Surviving Whole

Work it; Vigorous Exercise & Reducing Your Risk of Breast Cancer

Yet another reason to work out (and by working out we mean literally breaking a sweat and getting your heart pumping)... A new study shows that post-menopausal women who regularly exercise "vigorously" are less likely to develop breast cancer than their more relaxed cohort. The study published by the journal of Breast Cancer Research, (link  "Prospective Study of Physical Activity and Risk of Postmenopausal Breast Cancer" ) followed 32,000 women from 1987 to 1998.  Only women who performed vigorous exercise on a daily basis, and who were considered to be of lean body mass, (defined as a BMI of less than 25) were at a reduced risk of contracting breast cancer. Authors Lietzman, Moore et al reported that "Our findings suggest that physical activity acts through underlying biological mechanisms that are independent of body weight control." In other words, researchers were able to prove the separate benefit of exercise on cancer prevention.

Examples of vigorous exercise include: running (not walking), fast jogging, chopping wood, scrubbing floors, aerobics, cycling up hills (cycling on long flat planes does not count).

We know that obesity can increase the risk of cancers - especially increased tummy fat - but it has been more difficult to identify a benefit from vigorous exercise in preventing breast cancer. From this recent combination of studies and results, combining regular heart-pumping exercise with a lean body weight are the most beneficial to prevent breast cancer. And are also beneficial to prevent a variety of cardiovascular problems (heart attacks, strokes). So get out your running shoes or sharpen your tools and get moving!

Published on 12/4/2008, 5:10 PM by Editor

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Breast Cancer Scan Looks to Provide More Accurate Diagnosis

For women who have dense breast tissue, a standard mammogram is often difficult to read - especially as their monthly hormone levels cycle up and down. The current test of choice for such women is a breast MRI. A new study shows that a different type of scan called Positron Emission Mammography (PEM) is more accurate than an MRI at identifying breast cancer, and less likely to have  "false positives" (test results that identify the presence of cancer, when cancer is not really there).  PEM would not be used to replace MRI at this point, but as another tool in the radiologist's toolbag to help identify breast cancer and reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies.

The study's results, announced by Kathy Schilling, MD, director of breast imaging and intervention at the Center for Breast Care at Boca Raton Community Hospital in Florida, show that PEM is better at identifying true cases of cancer including small (less than 5mm in size) tumors. PEM found 100% of these small tumors according to Dr. Shilling versus MRI which identified 75% of them.

Presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), the study's results will need to be followed up on by larger-scale studies (as this first study included 182 women).

Other benefits of PEM include the ability for women to sit up and be more comfortable while the test is performed - unlike an MRI where the woman needs to be placed inside the barrel of the machine and hold still for lengthy time periods while the imaging occurs.

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Financing Your Cancer

Being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness takes a toll not only your body and mind, but also on your family pocketbook. Even with health insurance, out-of-pocket expenses can be considerable. High deductibles, pre-existing conditions, or treatments that insurance companies deem as “experimental” - and thus unworthy of reimbursement – all can cost heavily and drive individuals and families into bankruptcy.

Thankfully there are resources available, both from the government and from private non-profit organizations. The National Cancer Institute’s Fact Sheet on Cancer & Financial Assistance  lists all sorts of resources from the government including the Hill-Burton program where hospitals receive federal funds and are therefore required to provide “a reasonable volume of services” services to a people who cannot afford to pay for it. 

A great organization to contact for support and assistance with your financial challenges is CancerCare. They are a national non-profit and are staffed by oncological social workers with whom you can speak by phone or through the website. They also offer services in Spanish.

 

Medicaid  and Medicare are both Federal-State health insurance programs that provide people with some financial assistance to cover their medical expenses. For families with children in need of treatment, there is the State Children's Health Insurance Program which can help parents tap into resources to help pay for their children’s treatment needs.

Broad national organizations like the American Cancer Society are a good starting point when exploring resources. The ACS has a specific division called the Health Insurance Assistance Service, which provides information and advice for people facing loss of health insurance or reimbursement challenges.

There are also organizations which specialize in support for specific diseases including breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, leukemia, lymphoma. Consider checking into the organizations that address your diagnosis. Each organization has resources to provide information, support and at times financial assistance for your treatment.

Dealing with the financial costs and impacts of your illness can be overwhelming. One option is to consider bringing in a patient advocate to help support you through your decision-making pathways. The Patient Advocate Foundation (PAF) is available with a host of resources regarding insurance and financial issues including debt crisis support.

If you have a story to share regarding your cancer and financial challenges, we would love to hear from you. Please submit by comment or sign in and create a username to blog with– by sharing with us your successes and disappointments, you can help others to avoid pitfalls and make surviving cancer whole more feasible.  www.survivingcancerwhole.com

Are You Facing Your Cancer Diagnosis Alone?

