Breast Cancer

Connie Frameli has had breast cancer twice. The first time was 19 years ago. She was treated with medication, chemo and radiation. When discussing her second diagnosis, an Allegany Health Network oncologist told her about a new treatment, which includes implanting special seeds. These "seeds" are radioactive pellets that are implanted near the tumor after the lump has been removed. They gradually release radioactivity over a few weeks to the targeted area. The pellets eventually become inactive,

Did you know that VGM has their own podcast called Industry Matters? Recently, Nikki Jensen and Tom Powers sat down to record an episode about the Let Her Decide campaign and updates to the Breast Cancer Patient Equity Act. You can listen here or on your mobile device from your favorite podcast app. "Citizen engagement helping pass any legislation is important," said Tom Powers. "It's all about communicating with your member of Congress. getting everything in line, showing there's support

MIT and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) has created a new deep-learning model that can predict from a mammogram if a patient is likely to develop breast cancer as much as five years in the future. The model has learned from known outcomes of over 60,000 patients to notice the patterns in breast tissue that are precursors to malignant tumors. Using this type of technology could enable doctors to customize screening and prevention programs at the individual level and hopefully end late diagnosing

Walgreens recently launched a new pharmacy, health, and beauty service called Feel More Like You to provide people living with cancer manage changes associated with treatment. This service is now available at more than 3,000 Walgreens stores across the country.  The free program was developed in collaboration with Look Good Feel Better Foundation, the leading cancer support organization focusing attention on the appearance and beauty needs of patients with cancer, and Cancer Support Community,

When it's time for a mammogram, should you ask for 3D? When Mary Hu, an administrator in communications with Yale School of Medicine, went to get a mammogram two years ago, she didn't even know she was getting 3D mammography, also called digital breast tomosynthesis. Her radiologist, Dr. Liane Philpotts, with Yale Cancer Center, says Hus experience is a great example of the accuracy of 3D imaging. Hu has dense breasts, which can make it challenging for radiologists to read mammograms since

Most women who have experienced breast cancer initially find a lump in their breast. However, a rare form of breast cancer is starting to gain attention, Inflammatory Breast Cancer. Inflammatory breast cancer presents more with a reddening of the skin of the breast, a swelling of the skin of the breast, kind of a heaviness, sometimes a tenderness of the breast. It is considered particularly aggressive, blocking the lymph vessels in the skin of the breast and causing the characteristic swelling

In March, women and physicians concerned about breast implant surgery spoke before a panel of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about their concerns over the safety of breast implants. The risk of breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) has been reported as high as 1 in 460 for breast cancer patients who receive a specific textured implant in some studies. Many countries have taken specific textured breast implants off the market. Currently, these breast

Independence Blue Cross and Unite for HER, an organization based in the Philadelphia area, recently teamed up to package and provide self-care boxes for newly diagnosed breast cancer patients. The self-care boxes contain products that are carefully selected to help enhance the health and comfort of the Medicare Advantage members while they undergo treatment. These boxes will automatically be sent to those members when they are diagnosed, beginning in January 2019.  The boxes

Genetic testing kits, like 23andMe and AncestryDNA give users background data of their ancestors. Kits are also available to help test food intolerances, all from the convenience of your home. 23andMe has the option to opt into the BRCA gene mutation test. People with this gene mutation have a high risk of breast and ovarian cancer. The New York Times interviewed a woman who opted into this specific test and came back negative. Years later, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. A

Some research indicates that 40% of breast cancer survivors will develop lymphedema. Once you develop lymphedema, you live with it for the rest of your life.  Recently, an Omaha breast cancer survivor showed how she has been managing her lymphedema for the past 23 years. Even though many people experience lymphedema, the majority of people do not understand the diagnosis, maintenance required, products available, and cost to the patient.  Read the full story from KMTV. The