When I came across this recent article by HealthDay News, a project of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health, I understood all too well the responses that many women have to taking tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors.

Hot flashes and other unpleasant side effects are a major reason one-quarter of breast cancer patients do not start or do not complete their recommended hormone-blocking therapy, a new study finds. Five years of daily pills — either tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors — is recommended for many women whose breast cancer expresses the hormones estrogen or progesterone. The drugs have been shown to reduce the risk of cancer returning and to extend survival.

Despite such benefits, this study of more than 700 breast cancer patients in Detroit and Los Angeles who were eligible for hormone therapy found that about 11 percent never started treatment and 15 percent stopped it early.Unpleasant, menopause-type side effects, such as vaginal dryness, hot flashes or joint pain, were the most common reasons women either stopped or never started the therapy.

“We need to develop better ways of supporting women through this therapy,” lead study author Christopher Friese, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan School of Nursing, said in a university news release.

Those most likely to complete their hormone therapy were patients who were most worried about their cancer returning and those who already took medication regularly, according to the study, which was published online March 31 in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment.

Patients least likely to begin hormone therapy included those who received less information about hormone therapy, which suggests that doctors need to properly educate patients before treatment begins, the researchers said.

Women who saw a breast cancer surgeon instead of a medical oncologist as their primary follow-up also were less likely to begin hormone therapy.

“It was particularly interesting that greater fear of recurrence was associated in our patient sample with greater adherence to endocrine therapy,” study senior study author Dr. Jennifer Griggs, a professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School.

“We don’t want our patients living under a cloud of fear, so we need to develop creative ways to both reassure and motivate them,” said Griggs, a medical oncologist. “This means providing better education about the importance of staying on these medications and partnering with primary care and cancer doctors to help women manage symptoms.”

More information

The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about breast cancer treatme

I wish all the mothers and grandmothers, who are in treatment, a time out from all thoughts and activities related to your breast cancer. I wish you a day of fun and love with family and friends.

For all of of you mothers and grandmothers who have moved past treatment and are getting on with life, I hope your day is all the sweeter, knowing what a gift it is to be well enough to be here enjoying the love of your children.

To all the mothers and grandmothers who are now, or were caregivers to those of us with breast cancer…thank you for your love and  selfless sharing. None of us, who’ve had breast cancer, want to think about what we would have done, how we would have done without you.

To the sisters, cousins, nieces, and aunts who also mothered us during treatment…thanks for making us feel less alone with our fears.

To our dear friends who are mothers, and those who are not…thanks for mothering us during an incredibly difficult time of our lives. You made our time in treatment bearable with your calls, your visits, the hours of listening, the dinners, your company in treatment rooms, and at medical appointments, childcare and child comfort when we were to sick to do so, the errand running and most of all…your upbeat, positive attitudes.

To those women, on our treatment team, that treated us as individuals with feelings and fears that needed attention, not just women with breast cancers that required medical interventions…thank you!

As women, as caregivers, as survivors, as mothers, we all have so much to celebrate about ourselves today!

This Mother’s Day give the life-saving gift of a mammogram.

Reach out to your mother 0r  grandmother and remind this important woman in your life  that it is time for that mammogram she has been putting off for so long. Offer to make the appointment for her and go with her.

You will hear the usual excuses for not getting a mammogram:

• Too busy…no woman is so busy that she can’t take a half hour to have a life-saving screening
• Can’t afford it…Call local Departments of Health for sites that offer free mammograms
• Afraid of the outcome…most of us are afraid, but we are more afraid of having breast cancer
• It hurts…a bit, but not as much as childbirth

Offer to:

• Make the appointment for her at a site and a time that is convenient
• Insure that she will be screened by a female, if that is an issue for her
• Go with her
• Translate for her if she has a language barrier

If all else fails, remind her of how important she is to her children, whatever age the children are. No one wants to see her  mother or grandmother suffer through extensive breast cancer treatment. Remind her that a mammogram can identify a breast cancer in its earliest stage, before it can be felt, before it requires prolonged treatment.

