Breastcancer.org Podcasts: Experts discuss research & issues
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Lymphedema 101
April 28, 2021
Marcia Beck is a clinical nurse specialist at the University of Kansas Health System. Marcia is certified in adult health and breast health and also certified as a lymphedema therapist by the Lymphology Association of North America.
Listen to the episode to hear Marcia explain all aspects of lymphedema, including:
- what lymphedema is and where it can develop
- risk factors for lymphedema
- how lymphedema is treated
- steps people can take to reduce their risk of lymphedema or lymphedema flare-ups
Running time: 28:48
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Breast Self-Exam
May 28, 2021
Brian Wojciechowski, M.D., practices medical oncology in Delaware County, Pennsylvania at Riddle, Taylor, and Crozer hospitals and also serves as Breastcancer.org's medical adviser. He is a sought-after speaker on the topics of medical ethics and the biology of cancer.
Medical and oncology organizations disagree on the value of breast self-exam. The American Cancer Society, for example, doesn't recommend breast self-exam, while Breastcancer.org believes they are part of a comprehensive screening plan. Dr. Wojciechowski joined us to talk about the role of breast self-exam in screening and why it's controversial.
Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Wojciechowski explain:
- why organizations stopped recommending breast self-exam
- the benefits and drawbacks of breast self-exam
- how he talks to his patients about breast self-exam
Running time: 12:02
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Breast Cancer Recurrence Risk
June 9, 2021
Brian Wojciechowski, M.D., practices medical oncology in Delaware County, Pennsylvania at Riddle, Taylor, and Crozer hospitals and also serves as Breastcancer.org's medical adviser. A native of South Philadelphia, he trained at Temple University School of Medicine and Lankenau Medical Center. Dr. Wojciechowski is a sought-after speaker on the topics of medical ethics and the biology of cancer.
One of the goals of treatment for DCIS and early-stage breast cancer — which is stage I, II, or stage III cancer — is to stop the cancer from coming back, called recurrence by doctors. Dr. Wojciechowski joined us to talk about recurrence risk and how it's estimated.
Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Wojciechowski discuss:
- the factors used to determine each breast cancer's risk of recurrence
- the steps a person can take to help keep the risk of recurrence as low as it can be
- how tests called tumor genomic assays can help estimate the risk of recurrence
Running time: 16:39
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Breast Cancer, a CEO, and a New Nonhormonal Birth Control
June 25, 2021
Saundra Pelletier is the CEO and founder of Evofem Biosciences. Saundra was diagnosed with stage III breast cancer while her company was conducting phase III clinical trials on Phexxi, a nonhormonal contraceptive gel for women. She describes herself as a mother, daughter, CEO, and trailblazer. She has more than two decades of experience of executive leadership at companies and nonprofits focusing on women's health.
Listen to the episode to hear Saundra discuss:
- how she led her company without taking a leave of absence while being treated for breast cancer
- how breast cancer changed her
- how Phexxi, a nonhormonal birth control gel, was developed, how it works, and why it's safe for women who've been diagnosed with breast cancer
- her advice for women who've just been diagnosed with breast cancer
Running time: 47:05
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Breast Cancer Research at the 2021 ASCO Annual Meeting
June 28, 2021
Dr. Jennifer Litton is a board-certified medical oncologist and professor of breast medical oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where she is also vice president of clinical research.
The 2021 American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting was held virtually June 4-8, and there were a number of studies on breast cancer presented. Dr. Litton joined us to talk about some of the most notable research.
Listen to the episode to hear her explain:
- results from the OlympiA trial, showing that Lynparza (chemical name: oliparib) offered benefits for early-stage breast cancer in people with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation
- results from the NEOTALA trial showing that Talzenna (chemical name: talazoparib) offered benefits for early-stage breast cancer in people with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation when given before surgery
- updated results showing continued better overall survival when advanced-stage, hormone-receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer is treated with the CDK4/6 inhibitors Ibrance (chemical name: palbociclib) or Kisqali (chemical name: ribociclib)
Running time: 23:19
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Reconstruction Options After Lumpectomy
July 16, 2021
Dr. Monique Gary is a board-certified, fellowship-trained breast surgical oncologist and medical director of the Grand View Health-Penn Cancer Network Cancer Program in Sellersville, Penn., where she also serves as director of the Breast Program. As a physician, advocate, and expert on health and healthcare disparities, she is passionate about developing integrative, holistic, and innovative approaches to cancer treatment, prevention, and general wellness.
