Archive - January 2017

The National Supplier Clearinghouse (NSC) is required to revalidate DMEPOS suppliers every three years. When it is time for a supplier to revalidate, the NSC will send a letter with steps to follow and a bill for the $560 fee. The CMS 855S application form One of the steps toward revalidation is to complete the CMS 855S application form. The 855S was recently revised, becoming effective Dec. 31, 2016. For additional information, click here.  The updates to the form include the

Ductal carcinoma in situ is a noninvasive form of breast cancer. Although the condition is not life-threatening in itself, it may increase the chances of developing an invasive form of breast cancer later in life. However, a new study suggests that women who have been treated for ductal carcinoma in situ continue to live as long as other women. According to the American Cancer Society, ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) accounts for approximately 1 in 5 newly diagnosed breast cancers. DCIS is

Administering chemotherapy to African-American breast cancer patients prior to surgery could improve their prognosis and survival rates from the disease, according to a new study. A research team led by Georgia State University found African-American breast cancer patients who receive chemotherapy prior to surgery exhibit trends of reduced regional (in lymph nodes) recurrence and distant (in remote organs, such as the liver, lungs and brain) recurrence of tumors, which may help diminish the

ARLINGTON, Va.--January 18, 2017--Kathy Bates, award-winning actress and Lymphatic Education & Research Network (LE&RN) spokesperson, will receive Research!America's Isadore Rosenfeld Award for Impact on Public Opinion for raising the visibility of lymphedema and lymphatic diseases and advocating tirelessly on behalf of the patient community. The Rosenfeld Award is presented to individuals who have worked to effectively deliver medical or other health-related research advocacy messages to the

A researcher at Syracuse University has simple advice for breast cancer survivors struggling with the side effects of Aromatase Inhibitors (AIs): exercise. Gwendolyn Thomas, assistant professor of exercise science, is the co-author of a groundbreaking article in the Obesity Journal (The Obesity Society, 2017) about the effects of exercise and physical activity on postmenopausal breast cancer survivors taking AIs—hormone-therapy drugs that stop the production of estrogen. She contends

A large study at the University of Rochester Medical Center’s Wilmot Cancer Institute sought out to get to the root of the causes of cancer-related cognitive impairment and who may be at risk.   Women with breast cancer – as well as the health care professionals who treat them – often wonder about the origin of their cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI), often referred to as “chemobrain.” This side effect can include difficulties with memory,

Mayo Clinic researchers have identified a potential treatment for breast cancer metastasis that, if corroborated, could prove beneficial in many other cancer treatments. That groundbreaking announcement was made in a paper published Dec. 9 in Nature Communications, a medical journal. However, the study's senior author Dr. Zhenkun Lou cautioned that more research is necessary. The new Mayo study identifies a possible way to prevent the spread of cancer, called metastasis, typically through

by Selena Larson Breast pumps are large, loud and often painful. The devices women use today require them to stop what they're doing every few hours in order to pump. Willow, the first smart wearable breast pump, wants to change that. The Silicon Valley company launched its hands-free breast pumps at CES 2017 this week. The pair of teardrop-shaped devices fits in a woman's bra and silently pumps -- no awkward tubes required. Inside each pump is a collection bag that holds up

Usually a person with a new breast cancer diagnosis knows she has a decision regarding surgery: lumpectomy or mastectomy. Plenty of articles implore women and surgeons to avoid the bigger operation when possible, because mastectomy does not offer a survival advantage over lumpectomy. I have written previously about that choice. One aspect of breast cancer surgery that’s less often discussed—about which patients may not be aware—is the method by which doctors check glands under

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Essentially Women announces date, location for annual Focus conference Waterloo, Iowa – Jan. 9, 2016 – Planning is well underway for Essentially Women’s annual education conference and trade show. Focus: The EW Conference, will take place September 16-18, in Minneapolis, Minn. The three-day Focus Conference will provide EW members with continuing education and training opportunities, resources to improve operational efficiencies as well as connect