I know it is not easy to nag a loved one about getting a mammogram, but you will be doing your part to see that your special lady is around to enjoy more Mother’s Days .

P.S. If you are due for a mammogram, make getting one your Mother’s Day gift to yourself. You and mom or grandma can make it a family affair!

The following article by HealthDay News appeared on the womens health dot gov. website on April 1^st.

The benefits of genetic testing to assess the risk of breast and ovarian cancers linked to the BRCA gene are limited to a small number of women, a new report indicates.

Mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes greatly increase a woman’s risk of developing these cancers.

Women with these mutations have a 70 percent chance of developing breast cancer — which is five times greater than in the general population — and increase their lifetime risk of ovarian cancer from less than 2 percent to as high as 46 percent.

An important step in preventing these cancers is helping women understand their risk, according to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

In preparing a draft report and recommendations, the task force examined available evidence to determine if genetic counseling and testing could benefit women most likely to have BRCA mutations.

The task force concluded that more than 90 percent of American women — those whose family history does not indicate an increased risk for BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations — will not benefit from genetic testing or counseling.

This is because current tests often provide inconclusive results and these women could be burdened with the uncertainty of whether they are at increased risk for cancer. Many of these women might choose to take powerful medications or have major surgery to reduce their risk of cancer, which would be unnecessary if they were not at increased risk.

Therefore, the task force said it continues to recommend against genetic counseling and BRCA testing in these women.

“At this point, scientific evidence only shows that BRCA1 and BRCA2 testing is beneficial for women who have reviewed their family history of breast or ovarian cancer with a primary-care professional and discussed the pros and cons of the screening test with a trained genetic counselor,” task force chairwoman Dr. Virginia Moyer said in task force news release.

“We hope that further research into ways to use genomic science, such as identifying women who have harmful BRCA genes but do not have a family history of cancer, could improve screening practices and even prevent some cancers,” she added.

The task force said it also found evidence to recommend that primary-care health providers screen women who have family members with breast or ovarian cancer to determine if their family history is associated with an increased possibility of having BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations.

In situations where this is the case, women should receive in-depth genetic counseling to thoroughly review family history and — if indicated and after weighing the pros and cons of BRCA testing — undergo the test, the report said.

The recommendations apply to women who have not been diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer but who have family members with breast or ovarian cancer and whose BRCA status is unknown.

“Every year, too many American women and families are faced with the challenge of dealing with breast and ovarian cancer diagnosis and treatment,” Moyer said. “We need better treatments, better screening methods and, most importantly, better ways to prevent cancer.”

More information

The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about BRCA mutations and cancer risk

Recently, I was asked to make readers aware of a new walk for breast cancer, a marathon in NYC scheduled for July of this year. What follows is a press release about the event.

 New York, NY – In July 2013, Walk the Walk will bring The MoonWalk marathon from the United Kingdom to America for the first time to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer causes. At 10 p.m., on July 20, 2013, thousands of women and men will Power Walk through the city wearing brightly decorated bras to inspire and encourage others to get fit, have fun, and raise money for breast cancer charities in New York.

 Presented by Empire BlueCross BlueShield, the overnight marathon through New York City will have an estimated 8,000 participants. The MoonWalk will begin with a participant opening ceremony celebration at Randall’s Island. Walkers will then depart on an up to 26.2 mile route, which will weave its way through Manhattan past the city’s most iconic landmarks, lit up brightly at night. Additionally, there will be a Half Marathon option to ensure that everyone can participate no matter their fitness levels or abilities.

 “One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year and we have the opportunity to step out in force and visibly demonstrate our commitment to raising the funds needed to help wipe out this potentially life-threatening disease,” said Brian Griffin, President and CEO, Empire BlueCross BlueShield. “Almost every one of us has been touched by breast cancer in some way. That’s why Empire is so passionate about helping fight this disease through our sponsorship of The Moonwalk.” 