Dr. Gary joined us to talk about oncoplastic lumpectomy surgery, which is lumpectomy to remove the breast cancer followed by immediate breast reconstruction. In many cases, lumpectomy and reconstruction are done during the same surgery. The goal is to have the best possible cosmetic outcomes, without the need for any additional surgery to correct any dents or asymmetry.
Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Gary explain:
- how and why oncoplastic lumpectomy was developed
- who is and isn't a good candidate for oncoplastic lumpectomy
- the benefits and drawbacks of oncoplastic lumpectomy
- things to consider when deciding between lumpectomy and mastectomy
Running time: 25:05
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Tattoo Ink Showing Up on Mammograms
August 20, 2021
Dr. Susan Summerton is associate professor of clinical radiology at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Summerton joined us to talk about an issue that many people are unaware of: Ink from tattoos on the upper body migrating to the lymph nodes and showing up as white specs on a mammogram. In some cases, this can lead to more tests to rule out breast cancer.
Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Summerton explain:
- how tattoo ink ends up in the underarm lymph nodes
- how often this happens
- how often tattoo ink leads to more testing
- what women with tattoos who are getting regular mammograms should know
Running time: 15:26
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Keytruda Added to Chemotherapy Improves Overall Survival for Metastatic PD-L1-Positive, Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
September 24, 2021
Dr. Hope Rugo is professor of medicine in the division of hematology and oncology at the University of California San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, where she is also the director of breast oncology and clinical trials education. Dr. Rugo is also a member of the Breastcancer.org Professional Advisory Board. She is a principal investigator of a number of clinical trials looking at combining new targeted and immunotherapy medicines with standard treatments for both early-stage and advanced-stage breast cancer and has published hundreds of peer-reviewed papers.
At the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress 2021, Dr. Rugo presented final results from the KEYNOTE-355 trial, which was looking to see if Keytruda (chemical name: pembrolizumab) and chemotherapy were better than chemotherapy alone as a first treatment for metastatic PD-L1-positive, triple-negative breast cancer. Earlier results found that adding Keytruda to chemotherapy improved progression-free survival — how long people lived before the cancer grew — for this type of breast cancer. These new results show that adding Keytruda improves overall survival — how long people live whether the breast cancer grows or not.
Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Rugo explain:
- what the KEYNOTE-355 aimed to do
- whether Keytruda offers benefits for PD-L1-negative disease
- why it's important for a medicine to improve overall survival as well as progression-free survival
- the differences in PD-L1 tests and what they mean for the effectiveness of breast cancer checkpoint inhibitor medicines
Running time: 25:03
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The Importance of Diversity in Breast Cancer Clinical Trials
September 15, 2021
Dr. Lola Fayanju is the Helen O. Dickens Presidential Associate Professor at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, where she is also chief of breast surgery at Penn Medicine, as well as surgical director of the Rena Rowan Breast Center. Her research focuses on health disparities, aggressive breast cancer variants, and improving value in oncology.
Studies show that overall participation in cancer clinical trials is low, and participation by people of color is even lower. This is thought to be part of the reason that minority women — especially Black women — have worse breast cancer outcomes than white women.
One strategy to help reduce disparities in breast cancer outcomes is to make clinical trials more diverse.
Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Fayanju explain:
- why diversity in clinical trials is important
- some of the barriers that keep people of color from enrolling in clinical trials and how they can be overcome
- how she talks to all her patients about clinical trials
Running time: 31:11
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Breast Cancer Research at ESMO 2021
October 21, 2021
Dr. Brian Wojciechowski practices medical oncology in Delaware County, Pennsylvania at Riddle, Taylor, and Crozer hospitals and also serves as Breastcancer.org's medical adviser. A native of South Philadelphia, he trained at Temple University School of Medicine and Lankenau Medical Center. Dr. Wojciechowski is a sought-after speaker on the topics of medical ethics and the biology of cancer.
Dr. Wojciechowski joined us to talk about some of the most notable research at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress 2021.
Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Wojciechowski explain:
- what an antibody-drug conjugate is
- results from the DESTINY-Breast03 study, showing Enhertu more than doubled the 12-month progression-free survival rate compared to Kadcyla in people diagnosed with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer that had been previously treated
- results from the BrighTNess study, showing adding carboplatin to chemotherapy before surgery improves progression-free survival.
Running time: 14:09
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Kisqali Plus Femara Seems Best Option for Advanced-Stage Hormone-Receptor-Positive HER2-Negative Breast Cancer
October 1, 2021
Dr. Gabriel Hortobagyi is professor of breast medical oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. He is a past president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and is one of the world's leading authorities on breast cancer treatment. He has published more than 1,000 papers in peer-reviewed journals.
