Breastcancer.org Podcasts: Experts discuss research & issues
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Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Breast Implant Scar Tissue
October 28, 2022Brian Wojciechowski, MD, discusses the new FDA safety alert about cases of squamous cell carcinoma in the scar tissue that surrounds implants.
In September 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) put out a safety alert about reports of squamous cell carcinoma and other lymphomas in the scar tissue that forms around breast implants.
Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Wojciechowski explain:
- what squamous cell carcinoma is and how it's different from anaplastic large-cell lymphoma
- what he thinks about squamous cell carcinomas being found in the scar tissue around both textured and smooth breast implants
- the rarity of squamous cell carcinoma in implant scar tissue, how he's talking to patients about it, and what women should look for
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Healthy Eating During Breast Cancer Treatment
Nov 11, 2022Amy Bragagnini, RD, MS, explains the benefits of healthy eating during treatment.
If you've been diagnosed with breast cancer, eating nutritious food is an important part of your treatment plan. What you eat can affect your recovery from treatment, your energy levels, and how severe some side effects may be.
Listen to the episode to hear Amy explain:
- her definition of healthy eating
- how to wade through all the conflicting stories in the media about nutrition research
- ways to eat when you're having specific treatments and side effects
- how to start eating healthier
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Helping Patients Advocate for Themselves
Dec 2, 2022Dr. Jennifer Griggs explains her research into how "activated" patients can get more equitable care from their doctors.
We know that disparities exist in healthcare, including in breast cancer outcomes and in general care before someone is diagnosed. Evidence suggests that structural racism, including how doctors talk to their patients and what they talk to them about, may be at the heart of some of these disparities.
A study led by Dr. Jennifer Griggs found that coaching patients to talk to their doctors about their concerns about their care and advocate for themselves can offset doctors' implicit biases and lead to better care for Black patients.
Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Griggs explain:
- how an activated patient behaves
- how doctors' implicit biases can affect patient care
- steps you can take if you want to be a more activated patient
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What Patients Want Doctors and Researchers to Know About Living With Metastatic Breast Cancer
Dec 7, 2022
Metastatic breast cancer patient advocates Christine Hodgdon and Stephanie Walker explain why the viewpoints of people living with metastatic breast cancer need to be incorporated into research.A number of issues affecting people diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, including financial toxicity, support, and early palliative care, were discussed at an educational session on the first day of the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. Metastatic patient advocates Christine Hodgdon and Stephanie Walker talked about what they want researchers and clinicians to know about day-to-day life with metastatic disease.
Listen to the episode to hear Christine and Stephanie discuss:
- why the patient perspective is important
- if and how the patient perspective is taken into account as new treatments are developed
- what they hope happens as a result of their participation in the session
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Experimental Elacestrant Seems Effective for Breast Cancer Resistant to Other Types of Hormonal Therapy
Dec 8, 2022
Dr. Virginia Kaklamani explains the latest results from the EMERALD trial comparing elacestrant to the standard of care.Doctors are looking for new treatment options for people diagnosed with metastatic hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer that has grown during treatment with hormonal therapy and a CDK4/6 inhibitor. Dr. Virginia Kaklamani is part of the team investigating elacestrant, an oral medicine, to see if offers more benefits than Faslodex (chemical name: fulvestrant), which is the current standard of care.
Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Kaklamani explain:
- the type of medicine elacestrant is and how it works
- why it's important that elacestrant showed benefits for breast cancers with an ESR1 mutation
- when we might hear if elacestrant is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
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Enhertu Offers Better Overall Survival Than Kadcyla for Metastatic HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
Dec 9, 2022
Dr. Sara Hurvitz discusses new overall survival results from the DESTINY-Breast03 study.2021 results from the DESTINY-Breast03 study showed that Enhertu (chemical name: fam-trastuzumab-deruxtecan-nxki) more than doubled the 12-month progression-free survival rate compared to Kadcyla (chemical name: T-DM1 or ado-trastuzumab emtansine) in people diagnosed with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer that had been previously treated.
At the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, Dr. Sara Hurvitz presented new overall survival results, showing that Enhertu also improves overall survival compared to Kadcyla.
Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Hurvitz explain:
- overall survival and progression-free survival results
- severe side effects of Enhertu
- how the researchers managed any severe lung problems that developed in people receiving Enhertu
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What I Get From Breastcancer.org Meetups
Dec 10, 2022Breastcancer.org Community Member Vanessa Onsurez talks about her diagnosis, #ThisIsMBC, and Meetups.
Vanessa Onsurez, who was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in 2021, explains the #ThisIsMBC project at the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium and the benefits she gets from the Breastcancer.org Virtual Community Meetups.
