Stage Free

Density Matters: What you need to know before your next mammogram

Do you have dense breasts?? Would you even know if you did? The truth is, the only way to find out for sure is for a radiologist to read your mammogram and make an annotation to your chart. Your breast density matters and understanding your breast density could save your life... so listen up.

Dense breast tissue increases breast cancer risk and can conceal tumors! Getting your annual mammogram may not be enough to detect cancer. My guest Leslie Yerger learned this the hard way.

6 1/2 years ago Leslie was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer just two months after having an all-clear mammogram and ultrasound. She was shocked, "How could this be!"

 

Well, it turns out that the error rate on mammograms is real. If you have dense breasts a mammogram can be like shining a light through concrete. Or to put it another way, it's like trying to find a polar bear in a snow storm -- it becomes a big game of Where's Waldo.

• 20% of dense breasts get misdiagnosed at mammogram
• 35% of the time radiologists miss it on a mammogram

So, I always say, ask for the ultrasound! But even the ultrasound can miss cancer in dense breasts

• Ultrasound will find 2-3 more breast cancers per 1000 in women with Dense Breasts. (that's a drop in the bucket)
• MRIs find 9-15 more cancers per 1000

That tells you what we're missing. A breast MRI should be a standard of care, but it's not...

 

So what can you do to reduce your risk of a missed or delayed diagnosis? That's where MyDensity Matters comes in. Their website, app, and SMS-based service serve up life-saving resources.

• To begin with, their Breast Cancer Screening Guide will let you know if you are more at risk; so even if you're not yet 40, you should take this screener and if you turn out to be high risk, ask your doctor for a mammogram sooner.
  
  
• Next, Check Your Chart. If you have dense breasts, your radiologist should have indicated that in your chart. MyDensity Matters even tells you what words to look for, and offers guides to help you talk to your physician and ask for additional screening.

The big takeaway here is that you have to advocate for yourself, and MyDensity Matters gives you the tools to do that. Remember, as wonderful as they are, doctors make mistakes too; do not be afraid to find a new doctor if you're not getting the tests you need. (Leslie suggests finding a breast surgeon as they are true specialists and they tend to listen more to people who are at high risk.)

Learn more about your best density and associated risks and screening protocols today. For more information visit:

 

MyDensity Matters

https://mydensitymatters.org/

 

Check Your Chart 

https://mydensitymatters.org/programs/check-your-chart/

Or, Text "Check Your Chart" to 211411

 

Breast Cancer Screening Guide 

https://mydensitymatters.org/breast-cancer-screening-guide

Get next steps based on your age and risk factors

 

Know Your Options

https://mydensitymatters.org/know-your-options/

Learn which screening options are best for your breasts

 

My Story Matters

Hundreds of stories of people who had a delayed diagnosis.

https://mydensitymatters.org/programs/my-story-matters/

 

BCRuckus

https://www.bcruckus.org/

More about breast density

 

ArmorUp for Life

https://armorupforlife.org/

 

If you know someone who could benefit from this information, please share this episode with them.

 

How to Empower Yourself to Fight Cancer

If you've ever been diagnosed with cancer, you know that the minute those dreaded words leave the doctor's mouth you pretty much lose your hearing. Studies show that we absorb 10% of what immediately follows "You have cancer." That makes the immediate next steps that much more terrifying.
That insight inspired the creation of XpertPatient, a next-gen patient education experience named one of the most innovative healthcare startups of 2022.  

XpertPatient  is the brainchild of founder and CEO Risa Arin, a 2x cancer caregiver, healthcare and pharma industry veteran, who brings a wealth of experience to the challenges faced by newly diagnosed patients.

Research shows us that educated and involved patients experience better overall health outcomes. XpertPatient is on a mission to facilitate this need by providing resources that inspire active health consumers/patients who may lack confidence in having treatment option conversations with their doctors.

Today, XpertPatient focuses on the most common types of cancers (with plans for more to come) and provides 90% of diagnosed patients with a more personalized, and informed cancer experience.

Join Risa and me as we discuss patient empowerment and survival. Keep a pen or pencil handy… she has some solid tips on how to navigate your cancer diagnosis including advice on the new mindset you'll need to advocate for yourself. From Diagnosis to treatment decisions and treatment management, Risa’s top ten is a game-changer!
 