At the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress 2021, Dr. Hortobagyi presented overall survival results from the MONALEESA-2 trial, which compared the combination of Kisqali and Femara to Femara alone to treat advanced-stage hormone-receptor-positive HER2-negative breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Earlier results from the study found that adding Kisqali to Femara improved progression-free survival — the amount of time the women lived without the cancer growing. These new results found that the combination of Kisqali and Femara also improved overall survival — the length of time women lived whether the cancer grew or not.
Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Hortobagyi explain:
- the goals of the MONALEESA-2 study
- why the overall survival difference of more than 1 year is so important
- whether the improvement in overall survival is likely to be the same no matter which aromatase inhibitor is used
- what the results mean for postmenopausal women diagnosed with advanced-stage hormone-receptor-positive HER2-negative breast cancer
Running time: 19:47
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Breast Cancer Research at ESMO 2021
October 21, 2021
Dr. Brian Wojciechowski practices medical oncology in Delaware County, Pennsylvania at Riddle, Taylor, and Crozer hospitals and also serves as Breastcancer.org's medical adviser. A native of South Philadelphia, he trained at Temple University School of Medicine and Lankenau Medical Center. Dr. Wojciechowski is a sought-after speaker on the topics of medical ethics and the biology of cancer.
Dr. Wojciechowski joined us to talk about some of the most notable research at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress 2021.
Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Wojciechowski explain:
- what an antibody-drug conjugate is
- results from the DESTINY-Breast03 study, showing Enhertu more than doubled the 12-month progression-free survival rate compared to Kadcyla in people diagnosed with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer that had been previously treated
- results from the BrighTNess study, showing adding carboplatin to chemotherapy before surgery improves progression-free survival.
Running time: 14:09
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Alcohol and Breast Cancer Risk
November 5, 2021
Dr. Avonne Connor is assistant professor of epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University. Much of Dr. Connor's research focuses on cancer health disparities in women, especially cancer risk factors that people have some control over, such as drinking alcohol, weight, exercise, and smoking.
Listen to the episode to her Dr. Connor explain:
- how much alcohol affects breast cancer risk
- why alcohol as a breast cancer risk factor is so emotional
- why binge drinking is so harmful
- why drinking during treatment isn't a good idea
- steps people can take if they want to reduce or quit drinking
Running time: 24:45
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Experimental Elacestrant: A Standard of Care for Pretreated, Metastatic, Hormone Receptor-Positive, HER2-Negative Breast Cancer?
December 11, 2021
Dr. Aditya Bardia is associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and director of the breast cancer research program at Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center.
At the 2021 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, he presented results from the EMERALD trial, comparing the experimental medicine elacestrant to the standard of care for post-menopausal women diagnosed with metastatic, hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer that has grown during treatment with hormonal therapy. That standard of care is either Faslodex or an aromatase inhibitor.
Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Bardia explain:
- how elacestrant works
- the results of the EMERALD study
- what the results mean for post-menopausal women and men diagnosed with metastatic, hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer that has grown while being treated with hormonal therapy
Running time: 12:58
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Aromatase Inhibitors versus Tamoxifen for Pre-Menopausal Women Diagnosed With Early-Stage, Hormone Receptor-Positive Disease
December 13, 2021
Dr. Jeremy Braybrooke, is a consultant medical oncologist and clinical lead for oncology at University Hospitals Bristol, as well as a senior clinical research fellow at the University of Oxford. Rosie Bradley is a medical statistician in the Clinical Trial Service Unit at the University of Oxford.
At the 2021 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, Rosie presented the results of their meta-analysis of four studies looking at effectiveness of aromatase inhibitors compared to tamoxifen in pre-menopausal women diagnosed with early-stage, hormone receptor-positive disease.
Listen to the episode to hear them explain:
- the results of the study, showing that an aromatase inhibitor and ovarian suppression reduced recurrence risk more than tamoxifen, but didn't lead to better overall survival
- the side effects of aromatase inhibitors and tamoxifen
- how Dr. Braybrooke is advising his pre-menopausal patients diagnosed with early-stage, hormone receptor-positive disease
Running time: 14:19
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Top Research Presented at the 2021 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium
December 21, 2021
Dr. Sara Tolaney is chief of the Division of Breast Oncology and associate director of the Susan F. Smith Center for Women's Cancers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, as well as associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.