Are you facing your cancer diagnosis as a single person? Even though you may feel quite alone  - the good news is that you don’t have to be.
Healthcare providers are very aware that those of us who are single face increased challenges in our treatment and recovery. Some of those challenges can be simple logistical issues like having transportation to and from doctor and clinic appointments – especially when the brunt of treatment is taking its toll, leaving you weak and incapacitated.

Other issues can be more complex: having a support system can help you stay on top of your diet, your medical schedule, and your overall sense of wellbeing. Studies show that patients who are single often have a tougher time with their treatment and recovery. So what are some of the alternatives that single people can opt for to make their path easier:

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Post some of your success stories at the link below: what has worked for you? Which organizations are you using and how have they helped you?

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Physical Therapy after Breast Cancer Surgery can Prevent Shoulder Problems

Susan Howard (*name protected), chose to have a bilateral mastectomy to aggressively treat her breast cancer. Her surgeon never mentioned that exercise for her shoulders and upper back would be important after she recovered.

Several months later, Susan began to notice that her shoulders were stiffening, and that it was getting harder and harder for her to reach overhead with her arms. By the time she went to see her general practitioner, she had developed “frozen shoulder” – a painful disorder which makes moving the shoulder through its normal range of motion almost impossible.

Susan was referred to a physical therapist, and it took more than six months of regular treatment and home exercises to restore motion in her shoulders.

Breast cancer surgery can often include dissecting lymph nodes in the axillary region (armpit) of the shoulder. Cutting into the region to remove the tumor, can damage nerves and surrounding muscles, and lead to big problems with shoulder function later. But can these problems be avoided?

A study in San Antonio of 88 women who are breast cancer survivors found that shoulder impairments can be prevented through physical therapy and prescription exercises. Oncology Stat Report

"In the first year there's shoulder discomfort and instability, compensatory muscle strategies, slight loss of range of motion. The problem is, if you don't catch these in the first year they become larger problems down the line. So in 3 years or 5 years you start to see the frozen shoulder, the rotator cuff tears, tendinitis," said Nicole L. Stout Gergich, at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. Ms. Gergich is a civilian research physical therapist at the breast care center at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Md.

The program that was developed at Bethesda’s Naval Medical Center was straightforward:
Before surgery, women are given a preoperative assessment, to determine what their normal shoulder function looks like. At the time of the first visit, women are given some simple shoulder exercises that they can begin approximately 2 weeks after surgery. The exercises encourage the women to move their shoulders gently through all ranges of motion.

At regular intervals after the surgery, the women then follow up with a physical therapist who monitors their shoulder function. The women continue the basic exercise regimen; for those women who have developed dysfunction in the shoulder, more aggressive treatment is prescribed.

As a result of the study, “92% of patients had returned to full range of motion and reported being able to perform medium-difficulty and even hard upper-limb tasks with little or no problem.”

"It's not good enough for us to say anymore, 'We've cured your cancer; now go live your life.' Some of these women are going to live 50, 60 years after they've been treated, and we have to make sure they have a good quality of life," Ms. Gergich said.

For post-surgical shoulder exercises, check out the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons site AAOS Shoulder Exercises

Photo caption: Pendulum exercises are a gentle way to maintain shoulder motion.
Photo credit: Copyright ©1995-2008 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

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SurvivingCancerWhole Sponsors Team for Culver City 5K Run/Walk for Cancer

Survivingcancerwhole.com is delighted to announce that we are sponsoring a team to walk for The Wellness Community West Los Angeles at the first 5K walk/run in Culver City. Sporteve, a Culver City-based fitness attire and equipment store tailored to women’s needs, is sponsoring a Culver City 5K run/walk as a fundraiser for The Wellness Community WLA. All net proceeds raised by the event will go directly to support The Wellness Community WLA’s programs and keep their organization flourishing.

In 2001, our website founder and CEO Kim Bergman was diagnosed with breast cancer. As she tackled cancer,   The Wellness Community West Los Angeles was a tremendous resource and support system.  It makes a huge difference to connect with others who are facing the same challenges. Kim found that participating in the under-40 support group, as well as yoga and other programs was life-affirming and comforting.

Kim is now in her  6th year of being cancer free, and SurvivingCancerWhole is committed to supporting The Wellness Community - WLA so that others may participate in their programs and find opportunities to share, laugh, cry, heal and be comforted by a community that cares.

We encourage all of our  Southern California-based website users viewers to click on the link www.active.com/page/Event_Details.htm and sign up to run/walk with us. It promises to be a beautiful first-time event, and Culver City is a great place to be -- after the 5K  there are lots of great dining options as Culver City has become a little mecca of great eateries.

