When you think of cancer treatments do you think of chemotherapy and radiation? Most of us have negative images of these treatments. Today, thankfully, there are newer and better ways of fighting back. It seems that every day researchers are delivering good news: New ways to diagnose, treat and, perhaps someday, cure this disease. But there’s a problem with all this good news. Just one in four women even know about the medical promises of tomorrow. So, if you or someone you love has breast cancer, here’s a look at some of the most positive medical discoveries just around the corner.
Earlier Detection
Earlier is better, we all know that. Now a new scanner can find very small tumors — as small as the size of a pen tip — so treatment can start sooner. It’s called computerized tomography (CT or CAT for short.) A quick scan creates a 3-D image, making it easier for doctors to look for problems. This new scanner captures hundreds of pictures through a special camera that painlessly encircles the breast, while you lie on your stomach. Someday cancer fighters hope to combine the power of the scanner with nuclear medicine. The upside? The detection of chemical changes in breast cells that might indicate a future threat. That means even earlier detection than ever before.
Identifying Cancer Cells Easier
Suppose there was an easier way to identify cancer cells in the body. Here’s one that may hold promise — scintimammography. Doctors inject a radioactive tracer into a vein. The tracer travels through the bloodstream and attaches to breast cancer cells, then a special camera detects these cells. Doctors hope the technique will be helpful in evaluating abnormal mammograms.
Done at the Doctor’s Office
Can cancer cells be frozen to death? Cryoablation involves small metal probes that freeze benign breast tumors. Frontline cancer fighters hope that one day the same technique will get rid of cancerous tumors — all right in your doctor’s office, with just a tiny needle-sized incision.
Less Invasive Treatment
Surgery is never a happy choice for treatment. But now a new laser procedure may make surgery less likely, because the laser can reach cancer cells inside the breast. That means no surgery to remove muscle and breast tissue. The innovative treatment uses two needles — one with a laser, the other with a heat sensor — to irradiate tumor cells. The entire procedure takes about an hour. So far, results are good: Patients involved in preliminary trials report minimal pain.
Honing in on Tumors
We’ve all heard someone say it: The treatment is worse than the disease. Traditional chemotherapy, for instance, does kill healthy cells even as it attacks the cancer cells. If only there were a way to be more precise with treatments — now there may be. They’re called targeted therapies. Treatments like Herceptin block the growth of breast cancer cells while leaving healthy surrounding cells untouched. This better aim means better feelings for patients because severe side effects become a thing of the past.
With the progress science is making, hopefully someday the war against cancer will be won.
Article was reviewed for accuracy by Molly Brewer, M.D., director of the Women’s Cancer Prevention Program at the University of Connecticut Health Center.
Breast Cancer Resources & Support
If you or a loved one is facing a breast cancer diagnosis, help — and hope — is just a mouse click (or phone call) away. The following organizations offer a wealth of patient education materials and emotional support for women with breast cancer and their families.
Regional Organizations
UConn’s Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center
The Breast Cancer Program at the Carole and Ray Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Connecticut Health Center offers a full spectrum of comprehensive breast health services. They employ the most modern and up-to-date techniques for screening, imaging, diagnosis, surgical treatment, reconstruction, chemotherapy, radiation oncology and rehabilitation. The cancer center also offers the Navigator Care Program. This program pairs breast cancer patients with trained volunteers who help them navigate the different facets of their care. “No one should go through breast cancer alone,” says Carolyn D. Runowicz, M.D., director of the Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center and president of the American Cancer Society.
800-579-7822; http://cancer.uchc.edu.
The Charlotte Johnson Hollfelder Foundation, Inc.
Supports breast cancer awareness, education and early detection.
Toll free in Connecticut, 866-4-FEMALE, or 860-679-8899; www.celebrate.uchc.edu.
State of Connecticut Department of Public Health
Offers financial assistance and support for mammography or breast cancer screening. Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection program, 860-509-7804; www.dph.state.ct.us.
State of Massachusetts Department of Public Health
The Women’s Health Network (WHN) in the Bureau of Family and Community Health provides free breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services and health education services. Call 877-414-4447 or visit their Web site at www.mass.gov/dph/cancer/programs.htm.
Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, Connecticut Affiliate
and Massachusetts Affiliate
The Susan G. Komen Cancer Foundation in Connecticut and Massachusetts hosts various fundraising events, including the Komen Race for the Cure®, and is a valuable resource for information and education programs on breast cancer health. For Connecticut —call 860-728-4955 and visit www.komenct.org; For Massachusetts — call 617-737-5111 and visit www.komenmass.org.
National Organizations
American Cancer Society
A nationwide, community-based voluntary health organization that provides information and support on all kinds of cancer, including breast cancer. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, the ACS has state divisions and more than 3,400 local offices.
800-ACS-2345 or 800-227-2345; www.cancer.org.
National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organizations
This New York City-based organization publishes the NABCO Breast Cancer Resource List, which contains a thorough listing of places to go for information on breast cancer and a comprehensive list of support organizations. Visit www.nabco.org.
National Cancer Institute
Provides information on the latest developments in breast cancer research, as well as patient information and support for women and their families. Also provides information on how to join a clinical trial. 800-4-CANCER or 800-422-6237; www.cancer.gov.
Reach to Recovery
Breast cancer survivors trained by the American Cancer Society visit one-on-one with newly diagnosed patients to answer non-medical questions and provide practical and emotional support. For more information or to locate a Reach to Recovery program in your area, visit “In My Community” on the American Cancer Society Web site or call toll-free at 800-ACS-2345.
Information was reviewed for accuracy by Pauline Miller, LCSW, of the Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Connecticut Health Center.
Artwork is for display purposes only and does not necessarily reflect specific items. Not responsible for typographical errors.