The 2021 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium featured four days of presentations on the latest research on breast cancer. Dr. Tolaney joined us to discuss the research that is most immediately applicable to people who've been diagnosed with the disease.
Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Tolaney explain:
- results of an early study looking at how effective the experimental medicine datopotamab deruxtecan was in treating metastatic, triple-negative breast cancer
- a study comparing Enhertu (chemical name: fam-trastuzumab-deruxtecan-nxki) to Kadcyla (chemical name: T-DM1 or ad-trastuzumab emtansine) for metastatic, HER2-positive breast cancer that had spread to the brain
- the studies that she thinks are practice-changing
Running time: 10:00
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Adolescent and Young Adult Breast Cancer
March 28, 2022
Rebecca Johnson, MD, discusses issues that are more challenging for younger women with breast cancer, reconstruction considerations for young women, and her advice for a newly diagnosed adolescent or young woman.
Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Johnson discuss:
- why the number of younger women diagnosed with breast cancer is going up, as well as the size of the increase
- issues that are more challenging for younger women with breast cancer reconstruction
- options for very young women
- her advice for a newly diagnosed adolescent or young woman
Running time: 52:45
Listen now or read the transcript.
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April 29. 2022
In this episode, four different people explain their diagnoses and how they approached dating after breast cancer.
Running time: 47:03
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Just Ask: Increasing Diversity in Clinical Trials
May 27, 2022Dr. Nadine Barrett discusses why diversity in clinical trials is so important and how the Just Ask program helps address that lack of diversity.
Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Barrett talk about:
*why diversity in in clinical trials is so important
*what the Just Ask program is and how it works
*reactions to the program
*her recommendations for people who want to be part of a clinical trial
Running time: 28:30
Listen now or read the transcript.0 -
Genetic and Genomic Tests: What's the Difference?
Brian Wojciechowski, MD, explains the differences between genetic testing and genomic testing. If you've been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer, your doctor may have talked to you about genomic testing. You also may have heard about genetic testing. The names sound similar, but the tests are very different.
Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Wojciechowski explain:
- how the tests are used and how they're done
- for whom the tests are recommended
- how the tests are different
- how he talks to his patients about the tests
Running time: 15:16
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Loosening COVID-19 Restrictions and Immunocompromised People: Do You Feel Left Behind?
If you're immunocompromised, are you worried that other people's eagerness to get back to pre-COVID-19 "normal" will make you sick?
If you're being treated for breast cancer, you may be considered immunocompromised, meaning your immune system isn't functioning at its full capacity. As mask mandates are being dropped and other COVID-19 restrictions are loosening, many immunocompromised people feel left behind and are worried that other people's eagerness to get back to quote "normal" may make them sick.
Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Wojciechowski explain:
- vaccine effectiveness in immunocompromised people
- his mask recommendations
- how immunocompromised people can continue to protect themselves
- how he's talking to his patients about this issue
Running time: 16:300 -
Enhertu for HER2-Low Breast Cancer
Jul 8, 2022Brian Wojciechowski, MD, explains what HER2-low breast is and the exciting results showing that Enhertu can help treat it.
At the recent 2022 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, researchers presented results showing Enhertu (chemical name: fam-trastuzumab-deruxtecan-nxki), which is a type of medicine doctors call an antibody-drug conjugate, improved both progression-free survival and overall survival in people diagnosed with previously treated metastatic HER2-low breast cancer.
Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Wojciechowski explain:
- what HER2-low breast cancer is
- how Enhertu works
- how the results of the DESTINY-Breast-04 study will change practice
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Fezolinetant: A Non-Hormonal Treatment for Hot Flashes
July 22, 2022Genevieve Neal-Perry, MD, PhD, discusses her research on fezolinetant as a treatment for hot flashes.
If you've been diagnosed with breast cancer before menopause, some of your treatments, including chemotherapy and hormonal therapy, can bring on menopause earlier and more abruptly than expected, causing hot flashes and night sweats. For some women, these symptoms can be severe and dramatically affect their quality of life.
In search of relief, some women consider hormone replacement therapy (HRT). But because HRT contains hormones — estrogen or a combination of estrogen and progesterone — which can make breast cells grow, it is not recommended for women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Neal-Perry explain:
- how fezolinetant works to ease hot flashes
- fezolinetant side effects
- why the results of her work on the SKYLIGHT 2 study are so exciting for women with a history of breast cancer
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How Therapy Can Help People Affected by Breast Cancer
Aug 5, 2022Stephanie Ross, PhD, talks about how therapy can help people diagnosed with breast cancer and their caregivers, as well as how to find a therapist.
