I was reading an article the other day, that scientists with the National Foundation for Cancer Research, are now making remarkable progress when it comes to improving prevention, detection, and treatment of breast cancer.
In the last 5 years I have had several of my friends, ages 40 to 65, discover they had breast cancer. Fortunately, all of them underwent treatment and are now in remission and hopefully clean...except one who underwent lumpectomy. It is comforting to know that doctors can detect cancer sooner and they can treat it..One of the ways they can detect it, is in the blood. Using a business card-sized device and a teaspoon of blood, doctors and researchers can detect and capture a single cancer cell out of a billion normal blood cells. With this breakthrough technology, called the CTC-iChip, they can repeatedly assess the genetic weaknesses of breast cancer, prescribe the most effective treatment for each patient, and change the prescription if the cancer becomes resistant- all without the need for painful, repeated biopsies.
Another way is improving surgery through molecular imaging. This revolutionary new imaging technology can help surgeons visually assess, within minutes, whether the margins of a breast cancer lumpectomy are cancer-free. They are saying that this can drastically reduce the need for second surgeries (currently 20-60%), and reduce the risk of 'surgically missed' cancer.
The scientist have also discovered several metastasis suppressor genes, and new targeted therapies that hold great promise to find, prevent, and stop the cancer from spreading.
The NFCR is working with other scientists around the world providing critical resources.
All of this is great news, but we need to do our part in helping whenever we can and support these groups, and also give ourselves a hand in fighting breast cancer with regular monthly self exams. CALL YOUR DOCTOR immediately if you notice any changes.
In the last 5 years I have had several of my friends, ages 40 to 65, discover they had breast cancer. Fortunately, all of them underwent treatment and are now in remission and hopefully clean...except one who underwent lumpectomy. It is comforting to know that doctors can detect cancer sooner and they can treat it..One of the ways they can detect it, is in the blood. Using a business card-sized device and a teaspoon of blood, doctors and researchers can detect and capture a single cancer cell out of a billion normal blood cells. With this breakthrough technology, called the CTC-iChip, they can repeatedly assess the genetic weaknesses of breast cancer, prescribe the most effective treatment for each patient, and change the prescription if the cancer becomes resistant- all without the need for painful, repeated biopsies.
Another way is improving surgery through molecular imaging. This revolutionary new imaging technology can help surgeons visually assess, within minutes, whether the margins of a breast cancer lumpectomy are cancer-free. They are saying that this can drastically reduce the need for second surgeries (currently 20-60%), and reduce the risk of 'surgically missed' cancer.
The scientist have also discovered several metastasis suppressor genes, and new targeted therapies that hold great promise to find, prevent, and stop the cancer from spreading.
The NFCR is working with other scientists around the world providing critical resources.
All of this is great news, but we need to do our part in helping whenever we can and support these groups, and also give ourselves a hand in fighting breast cancer with regular monthly self exams. CALL YOUR DOCTOR immediately if you notice any changes.
