Women often opt to surgically remove their breasts, ovaries to reduce cancer ris

[Guest guest]

> Women often opt to surgically remove their breasts, ovaries to reduce

> cancer risk

>

> http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-08/aafc-woo080509.php

>

> American Association for Cancer Research

>

>

>

>

> PHILADELPHIA Many women at high risk for breast or ovarian cancer are

> choosing to undergo surgery as a precautionary measure to decrease their

cancer

> risk, according to a report in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers &

> Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

>

> " Women have their breasts or ovaries removed based on their risk. It does

> not always happen immediately after counseling or a genetic test result and

> can take more than seven years for patients to decide to go forward with

> surgery, " said lead researcher D. Gareth , M.D. is a consultant

> in clinical genetics at the Genesis Prevention Center, University Hospital

> of South Manchester NHS Trust and a professor at the University of

> Manchester, United Kingdom.

>

> and colleagues assessed the increase in risk-reduction surgery among

> women with breast cancer and evaluated the impact of cancer risk, timing

> and age.

>

> Rate of increase was measured among 211 women with known unaffected BRCA1

> or BRCA2 mutation carriers. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are hereditary gene mutations

> that indicate an increased risk for developing breast cancer. Additionally,

> more than 3,500 women at greater than 25 percent lifetime risk of breast

> cancer without mutations also had a documented increase in risk-reduction

> surgery.

>

> Women who had a biopsy after undergoing risk evaluation were twice as

> likely to choose a risk-reducing mastectomy. Forty percent of the women who

> were mutation carriers underwent bilateral risk-reducing mastectomy; 45

> percent had bilateral risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (surgical removal of

> ovaries). These surgeries are widely used by carriers of BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene

> mutations to reduce the risk for breast and ovarian cancer.

>

> Evaluated by gene type, bilateral risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy was

> more common in women who were BRCA1 gene carriers 52 percent had the

> surgery compared with 28 percent of the women who were BRCA2 gene carriers.

>

> " We found that older women were much less likely to have a mastectomy, but

> were more likely to have their ovaries removed, " said .

>

> Most of the women, specifically those aged 35 to 45 years, opted for

> surgery within the first two years after the genetic mutation test, but some

did

> not make a decision until seven years later.

>

> " This is a very interesting study. It fleshes out some of what we know

> about adoption of risk reduction strategies in high-risk women who have

> participated in a very comprehensive and well thought-out genetic counseling,

> testing and management program, " said Claudine Isaacs, M.D., an associate

> professor of medicine and co-director of the Fisher Center for Familial Cancer

> Research, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at town University.

>

> BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers have a very high lifetime risk of

> cancer, and for BRCA1 carriers there are unfortunately no clearly proven

> non-surgical prevention strategies, according to Isaacs. These women face a 50

to

> 85 percent lifetime risk of breast cancer, and mastectomy is currently the

> most effective prevention method available.

>

> The findings confirm the expectations that when a woman has a biopsy, even

> if benign, most are more likely to opt for risk-reduction surgery.

>

> " Screening should be conducted at a place with expertise in an effort to

> minimize false-positive results, which often lead to biopsy. This will

> minimize the anxiety that comes along with such a diagnosis. Patients should

> consult with an expert in advance and stay in contact with them to see how the

> science may be changing over time, " she advised. " This is an ongoing

> conversation that needs to be addressed and individualized for each patient. "

>

> Likewise, suggested that additional studies are needed to help

> evaluate the communication efforts and methods between doctors and/or

counselors

> and women at risk for breast cancer. Questions to be raised should include

> how is the communication method occurring, are the doctors sympathetic and

> is there an ongoing dialogue?

>

> " Careful risk counseling does appear to influence women's decision for

> surgery although the effect is not immediate, " the researchers wrote.

>

>

>

>

> The mission of the American Association for Cancer Research is to prevent

> and cure cancer. The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed journals:

> Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer Therapeutics;

> Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention; and

> Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes CR, a magazine for cancer

> survivors and their families, patient advocates, physicians and scientists.

> CR provides a forum for sharing essential, evidence-based information and

> perspectives on progress in cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.

> http://www.aacr.org

>

>

>

>

>

> UPCOMING PROGRAMS

>

>

> AFTER BREAST CANCER: Finding a new normal after breast cancer treatment.

> What follow-up testing should you be having? Can you lower your risk of

> recurrence?

>

> Panelists: Musa Mayer and Hope Nemiroff

> September 9- 6-8pm

> Cornwall: St. Luke's Cornwall Hospital

>

>

>

> AFTER BREAST CANCER: Finding a new normal after breast cancer treatment.

> What follow-up testing should you be having? Can you lower your risk of

> recurrence?

> Panelists: Musa Mayer and Hope Nemiroff

>

> September 10, 2009

>

> Kingston-Benedictine Hospital: Administrative Services Building

>

>

>

> Musa Mayer is a nationally known patient advocate, and author of

> three books on breast cancer, including After Breast Cancer: Answers to the

> Questions You're Afraid to Ask. In addition to her many articles, she

> frequently speaks and consults on advocacy and survivorship issues with many

> national organizations, with a focus on metastatic breast cancer. She works

> with the FDA and the Institute of Medicine, and is deeply involved with breast

> cancer research as well as helping patients daily online at www.bcmets.org

> . Her website is: www.AdvancedBC.org

> Hope Nemiroff is co-founder and Executive Director of Breast Cancer

> Options. She spearheaded a research project with Sheldon M. Feldman, MD, to

> study the pesticide levels in body fat of breast cancer patients which was

> funded by national foundations. She is co-author of " DDT May Be a

> Contaminant in Green Tea from China " with Devra , PhD, and Sheldon M.

Feldman,

> MD and publishes the Healthy Lifestyle Calendar with practical information

> on how to minimize environmental exposures for the consumer.

>

> __________________________________________________________________

>

> THE ENVIRONMENT & BREAST CANCER: RISK REDUCTION STRATEGIES

> Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2009-6pm

> Chatham: St. Church, Rtes. 203 & 66

> Speaker: Hope Nemiroff.

> A discussion of how the breast is affected by toxins and strategies to

> reduce exposures to these chemicals. Learn how to create healthy, toxin free

> environments.

> Hope Nemiroff is co-founder and Executive Director of Breast Cancer

> Options. She spearheaded a research project with Sheldon M. Feldman, MD, to

study

> the pesticide levels in body fat of breast cancer patients which was

> funded by national foundations. She is co-author of " DDT May Be a Contaminant

in

> Green Tea from China " with Devra , PhD, and Sheldon M. Feldman, MD

> and publishes the Healthy Lifestyle Calendar with practical information on

> how to minimize environmental exposures for the consumer.

>

> __________________________________________________________________

>

> SAVE THE DATE

> BREAST CANCER OPTIONS FUNDRAISER

>

> Sunday, October 4, 2009, Wiltwyck Golf Club.

>

> Speaker Dr. Sheldon Feldman discussing the latest breast cancer

> information!

>

> (Please let us know if you have something wonderful to donate for our

> Silent Auction)

>

>

> __________________________________________________________________

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