Being diagnosed with breast cancer can be scary, upsetting, and traumatic for the person diagnosed, as well as their family members. Many people could benefit from counseling and therapy, but don't know what services are available or how to find them.
Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Ross explain:
- how therapy or counseling can help people diagnosed with breast cancer
- how to find a therapist that's right for you
- why there is still a lot of stigma and embarrassment attached to therapy
- how to start the process, if you think therapy would benefit you
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Mental Health Benefits of Pets
Aug 19, 2022Steven Feldman explains the science behind the benefits of pets.
We know that many people with breast cancer find that pets offer comfort and companionship and help them better cope with all the emotions that come with a cancer diagnosis and treatment. Steven Feldman joined us to talk about the mental health benefits pets can provide people with cancer, as well as things to think about if you're considering adopting a pet.
Listen to the episode to hear Steve talk about:
- the benefits of pets
- how pets affect people both physiologically and psychologically
- things to consider before adopting a pet
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Enhertu for HER2-Low Breast Cancer: Patient-Reported Outcomes
Sep 14, 2022Dr. Naoto Ueno discusses quality of life results from a study comparing Enhertu to doctors' choice of chemotherapy.
At the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress 2022, Dr. Naoto Ueno presented patient-reported quality-of-life outcomes from the DESTINY-Breast04 study, which found that compared to doctors' choice of chemotherapy, Enhertu (chemical name: fam-trastuzumab-deruxtecan-nxki) improved both progression-free survival and overall survival in people diagnosed with previously treated metastatic HER2-low breast cancer.
Listen to the episode to her Dr. Ueno explain:
- how the researchers assessed quality of life
- the results showing that Enhertu offered better quality of life than the doctors' choice of chemotherapy
- differences in side effects between Enhertu and chemotherapy
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Trodelvy Offers Benefits for Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer
Sep 22, 2022Dr. Hope Rugo discusses the latest results from the TROPiCS-02 trial showing Trodelvy improves overall survival compared to chemotherapy in metastatic, hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer.
At the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress 2022, Dr. Rugo presented results from the TROPiCS-02 trial, which was looking to see if the targeted therapy Trodelvy (chemical name: sacituzumab govitecan-hziy) could offer more benefits for people diagnosed with previously treated, metastatic, hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer than chemotherapy. Currently, Trodelvy is approved to treat previously-treated, metastatic triple-negative breast cancer.
Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Rugo explain:
- the type of medicine Trodelvy is and how it works
- the results showing people diagnosed with previously treated, metastatic, hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer lived longer when they received Trodelvy compared to chemotherapy
- how the results from TROPiCS-02 fit into current treatment options
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Verzenio Improves Overall Survival in Hormone Receptor-Positive, HER2-Negative, Advanced Stage Breast Cancer
Sep 28, 2022Dr. Matthew Goetz explains the latest results from the MONARCH 3 study on Verzenio.
At the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress 2022, Dr. Matthew Goetz presented interim overall survival results from the MONARCH 3 study showing that adding Verzenio to an aromatase inhibitor improves overall survival by 12.6 months for advanced-stage, hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer.
Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Goetz explain:
- how Verzenio works
- the purpose of the MONARCH 3 study
- the difference between progression-free and overall survival and why each is important
- Verzenio side effects
- what the results mean for people diagnosed with advanced-stage, hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer
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Paying for Breast Cancer Care
Sep 30, 2022Joanna Morales and Loriana Hernandez-Aldama talk about the common issues people face when paying for cancer care and offer solutions for them.
Listen to the podcast to hear Joanna and Loriana discuss:
- the four most common issues people face when paying for cancer care
- their personal experiences helping people overcome financial issues
- advice on how to solve financial issues
- resource recommendations for help with financial issues
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What Is Cancer Survivorship?
October 14, 2022Evelyn Robles-Rodriguez explains what cancer survivorship is, as well as how a survivorship care plan can help you live your healthiest life after breast cancer treatment.
The concept of survivorship is complicated and means different things to different people. Still, in most cases, we're usually talking about the time after initial treatments for breast cancer are completed. Evelyn Robles-Rodriguez joined us to explain why the term can be controversial, as well as how a survivorship care plan can monitor for late and long-term side effects.
Listen to the episode to hear Evelyn discuss:
- how she defines survivorship
- the most common late and long-term side effects someone who's been diagnosed with breast cancer may have
- the screening tests she recommends for everyone who's received breast cancer treatment
Learn more about Breast Cancer Survivorship.
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