rapidly, is a critical time for carcinogenic exposures that could increase lifetime risk of breast cancer. Certain childhood and adolescent exposures have proven to be more important than adult exposures in breast cancer development. According to the study, it is believed that the things a woman eats when she is young may play a role by altering her hormonal environment. Because of that, researchers paid careful attention to the diets of the girls in the study. When the participants were grown, they were asked whether they had been diagnosed with a biopsy-confirmed case of benign breast disease, BBD. The disease is a non-cancerous change in breast tissue but is a well-established risk factor for breast cancer. As it turned out, 112 women had. Based on previous studies, the researchers already knew that vegetable fat and nuts were associated with a lower risk of BBD. They set out to narrow down a particular food or foods the women who were BBD-free had eaten when they were younger. “They looked at foods such as beans, corn, lentils, soybeans, nuts and peanut butter,” said Pat Kearney, program director for The Peanut Institute. “The food that really rose to the top was peanut butter.”
Courtesy photo
The study showed that eating any one of the foods on a daily basis reduced the risk of developing BBD. Kids who ate a combination of nuts and peanut butter when they were 11, decreased their risk of BBD by 44 percent. The news didn’t come as a shock to Kearney, who said peanuts are known for their healthy properties. They contain more protein than any other nut and are full of beneficial oils and other nutrients. According to Kearney, the plant protein in peanuts opens up blood vessels so blood can f low through them easier. “We have a lot of data that shows the more often you eat peanuts or peanut butter, the better chance you have of preventing the risk of heart disease,” Kearney said. “In fact, you can cut your chance in half by eating a handful of peanuts five times a week.” She said the same is true of diabetes and other inf lammatory diseases. According to Kearney, people who have peanut butter for breakfast are
less apt to get hungry later in the day and their blood sugar is more apt to remain stable. “So, we’re not surprised that eating some peanut butter frequently is helpful, but this is the first time we’ve seen it as a preventive measure for breast cancer,” Kearney said. She said the nice things about the food are that it’s cheap, kids like to eat it and it doesn’t take much to see a benefit. Peanut butter on toast for breakfast or a handful of peanuts after school for a snack is enough. “It’s such an economical and simple thing for someone to do,” Kearney said. “This study is a really big finding. It just goes to show you can’t start too early to work on prevention.”
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Finke finds joy in art after bout with cancer
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Survivor says she didn’t worry, held onto faith in her doctors
“When I was diagnosed, I got out my Christmas card list and emailed everyone on it that I was having surgery and asked for prayers. From that time on, I felt the prayers and a closer presence of God. I just didn’t worry.”
By diane wetzel dwetzel@nptelegraph.com
Cancer free since 2003, Darlene Finke of North Platte is a survivor. It is possible to find joy from adversity. Finke found hers in art. Finke received the official diagnosis of breast cancer in February 2002. “I had a pretty good idea what I had,” the North Platte woman said. “I knew I had a lump and I knew it was probably cancer. “In November 2001, I was having trouble with my ribs. I thought I had a rib out of place. I went to the doctor and they did an X-ray and found some infection. In that process, my doctors made the comment that I should get a mammogram.” It’s not as if Finke had neglected taking precautions. She went for regular mammograms, despite a lack of history of cancer in her family. She skipped her mammogram in 2001, busy with preparations for a wedding. “That’s when it happens,” she said. “Just when you don’t do it.” “My cancer was really strange,” she said. “It wasn’t one big tumor. It was small tumors,
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—Darlene Finke, cancer survivor
Because she learned an appreciation for art during her recovery from breast cancer, Darlene Finke says she would go through it all again. Diane Wetzel / The North Platte Telegraph
sprinkled all over the breast so they had to do a mastectomy. I wasn’t super worried about it. I know my family was, especially my mom. “I was diagnosed in February and it was April before I had my surgery, which was not smart.” Finke began chemotherapy treatments in North Platte at the Callahan Cancer Center in May 2002, three weeks after her surgery. After eight rounds of chemo, she underwent radiation treatment, finishing in November of 2002. “My doctor told me to quit my job, to stay home and take care of myself,” she said. “I was thankful to have that option. Some people need to keep working through treatment, but I never wanted to worry in the morning if I was going to feel good enough to go to work.