 The MoonWalk hopes to raise two million dollars in one night, most of which most of which will be granted to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, to help support their Breast Examination Center in Harlem (BECH), one of the first free screening facilities for breast cancer in the country where 80% of the patients are uninsured but guaranteed support and guidance.

 “We are deeply grateful that Walk the Walk is bringing The MoonWalk Marathon to New York City to benefit Memorial Sloan-Kettering’s Breast Examination Center in Harlem,” says Richard K. Naum, Vice President for Development at Memorial Sloan-Kettering.  “That such a dynamic and inventive fundraising initiative would support world-class health care for the very population most in need of assistance is a true inspiration to us all.”

 Since its inception sixteen years ago in London, Walk the Walk, a grant making charity, has engaged over 300,000 participants and has raised over $126 million dollars to support breast cancer research and those affected by cancer now. Walk the Walk has provided grants to charities such as Breast Cancer Campaign, Penny Brohn Cancer Care, The Breast Cancer Institute, and Maggie’s Centres, and has had a significant impact on the work that they do. Walk the Walk is also a proud supporter of Breakthrough Breast Cancer and has helped fund The Generation Study – the largest study of its type that aims to track the health of over 100,000 women over a period of 40 years.

 His Royal Highness Prince Charles has been the Patron of this well respected charity since 2004. Over the years many notables have given their support from Paul and Stella McCartney, Sir Richard Branson, to Pierce Brosnan, and designers Swarovski Crystal who created three magnificent bras in celebration of this year’s 15^th anniversary of The MoonWalk London.

 “We are all so thrilled to be bringing The MoonWalk to New York City. This is the city where it all began! In 1996, 13 of us proudly Power Walked the New York City Marathon in our bras, and it is just quite amazing to see how far it has come, and how much we have achieved,” says Nina Barough, Founder and Chief Executive of Walk the Walk.

 Barough and the Walk the Walk team are encouraging New Yorkers to get involved. Applications and entries are available at www.walkthewalkAmerica.com. Participants are encouraged to raise at least $150.00. For additional information, please visit www.Facebook.com/WalktheWalkWorldwide and follow us at @WalktheWalk.  

 About Walk the Walk Worldwide:

After Founder and Chief Executive Nina Barough was diagnosed herself with breast cancer in 1997, the charity grew to include a wide range of Power Walking marathons and challenges across the globe. Walk the Walk is passionate about encouraging women and men to become healthier through Power Walking and taking responsibility for their own well-being. Walk the Walk organizes Power Walking events such as The MoonWalk London, The MoonWalk Edinburgh Scotland, The MoonWalk Iceland, and The SunWalk London. To date, Walk the Walk Worldwide has raised over $126 million for vital breast cancer causes.

 About Empire BlueCross BlueShield:  

Serving New Yorkers for over 75 years, Empire BlueCross BlueShield is the largest health insurer in New York supporting nearly six million members and more than 38,000 business, union and small employers in New York. Empire BlueCross BlueShield (Empire) is the trade name of Empire HealthChoice Assurance, Inc., and Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO is the trade name of Empire HealthChoice HMO, Inc., independent licensees of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, serving residents and businesses in the 28 eastern and southeastern counties of New York State. Additional information about Empire is available at www.empireblue.com. Also, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/healthjoinin, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HealthJoinIn, or visit our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/healthjoinin.

 About Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center:

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center is the world’s oldest and largest private institution devoted to prevention, patient care, research and education in cancer. Its scientists and clinicians generate innovative approaches to better understand, diagnose and treat cancer. The Center’s specialists are leaders in biomedical research and in translating the latest research to advance the standard of cancer care worldwide. For more information, go to www.mskcc.org.

 For press information, please contact:

Natalie Ferro

LeadDog Marketing Group

Natalie@leaddogmarketing.com

212.488.6565