TOP 10 PATIENT EMPOWERMENT TIPS

 

@Diagnosis

1. Find a doctor and treatment team at a top cancer center that you like -- a partner

2. Educate yourself- know what’s going on in your body

3. Set goals, big is great but small is more important

@Treatment Decision

4. Compare your options (especially side effects) 

5. Get a second opinion

6. Know what to expect in the short term and longer term, as scary as it might be (“I wish I knew…”)

@Treatment Management

7. Friends/Family/Experts: Ask for help or don’t - tell your caregivers what you want.

8. Take advantage of free tools/services; support groups, advocacy, mental health

9. Exercise, as much as you can

10. Give yourself a break.  One day at a time….

 

For more information visit:

 

Xpert Patient

https://xpertpatient.com/

 

Cleaning for a Reason

https://cleaningforareason.org/

 

ArmorUp for Life
https://armorupforlife.org/

If you know someone who could benefit from this information, please share this podcast with them. Thank you!

Relationships After Cancer

When you become a cancer survivor, you are forever changed, and so are the people who love you. Facing mortality and the long-term effects of treatment can leave an elephant in the room that's impossible to ignore.

For millions of Latinos, this "elefante" is particularly challenging as it feeds on cultural norms and gender roles. That's where “Juntos Despues Del Cancer” (Together After Cancer) comes in. 

This new study Juntos Despues Del Cancer will help participants learn to understand their partner, and how cancer is affecting them emotionally, physically, and psychologically. Along the way, participants will also help other Latina couples better navigate breast cancer. 

Join Loriana and Dr. Dina as they take a deep dive into the personal struggles many Latina survivors face, and the steps we can all take to strengthen our relationships after cancer.

Essential skills and tools include:

• Decrease arguments
• Improve communication
• Learn new ways to support your partner
• Adjust to the new normal after cancer
• Rekindle the romance
• Improve sexual and emotional intimacy
• Work better together

Are you a Latina survivor?

We encourage you to participate in the Juntos Despues Del Cancer study by taking Dr. D's survey today.

Cancer can overwhelm us and our relationships. Every relationship is unique, so take the next step and see if the Together After Cancer program can give you tools to recover your relationship from breast cancer.

https://health.usf.edu/publichealth/research/jdc/lbcs

If you know someone who needs to hear this information, please share this episode with them.

 

NOTE:

The Together After Cancer study is funded by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), the largest funder of patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research in the United States. Click here to learn more about what our study involves, who can benefit from our research, and what it means to participate in our study.

Advances in Breast Cancer Treatment

The massive amount of research and resources that have been directed towards breast cancer are really paying off. At the recent SABCS conference, doctors and scientists shared breakthroughs and follow-up studies that are cause for optimism.

To dig into the news, Loriana is joined by her personal Breast Oncologist, Dr. Kevin Kalinsky, the director of the Glenn Family Breast Center at Emory Winship Cancer Center in Atlanta.

Some of the best news coming out of the conference was HER2+ breast cancer, which is about 25% of cases. In the mid 2000s, it was one of the most aggressive breast cancers. Today is it highly treatable, and patients are living longer.

Other novel therapies and targeted therapies are postponing or even eliminating chemotherapy from some treatment protocol -- how great would that be?

Advances in genetic testing have also been impactful; 75% of patients don't have a family history but we are constantly learning about new genes that are clinically important and could impact your treatment.

 

Dr. Kalinsky urges all cancer patients to advocate for themselves. Genetic testing is not as common as it should be; there are major disparities in this area linked to race and income. 

 

This episode is full of exciting research and insights that all breast cancer survivors should hear.

 

If you know someone who should hear this episode, please forward it to them.

 

And remember...

 

Fear should not drive your decisions, information should.

Have a real conversation with your doctor, get the facts, and make sure you address the human component too. Only you know what will make you sleep better at night.

Put Your Health Records to Work

Keeping track of your personal health records can be a challenge for even the healthiest among us; the average cancer survivor sees four to five doctors a year. And while modern-day patient portals can make it easier to access some of your info, portals rely on your various doctors being connected electronically -- which in rural America is rarely.

