What topics/experts would you like to see on The Breastcancer.org Podcast?

jamie_bco_senioreditor

Hello, I'm Jamie, senior editor at Breastcancer.org and host of The Breastcancer.org Podcast. I'd like to make sure the podcast is answering questions that Community members have. Are there topics you'd like to see covered? Experts you think I should talk to? Do you want to share your story? Questions you want answered? Let me know and I'll do my best. Thank you!

ann5631

nutrition after breast cancer treatment

snm

The value of blood test looking for breast cancer in very early stage or high grade dcis

texassurvivor

working while in chemo

jamie_bco_senioreditor

Thanks, all!

@ann5631 I have done these two podcasts on nutrition, one specifically during treatment:

https://www.breastcancer.org/podcast/nutrition-breast-cancer

https://www.breastcancer.org/podcast/healthy-eating-during-breast-cancer-treatment

@snm I did this podcast on biomarkers, which includes blood tests: https://www.breastcancer.org/podcast/biomarkers Unfortunately, blood diagnostic tests aren't really used to detect early-stage disease yet.

@texassurvivorThat's a great idea. I'll start looking for a good guest.

jamie_bco_senioreditor

I just scheduled a podcast with Jake Messier, a man living with metastatic breast cancer. If anyone has questions for him. Let me know by Sept. 10. Thanks!

crossh

Spread the word about FES Pet Scans for estrogen positive cancers. They show what normal PET scans miss, like lymph nodes, as in my case.

FES PET (Fluorodeoxyglucose-Estradiol Positron Emission Tomography) scan is a nuclear medicine imaging technique that uses a radioactive tracer to detect estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer. 

jamie_bco_senioreditor

Thanks, crossh! We have info on FES PET scans on this page on the site: https://www.breastcancer.org/screening-testing/pet-scans But it is important to know that FES PET scans do have limitations. Tamoxifen, Orserdu, Evista, and Faslodex can interfere with the ability of FES to attach to hormone receptors. So in many cases, a person has to stop hormonal therapy for a certain amount of time before getting a FES PET scan.

crossh

Yes, but for people like me, who are 8 years out and are not on hormone therapy, this test could have changed the outcome for the better. Honestly, I can't understand why it wouldn't automatically be ordered after a confirmation of EST+ cancer.

jamie_bco_senioreditor

Thanks again! I definitely get your point. But if people are taking hormonal therapy, they and their doctors may not want to stop treatment for six weeks (in the case of tamoxifen). There is also the issue of liver mets. FES can't detect cancer in the liver, even if it's hormone receptor-positive. So while it may be a good test for a number of people, it's not the best test for everyone.

I know that scientists are working on testing new tracers that can better detect cancer. I'm hoping to do a podcast with a PET expert when some of the results are final. Again, thanks for your input!