“I guess I was too dumb to be frightened,” she said. “When I was diagnosed, I got out my Christmas card list and emailed everyone on it that I was having surgery and asked for prayers. From that time on, I felt the prayers and a closer presence of God. “I just didn’t worry. I know my family did, but I had faith in my doctors.” During her radiation treatments, Finke saw a poster advertising the “Fun with Color” art classes offered at Great Plains Regional Medical Center and taught by Sandy Meyer for cancer patients. “The classes were right next door and my doctor’s nurse said I should think about going,” she said. “I said that I have never painted and couldn’t draw, but I went to the second class and have been going ever since.” The Great Plains Hospital Foundation pays for the art supplies and Meyer donates her time teaching the class. Finke says she is a different person, having been through a cancer diagnosis and treatment. “I used to be one of those people who worried all the time about illness and death,” she said. “I’ve come out of my shell. “Now I would say if I had to choose between having cancer and painting and not having cancer and no painting, I would choose having cancer all over again. “I’m thankful and very humbled,” she said. “I know there are people who don’t get through this. I thank God every day.”
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Breast cancer study looks at individual DNA Researchers look deeper to offer personalized care By Heather Johnson hjohnson@nptelegraph.com
Researchers are getting personal in Nebraska. A new study is in the works that could lead to individualized care for women with breast cancer. The Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center in Omaha is leading the effort with the help of the Callahan Cancer Center in North Platte and similar facilities across the state and the region. “We have some funding from the Helmsley Foundation to create a personalized breast cancer treatment program in the northern Great Plains region,” said Dr. Ken Cowan, director of the Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center. “We want to apply state-of-the-art technology to
Courtesy photo
Blood and tumor samples will be used during a genomic testing process in Omaha. It’s all part of a study to create individualized care for women with breast cancer. look at complete genomic analysis for breast cancer patients. We plan to examine DNA to determine what mutations have to occur to cause a tumor to become cancerous in each patient.” Cowan said it’s a follow-up to the Human Genome Project, an international research project that
uncovered the genetic sequence of normal human DNA. The study builds on the Cancer Genome Project, which Cowan said analyzes tumors at the genetic level and identifies genetic mutations in cancer cells. Every tumor appears to be characterized by a different set of genetic changes. “Every single breast cancer looks similar to the pathologist,” Cowan said. “But even cancers that look identical under the microscope have genetic mutations that drive the cells to become malignant. The genetic drivers are different in every tumor.” He said the study will be rolled out to as many cancer centers in Nebraska as possible, including Callahan, as soon as possible. That way researchers can examine the different types of tumors being diagnosed in the region and, hopefully, find specific genetic fingerprints for each cancer. The idea is to use that information to better tailor treatment options to patients. If a breast cancer patient were to relapse, for example, doctors
could prescribe a particular therapy based on the genetic fingerprint of her cancer. Callahan’s part in the study is to let its patients know the study is available. The center will also send blood and tumor samples from the patients to Omaha for complete genomic testing. “We will extract DNA and look at what genes are turned on and what ones are turned off in the cancer,” Cowan said. Dr. Todd Hlavaty, medical director of the Callahan Cancer Center, said the data will remain on file so it can be re-evaluated at any time. “In the future, it may also predict genetic predispositions to breast cancer,” Hlavaty said. “So, if we know that a person has that certain genetic sequence, we may be able to predict an increased risk for other family members.” Hlavaty said participation in the study will eventually be offered to every breast cancer patient at Callahan. It will begin after the first of the year.