For cancer survivors, having access to your complex health history can dramatically improve outcomes. It enables doctors to see your whole medical picture and make critical treatment decisions with all the facts at hand.

As a two-time cancer survivor, I constantly have to advocate for myself and make sure that each new doctor I see knows about my unique circumstances and risks. (it's frustrating and unnerving) That's why I was so excited to meet Shashi Shankar; his new company Novellia is flipping the script on health data by providing access to a decade of your health records in under 30 seconds. Now that's smart!

The Novellia platform connects the dots between medical records and improved healthcare by empowering patients, physicians, and clinical researchers to put healthcare data to work. Join me as I talk to Novellia Co-founder and CEO Shashi Shankar about the convenience, and more importantly the healthcare improvements this new platform provides.

To learn more about how YOU can take control of your healthcare and patient records, please join us for a special virtual Town Hall event:

Achieving Empowered Care for HER2+ Breast Cancer - A Patient Town Hall for Survivors and Care Partners.

Monday, March 4th at 12:00pm ET.

REGISTER FOR FREE TODAY:

https://primeinc.org/virtual/achieving-empowered-care-her2-plus-breast-cancer-patient-town-hall

 

Financial Toxicity and Cancer

We've talked a lot about the physical and emotional challenges that come with a cancer battle, but for many, the financial toll can be equally devastating. Join us as we talk with survivor and philanthropist Molly MacDonald about financial toxicity and cancer; a topic she knows well, both personally and professionally. 

 

Back in 1997, Molly went through a financially devastating divorce. With her five young children in tow, she rebooted her life and returned to the workforce. She had just started a new job when she was diagnosed with breast cancer during her annual mammogram. While she was fortunate that her early-stage cancer didn't kill her, it quickly took her livelihood and the financial toxicity set in. 

 

Her bumpy journey through survival led Molly to co-found The Pink Fund, a non-profit that provides qualified breast cancer patients with financial support for 90-180 days while in active treatment, and resources that can ease the burden of debt including mortgage forbearance and lease deferral.

 

Our inspiring and insightful conversation is full of vital survivorship information. 

 

For more information about The Pink Fund visit:

https://pinkfund.org/

 

If you know someone who could benefit from this information, please share this episode with them.

Genetic Testing and Survivorship

30 years ago scientists first discovered the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes and their link to hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. There are genes dozens of genes now - practically an alphabet soup - that can impact how we diagnose and treat cancer. So when should YOU have genetic testing and why? 

Having an expert make those judgment calls is the way to go -- but you still need to advocate for yourself and ask your doctor if you need to get retested with the more comprehensive panel.

Join me as we talk with Board-certified Medical Oncologist Dr. Mohammad Jahanzeb (a.k.a. Dr. MJ) about the nuances of genetic testing and your survivorship care plan, including: 

• How do you know when it's time for another genetic test?
• What you should know after active treatment
• Why you should not ask for a PET scan
• The beneficiaries of genetic testing

Spoiler Alert: Dr. MJ says If you had a genetic test five years ago, it's time to look into getting another one.

If you know someone who can benefit from this information, please share this episode with them.

 

 

Seven Steps to Patient Empowerment

Oncology nurses are on the front lines of patient care day in and day out. For patients who require lengthy hospitalization, they literally become your family and trusted confidant.

Case in point, meet Kristy Cheney, Head Nurse of Oncology at Tidelands Health in South Carolina. In 2014, "Picc Line" Kristy was my oncology nurse at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins. She had such a magic touch... she was the only one I would let change my Picc Line, and that was just the tip of the iceberg.

Oncology nurses bear witness to the traumas we endure along the way, the highs of remission, and the heart-wrenching lows of recurrence. As we oscillate between hope and despair, these adopted family members provide invaluable comfort and support, and they hold the key to patient empowerment.

 

Join me as I talk with Kristy about our shared experiences and the seven steps she uses to empower her patients:

1. Participation
2. Physical Activity
3. PREhab
4. Emotional Wellbeing
5. Self Advocacy
6. Support System

If you know someone who can benefit from this information, please share this podcast with them.