If you don’t live nearby but still would like to help, go to www.active.com/donate/TWC-WLA and click on the “donation” button - let them know that you heard about them here at SurvivingCancerWhole.

If you have a story to share about The Wellness community, post it below in the comments section OR quickly become a site user and then blog about it…we would love to hear from you!

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Ovarian Cancer- A Not so Silent Killer

Until very recently, ovarian cancer has been considered stealthy and silent - spreading quietly and only becoming readily apparent in later stages, when treatment can be challenging and the cancer difficult to overcome. But a recent study from the Australian National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre (NBOCC) Ovarian Cancer Research Study   indicates that actually many women do have symptoms - the problem is that their symptoms are often ignored or misdiagnosed. The study looked at 1500 Australian women who had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer; of this number, 83% had symptoms correlated with ovarian cancer.

The difficulty with ovarian cancer has been the lack of a screening test. As a result, "The  first step to diagnosis is a woman identifying symptoms which are persistent and unusual for her and seeking medical attention. It is therefore vital that women are aware of the symptoms to look out for," said Dr Helen Zorbas, CEO of the NBOCC.

The symptoms of ovarian cancer: abdominal bloating, abdominal or back pain, loss of appetite or feeling full quickly, changes in toilet habits, unexplained weight loss or gain, indigestion or heartburn, fatigue.

Half of all the women in the study reported that their most common complaints were located in the abdomen including fullness or pain. One third of women reported symptoms of bloating, bowel or urinary discomfort.

As Dr. Zorbas explains, while many women have these symptoms without having ovarian cancer, if you do find that you suddenly experience any of the above symptoms, don't ignore them. See your doctor for a check-up.

In Australia approximately 1300 women die of ovarian cancer each year; In the United States, 20,000 women are diagnosed each year. The overall survival rate for ovarian cancer is 46% - so early detection is critical. Those women whose cancer is detected early have a survival rate of up to 93%.

For more information check the website www.ovariancancer.org.

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Calcium Does a Body and a Colon Good

Remember the ad campaign for “milk…does a body good”? A recent study from the National Institute of Health reports that women and men who consume diets rich in calcium appear to reduce the risk of colorectal and other digestive cancers.

Published in Archives of Internal Medicine,   researchers have found that consuming dairy foods and calcium levels at levels of up to 1300 milligrams per day reduces the risk of colorectal cancer and other digestive cancers.

The study followed 293,907 men and 198,903 women from ages 50-71 over a 7 year period. Women who ate calcium-rich diets were found to have 23 percent reduced risk of colon cancer; while men had 16 percent reduced risk of colon cancer. These benefits did not impact the rates of breast or prostate cancer.

Calcium and its partner Vitamin D may play a role in preventing colorectal cancers through binding with fats and bile, thereby protecting the mucus membranes of the gastrointestinal tract.

First author, Dr. Yikyung Park, a cancer epidemiologist at the National Cancer Institute, points out that “Our study is just one study," she added. "We need to look to other studies to confirm the finding.” More research is needed to understand the role of Vitamin D and calcium in preventing cancer onset.

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Growing Impact of Cancer Internationally

Over 12 million people around the world will be diagnosed with cancer this year. According to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2008 report, “the burden on Society caused by cancer is immense not only in terms of human suffering of patients and their relatives and friends, but the cost of cancer in economic terms.” WHO 2008 Cancer Report

The rate of cancer is increasing at an alarming rate. The global “cancer burden” has doubled in the past 30 years, and the WHO reports that it is projected to double again in the next 30 years. Governments will need to respond through pooling and using their resources as effectively as possible. Still, there is opportunity and hope provided by the World Health Organization:  their mission is to help nations around the world create strategies to focus resources effectively to educate populations on cancer prevention and treatment.

The World Health Organization is a body of the United Nations, with the mission of “directing and coordinating health”, providing international leadership and recommendations for addressing global health issues. For more information on the World Health Organization, you can visit their site at World Health Organizationwww.who.int/en

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Breast Cancers That Disappear…

A newly published study points to the possibility that a small percentage of breast cancers may actually go into remission and disappear of their own accord (Archives of Internal Medicine link: http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/168/21/2311).

This possibility opens up an interesting opportunity for scientific debate. Wouldn’t it be fantastic if scientists could identify methods to bolster the human body’s own immune and other systems to eliminate cancers? Imagine if we could develop new methodologies of treatment that were utterly non-invasive?

Anything is plausible - with the advent of nanotechnologies and the use of micro-organisms to disrupt tumor development - it is possible that in the lifetimes of our children, enormous breakthroughs will develop so that our current cancer therapies - surgeries, radiation and chemotherapies - will look like primitive medieval therapies.

We live in hope.

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