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Cheerleaders raise funds with Pink Out Goal for annual event set at $7,500; money goes to Callahan Center
By diane wetzel dwetzel@nptelegraph.com
With the exception of skin caner, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women. The American Cancer Society reports that about 1 in 8 women in the country will develop breast cancer during their lifetime. The society estimates that there are more than 2.8 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S., including women being treated and those who have completed treatment. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, exceeded only by lung cancer. Death rates from breast cancer have been declining since 1989, with larger decreases in women younger than 50. The decreases are believed to be the result of earlier detection and increased awareness, as well as improvements in treatment. October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the North Platte High School cheerleaders are once again raising money for the Callahan Cancer Center in North Platte with their annual Pink Out events. “This is something we look forward to every year,” said cheerleading squad co-captain Laura Cox. “We raised more than $6,000 last year and we hope this year will be the biggest yet.” The squad is selling Pink Out T-shirts that cost $20, with $15 going to the Callahan Cancer Center. The squad will also be selling baked goods during the NPHS Bulldogs football game on Oct. 18 and during the Lady Bulldog volleyball game
Diane Wetzel / The North Platte Telegraph
Students at Adams Middle School were buying their Pink Out T-shirts last week to support the Callahan Cancer Center in North Platte. North Platte High School cheerleaders are selling the shirts to raise money for the center. on Oct. 26. They are hoping to raise $7,500 total. “It’s always nice to see people band together for a cause and raise money, whether it’s for the center or anything else,” said Kathy Feagler, director at the Callahan Cancer Center. “The donations the cheerleaders give us go a long way to help and support our patients and their needs.” All donations to the center are used to benefit patients unless specifically earmarked. Donations from Pink Out events have purchased gas cards for patients who travel to the center for treatment as well as buying equipment, such as the recent purchase of new flat-screen televisions for treatment areas. Chemotherapy can last from an hour to 10 hours a more, Feagler said, and having a nice television to watch can help patients pass the time. “Cancer is something that has affected everyone at some point and everyone wants to see an
end to it,” Cox said. Feagler has worked in the oncology field for more than 20 years and has seen strides toward better treatment. “We are making advances against all cancers every day,” Feagler said. “Being an advocate for patients, working with them and their families, we form close bonds and they become almost like family. It’s rewarding when they get good news. “I do think there is good news,” she added. “Medicine as a whole has evolved and we are keeping people healthier and people with cancer are living longer.” It all comes back to patient care, Feagler said. “What the cheerleaders do, it’s the fun aspect for us,” she said. “It’s always fun to see what interesting ways they come up with to raise money. They are so creative about it. It always comes back to benefit our patients here at the cancer center.”
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Lalanne still positive as two-time survivor NP woman talks about her own breast cancer to help others cope with disease By Andrew Bottrell abottrell@nptelegraph.com
Judie Lalanne wants to talk about breast cancer. Lalanne has been cancer free for 15 years, and she said she believes its her duty to talk about her experiences with the disease and how she coped with it. “I’ve always been open because people will ask questions about what they should do,” she said. The disease first affected her life 17 years ago after she found a lump. She had a lumpectomy and underwent radiation for six weeks, then was deemed cancer free. Doctors told her there was a 99 percent chance she’d be cancer free for good. “I was 99 percent sure that it wouldn’t come back. Two years later, I was in the 1 percent,” she said. The second-time around was much tougher, she said. She underwent a full mastectomy and elected for reconstructive surgery at the same time. She said the surgery was extensive. “[The first time] I had such a high percentage [of recovery] and I honestly didn’t really think about it,” she said. “The second time was extremely difficult. That took me
a very long time to recover from.” However, 15 years later the cancer has not returned, and Lalanne celebrates each Feb. 11. “I celebrate every year, as my new birthday, with pink champagne,” she said. “It has to be pink.” After recovering from her second bout with breast cancer, Lalanne said she did a full reevaluation of her life. “I decided I didn’t want any negativity in my life,” she said. “I tried to surround myself with people who were more positive.” Lalanne said it also made her more introspective. She spent more time thinking about the things she wanted to accomplish in life, including her own “bucket list.” Always interested in art, Lalanne said she took up watercolor painting and other methods of art, at first teaching herself. Eight years after she was cancer free but experiencing some other trying times, she joined the Painting Princesses, a cancer support group in North Platte that focuses on art. “They were a good support group for everything,” she said. “Their emphasis was on art, which is very
anti-stress, mostly.” She said meeting with the Painting Princesses also allowed her to talk about her experiences with other women who have had the same experiences. While she said she’s always been open about her cancer, it gave her another avenue. “The hard part about breast cancer is society is tied up with what we look like, especially as women,” she said. Seventeen years ago when she was diagnosed, she said breast cancer was a bit of a taboo subject, and she’s proud that more people are being open about it and willing to discuss it now. When she meets with newly-diagnosed patients, she tells them one thing. “‘I have survived,’” she said. “Every case is different and treatments are different. Find a good doctor and trust them.” She also urges families to be supportive and to listen to the decisions of the person who is coping with the cancer. “I think there are a lot of positive things you can focus on in your life,” she said. “You need to decide what’s important for you and you need to do it.” She said when she was diagnosed, many friends asked her what they could do for her. “I told them, ‘Get a mammogram and tell me,’ ” she said. “That made me feel better.”