Listen to the episode to hear Vanessa discuss:
- how she got involved in #ThisIsMBC
- how she found Breastcancer.org and what she's learned in the Meetups
- what she wants to leave as her legacy
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2022 SABCS Key Take-Aways
Dec 13, 2022Dr. Stephanie Graff explains the most interesting research presented at the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.
The 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium featured five days of research presentations, educational sessions, and posters. The amount of research presented can be overwhelming, so we asked Dr. Stephanie Graff to break down the key take-aways for people who've been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Graff explain:
- updated results from the monarchE study
- updated results from the TAILORx study
- results from the RIGHT Choice trial
- her thoughts on whether HER2-low breast cancer is a distinct subtype
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GRASP: Helping Advocates Understand Research, Helping Researchers Understand Patients
Dec 14, 2022Patient advocates and researchers who are part of GRASP talk about what they've learned from the program.
GRASP – Guiding Researchers and Advocates to Scientific Partnership – connects patients, doctors, and researchers to exchange ideas and learn from each other. At the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, we asked advocates and researchers who are part of the program what they have learned from the program.
Listen to the episode to learn about:
- plans for launching a Spanish version of the program
- how the mentor aspect of the program works
- how the program helps researchers refine their programs
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Dr. Nicholas Turner explains research looking at capivasertib, a new targeted therapy medicine.
Researchers are always looking for new treatments for advanced-stage breast cancer. Dr. Nicholas Turner explains the results of the CAPitello-291 trial, looking capivasertib, an experimental targeted therapy medicine, in combination with Faslodex (chemical name: fulvestrant) as a treatment for advanced-stage, hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer that has become resistant to the aromatase inhibitors.
Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Turner explain:
- how capivasertib works
- the results of the CAPitello-291 trial
- how capivasertib worked on cancers previously treated with a CDK4/6 inhibitor
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Cancer Culture: Art, Culture, and Equitable Development
Dec 16, 2022Metastatic advocate Beth Fairchild discusses her new non-profit.
At the 2022 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, metastatic breast cancer advocate Beth Fairchild sat down with us to talk about her new organization, Cancer Culture, and what it aims to do. Listen to the podcast to hear Beth discuss:
- why being an advocate is important to her
- how and why Cancer Culture was created
- the work Cancer Culture created for the #ThisIsMBC campaign
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Low-Dose Tamoxifen to Reduce Risk in Women Who Received Chest Radiation
Jan 6, 2023Dr. Sandhya Pruthi explains a study on using low-dose tamoxifen to reduce breast cancer risk in women who received radiation to the chest as children.
Women with a higher-than-average risk of breast cancer often take tamoxifen to reduce that risk. There are a number of reasons why a woman might have a higher risk of breast cancer, including receiving chest radiation for childhood cancer, such as Hodgkin lymphoma. Dr. Sandhya Pruthi joined us to discuss a study looking at whether a lower dose of tamoxifen helps reduce breast cancer risk in women who received radiation to the chest as children.
Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Pruthi explain:
- why women who received childhood chest radiation have a higher risk of breast cancer
- how the study came about and its results
- how she counsels her patients who have a higher-than-average risk of breast cancer because they had chest radiation as children
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Medical Aid in Dying Laws
Jan 20, 2023John McGeehan, MD, FACP, discusses laws that allow people to make the decision to end their lives.
Medical aid in dying laws, also called death with dignity laws, physician-assisted suicide laws, and right-to-die laws, are difficult for some people to think about, but for others they're hugely important. Listen to the episode to hear Dr. McGeehan explain:
- the history of how medical aid in dying laws came about
- the checks and balances in place to ensure the laws are used ethically
- the costs associated with using the laws
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Sexual Health Side Effects From Breast Cancer Treatment
Feb 17, 2023Dr. Sarah Tevis discusses her research on how women want to be told about sexual health side effects that can be caused by breast cancer treatment.
Dr. Sarah Tevis recently conducted a study that found that many women who receive breast cancer treatment have side effects that affect their sexual health. While doctors usually talk to women about possible fertility and menopausal side effects, other common side effects, including vaginal dryness, body image issues, and lack of desire aren't mentioned. The results also showed that women have specific preferences on how this type of sensitive information should be presented.
Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Tevis explain:
- why it's difficult for women to bring up sexual health side effects
- when women want doctors to discuss sexual health
- how women would like sexual health information to be presented
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Breast Cancer Vaccines
March 3, 2023Drs. G. Thomas Budd and Justin Johnson explain how they're working to develop a vaccine against triple-negative breast cancer.
Dr. G. Thomas Budd, an oncologist and Dr. Justin Johnson, an immunologist, are collaborating on research looking at a vaccine to prevent triple-negative breast cancer. Their very early studies in mouse models were successful and now they've started two small, early studies in people.
Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Budd and Dr. Johnson explain:
- how a cancer vaccine would work in general
- how their vaccine works
- side effects the vaccine may cause
- how long they think it will take before a vaccine is available for approval
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Breast Cancer Survival Differences in Black and White Women
Mar 16, 2023Dr. Kent Hoskins explains his research on some of the causes of breast cancer survival disparities.
Although Black women are less like to be diagnosed with breast cancer than white women, they are more likely to die if they do develop the disease. Much of Dr. Kent Hoskins' research focuses on trying to figure out the factors behind this difference in survival. He was the lead author of a paper in the journal JAMA Oncology that found that both the characteristics of a breast cancer, as well the environment in which women live, contribute equally to this survival disparity.
Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Hoskins explain:
- when survival differences were first noticed
- what social determinants of health are
- how he and his colleagues developed their study
- what the results mean for Black women who develop breast cancer
- what the next steps are for his research
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Breast Cancer Care for LGBTQ+ People
Apr 7, 2023Dr. Erik Eckhert explains his research on disparities in breast cancer care for people in the LGBTQ+ community.
In a paper published in JAMA Oncology, Dr. Erik Eckert, of Stanford, and his colleagues found that LGBTQ people with breast cancer faces delays in diagnosis and have a three times higher risk of recurrence than heterosexual cisgender people.
Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Eckhert discuss:
- the discrimination LGBTQ+ people face when going to doctor's appointments and other healthcare visits
- why he decided to do the study and what the results were
- the next steps for this research
- how LGBTQ+ people can make sure they're getting the best and most appropriate care, whether it's for breast cancer or another issue
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Cognitively Based Compassion Training May Help Ease Stress
April 21, 2023
Dr. Thaddeus Pace discusses his study on using a specific type of meditation to help ease stress and depression in women with a history of breast cancer and their partners.
Dr. Thaddeus Pace is one of the leaders of the Breast Cancer SUPORT (Survivors and Partners Online Research Together) Project, which is studying how cognitively based compassion training, a specific type of guided meditation, can help women with a history of breast cancer, as well as their partners.
Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Pace explain:
- the differences between cognitively based compassion training and other types of meditation
- the benefits of cognitively based compassion training
- the goals of the Breast Cancer SUPORT Project and how people can join the study, if they’d like to do so
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Music Listening Helps Treat Cognitive Problems
May 5, 2023
Dr. Ashley Henneghan explains her research showing listening to classical music helped ease memory and thinking problems in people who received breast cancer treatment.
Before, during, and after breast cancer treatment — especially chemotherapy and hormonal therapy — many people find it difficult to think clearly and to remember and concentrate on things. Doctors refer to these issues as cognitive impairment or cognitive problems. People who’ve received chemotherapy commonly refer to them as chemo brain or chemo fog.
Dr. Ashley Henneghan, of the University of Texas at Austin, has found that listening to classical music for just 12 minutes a day can help relieve these cognitive issues.
Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Henneghan talk about:
- how she decided to study music as a treatment for cognitive issues
- whether other types of music besides classical may also work
- her theories on how music helps
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Cancer Ghosting: What It Is and How to Respond
May 15, 2023
Kelly Grosklags, a licensed clinical social worker and grief counselor, explains cancer ghosting and some of the best ways to respond.
Cancer ghosting – when friends and loved ones cease all contact after a cancer diagnosis – is a common and extremely painful experience for many people diagnosed with breast cancer.
Listen to the podcast to hear Kelly explain:
- why some people ghost people with cancer
- how frequently cancer ghosting happens
- the best ways to respond to cancer ghosting
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Treatments for Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large-Cell Lymphoma
June 2, 2023
Dr. Sarosh Zafar explains the differences between the types of capsulectomies used to remove a rare type of lymphoma linked to textured breast implants.
Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma, also called BIA-ALCL, is a rare type of cancer of the immune system that can develop in the scar tissue capsule and fluid surrounding a breast implant. In some cases, it can spread throughout the body. BIA-ALCL is curable in most patients if it’s diagnosed early and treated appropriately, but a small number of women have died from the illness.
Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Zafar explain:
- what we currently know about BIA-ALCL and its causes
- treatments for BIA-ALCL
- the differences between the three types of capsulectomies available
- reconstruction options for women who have implants removed
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Better Sexual Health for Women Taking Hormonal Therapy
June 7, 2023
Dr. Kristin Rojas discusses some of the most troubling sexual issues women taking hormonal therapy experience, as well as some treatment options.
Hormonal therapy can cause a number of troubling issues for women, including loss of libido, hot flashes, and pain during sex. At the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, Dr. Kristin Rojas chaired a session called “A Juggling Act: Managing the Toxicity of Estrogen Deprivation for Patients With Breast Cancer.”
Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Rojas explain:
- some of the most problematic issues and how they can be treated
- some of the therapies, products, and devices to avoid
- how women can find help for sexual issues
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Kisqali Helps Treat Early-Stage Breast Cancer
June 7, 2023
Dr. Dennis Slamon discusses results from the NATALEE trial and how Kisqali reduces the risk of early-stage breast cancer coming back.
At the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, Dr. Slamon presented results from the NATALEE trial, showing that Kisqali plus an aromatase inhibitor after surgery for early-stage, hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer, reduced recurrence risk by 25% compared to an aromatase inhibitor alone.
Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Slamon explain:
- why he thought Kisqali could benefit people with early-stage breast cancer
- the side effects Kisqali can cause
- what the results mean for people diagnosed with early-stage, hormone receptor-positive disease
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Cannabis for Peripheral Neuropathy
June 7, 2023
Dr. Marisa Weiss shares the results of her study showing cannabis can help ease the tingling and numbness in the hands and feet caused by chemotherapy.
At the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting Dr. Marisa Weiss, founder and chief medical officer of Breastcancer.org, presented results from her study looking at cannabis to ease peripheral neuropathy caused by chemotherapy.
Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Weiss explain:
- how chemotherapy causes peripheral neuropathy
- the cannabis product she studied and how it can be obtained
- what the results mean for people with peripheral neuropathy
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June 7, 2023
Dr. Stephanie Graff explains the most applicable breast cancer research presented at ASCO 2023.
The 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting featured five days of research presentations, educational sessions, posters, and networking events. The amount of research presented can be overwhelming, so we asked Dr. Stephanie Graff to break down the key takeaways for people who’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Graff explain:
- the results of the NATALEE trial on Kisqali (chemical name: ribociclib) for early-stage breast cancer
- a meta-analysis showing ovarian suppression definitely reduces the risk of recurrence for pre-menopausal women diagnosed with breast cancer
- a poster showing that diclofenac (brand names: Flector, Cambia, Zipsor), a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicine, in a topical gel form seems to help ease hand-foot syndrome caused by the chemotherapy medicine Xeloda (chemical name: capecitabine)
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How Spirituality Can Help People With Breast Cancer
June 23, 2023
Dianne Hyman talks about how faith, prayer, and spirituality helps the women in the support group she leads.
Dianne Hyman founded Sister Will You Help Me, a breast cancer support group for women of faith and color, nearly 22 years ago.
Listen to the episode to hear Dianne talk about:
- why it was important to her to include faith in the support group
- how she sees faith and spirituality helping the women in her group
- how different beliefs can give people a new perspective on things
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Exercise As Breast Cancer Medicine
Jul 7, 2023
Dr. Christina Dieli-Conwright discusses her research on using exercise as medicine before, during, and after a cancer diagnosis.
At the 2023 American Association for Cancer Research (ASCO) Annual Meeting, Dr. Christina Dieli-Conwright gave a presentation entitled “Resistance exercise is medicine: Applications to improve health and cancer outcomes.”
Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Dieli-Conwright explain:
- how she came to study exercise as medicine
- the exercise benefits for people diagnosed with cancer she’s seen in her research
- how to get started with exercise and how to stay motivated
- resource suggestions for people who want to start exercising, including the Exercise is Medicine website and a library of exercise videos from the Zakim Center
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Genomic Assays: What Are the Different Kinds and How Do They Work?
Jul 28, 2023
Brian Wojciechowski, MD, explains the six genomic tests used for breast cancer.
There are several genomic tests -- also called genomic assays -- that analyze a sample of a breast cancer tumor to see how active certain genes are. The results of these tests help people and their doctors decide if more treatments after surgery would offer more benefits than risks.
Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Wojciechowski explain:
- what each test does and when it might be recommended
- how doctors decide which test to use
- how widely applicable the results are
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Medical Cannabis for Breast Cancer Symptoms and Side Effects
Aug 11, 2023
Marisa Weiss, MD, explains everything you need to know about using cannabis for breast cancer symptoms and side effects.
Many people diagnosed with breast cancer decide to use cannabis to ease side effects such as pain, nausea and vomiting.
Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Weiss explain:
- the two main compounds in cannabis
- the symptoms and side effects cannabis has been shown to help'
- how to find a dispensary that meets your needs
- the top three things to consider if you want to try medical cannabis
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Aug 25, 2023
Debu Tripathy, MD, explains what breast cancer biomarkers are and how doctors use them to make treatment decisions.
Biomarkers are molecules that help doctors distinguish breast cancer cells from healthy cells. In general, there are three broad categories of breast cancer biomarkers:
- biomarkers that every breast cancer is tested for
- biomarkers that may be tested for, depending on the characteristics of the cancer
- biomarkers that are being studied
Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Tripathy explain:
- biomarker tests that are always done
- biomarker tests that might be done, the types of breast cancer they’re done on, as well as when they’re done and why they’re done
- experimental biomarkers and how they might be used
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