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“I decided I didn’t want any negativity in my life,” she said. “I tried to surround myself with people who were more positive. ... I think there are a lot of positive things you can focus on in your life”
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—Judie L alanne, cancer survivor
Judie Lalanne’s advice to other women facing breast cancer is to find a good doctor and trust him or her. She said women must decide what’s best for them as the patient and do it.
Andrew Bottrell / The North Platte Telegraph
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FDA approves first pre-surgical breast cancer drug WASHINGTON (AP) — A biotech drug from Roche has become the first medicine approved to treat breast cancer before surgery, offering an earlier approach against one of the deadliest forms of the disease. The Food and Drug Administration approved Perjeta for women with a form of early-stage breast cancer who face a high risk of having their cancer spread to other parts of the body. Surgery to remove tumors is usually the first step in treating most forms of cancer. Perjeta is the first drug to be approved as a pre-surgical step. Doctors hope that using cancer drugs earlier could help shrink tumors, making them easier to remove. In some cases, that could allow women to keep their breasts, rather than having a full mastectomy. Doctors also say treating the disease at its earliest stages could prevent tumors from returning later, though studies have not established that benefit. “By making effective therapies available to high-risk patients in the earliest disease setting, we may de-
lay or prevent cancer recurrences,” said FDA’s Dr. Richard Pazdur, who directs the agency’s office of cancer products. Cancer specialists already use several chemotherapy drugs as initial treatments for cancer, but they are not formally approved for the use. The FDA originally approved Perjeta to treat breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body after surgery. The FDA granted the drug accelerated approval for its new use based on a study showing women who received the drug as an initial treatment were more likely to be cancer-free 12 weeks later than women who received older drug combinations. Accelerated approval is reserved for drugs that show groundbreaking results for treating life-threatening diseases in early studies. As a condition of approval, Roche’s Genentech unit must conduct a larger follow-up study showing the drug’s long-term benefits for patients. Generally that means showing that
patients lived longer or had a higher quality of life due to taking the drug. Genentech, based in South San Francisco, Calif., has already enrolled about 4,800 patients in the follow-up study, with results expected in 2016. Dr. Paula Klein, a breast cancer specialist, said she will start prescribing the drug for early-stage patients immediately, but stressed the importance of follow-up data on patient survival. “This does not yet prove to us that using the antibody in this setting will result in more cures. That is still a hypothesis,” said Klein, who directs the breast cancer program at Continuum Cancer Centers of New York. The FDA said approval was based on a 417-woman study comparing Perjeta in different combinations against older breast cancer treatments. When Perjeta was combined with Herceptin, another Genentech drug, and standard chemotherapy, 39 percent of women saw their can-
cer reach undetectable levels. Only 21 percent of women experienced the same results from taking Herceptin and chemotherapy alone. Like Herceptin, Perjeta only works in a subset of about 20 percent of breast cancer patients who have tumors that overproduce a protein known as HER-2. This protein causes cancer cells to divide and grow faster than usual. A spokeswoman for Genentech said a regimen of Perjeta plus Herceptin would cost between $27,000 and $49,000, depending on how long the patient takes the combination. The new Perjeta label will recommend a course of treatment between nine and 18 weeks. Breast cancer is the second most deadly form of cancer in U.S. women, behind only lung cancer, and is expected to kill more than 39,000 Americans this year, according to the National Cancer Institute. About 6,000 to 8,000 deaths per year are attributed to the HER-2 form of the disease.