Intimacy and Insight: Sexual Health After Breast Cancer

Sexual health after breast cancer is a topic too often left in the shadows - yet it profoundly affects quality of life both during and post-diagnosis.

In this episode, Dr Belinda Yeo and Dr Virginia Baird open the conversation, sharing insights into how we can better support patients navigating intimacy, identity, and well-being after breast cancer treatment.

In this episode, we sit down with Belinda and Virginia to discuss:

• (0:50) Why sexual health is such an important, but often overlooked, component of breast cancer care.
• (1:23) The most commonly identified sexual health issues that patients face.
• (07:20) The changes that need to happen within clinical practice to better support breast cancer patients.

Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.

⁠⁠⁠Donate to Support Life-Saving Research⁠⁠⁠.

Like this episode? ⁠⁠⁠Find more Breast Cancer Trials Podcast Episodes here⁠⁠⁠

Follow Breast Cancer Trials on Social Media: - Instagram:⁠ ⁠⁠@breastcancertrials⁠⁠⁠ 

- Facebook:⁠ ⁠⁠Breast Cancer Trials⁠⁠⁠ 

- LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠Breast Cancer Trials⁠⁠⁠ 

- X: ⁠⁠⁠@BCTrialsANZ⁠⁠⁠

Guests: Medical Oncologist Belinda Yeo, and Breast Clinician Virginia Baird.

Thank you for listening! If you found this episode valuable, please share it with your loved ones and help spread awareness about breast cancer and sexual health.

If you were interested in learning more listen to our online Q&A event, moderated by Author and Journalist Annabel Crabb, on Breast Cancer and Sex.

Choosing Your Path & Navigating Difficult Treatment Decisions

What happens when patients say ‘no’ to recommended treatments? The search for alternatives can be confronting for both patients and clinicians.

Associate Professor Lesley Stafford explores why some patients take this path, what it means for their outcomes, and how the medical community can better navigate these difficult conversations.

In this episode, we sit down with Lesley to discuss:

• (03:38) Some of the challenges that clinicians face when trying to support a patient who refuses a recommended treatment.
• (06:09) How to approach difficult conversations between patients and clinicians.
• (09:42) How to identify and select appropriate alternative therapies.

Tune in for a deep dive into this important topic.

⁠⁠⁠Donate to Support Life-Saving Research⁠⁠⁠

Like this episode? ⁠⁠⁠Find more Breast Cancer Trials Podcast Episodes here⁠⁠⁠

Follow Breast Cancer Trials on Social Media: - Instagram:⁠ ⁠⁠@breastcancertrials⁠⁠⁠ 

- Facebook:⁠ ⁠⁠Breast Cancer Trials⁠⁠⁠ 

- LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠Breast Cancer Trials⁠⁠⁠ 

X: ⁠⁠⁠@BCTrialsANZ⁠⁠⁠

Guest: Clinical Psychologist, Associate Professor Lesley Stafford.

Thank you for listening! If you found this episode valuable, please share it with your loved ones and help spread awareness about breast cancer.

#breastcancer #cancertreatment #clinicalpsychology #breastcancertrials #clinicaltrials #research

Lotjpa Yapaneyepuk (Talk Together): Bridging Communities and Cancer Research

 Access to clinical trials isn't equal, and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Regional Victoria, barriers in accessing treatment for breast cancer remain. Dr Monica Green and Ms Leah Lindrea-Morrison share an initiative that's breaking down those barriers by talking together, listening deeply, and creating culturally safe pathways to clinical trials.

In this episode, we sit down with Monica and Leah to discuss:

- (05:46) The historical, cultural, and systemic factors that influence trust in medical research and clinical trials, among indigenous communities.

- (08:25) Strategies or initiatives that have been effective in improving access or building those stronger relationships with communities in regional Victoria.

- (10:58) The role of community engagement and co-design in creating a more inclusive and culturally safe research opportunity for patients.

- (13:15) How clinicians and researchers can better support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients to consider and navigate trial participation.

- (16:00) What an equitable and accessible trial landscape looks like, and how we can get there.

Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.

⁠⁠⁠Donate to Support Life-Saving Research⁠⁠⁠

Like this episode? ⁠⁠⁠Find more Breast Cancer Trials Podcast Episodes here⁠⁠⁠

Follow Breast Cancer Trials on Social Media: - Instagram:⁠ ⁠⁠@breastcancertrials⁠⁠⁠ 

- Facebook:⁠ ⁠⁠Breast Cancer Trials⁠⁠⁠ 

- LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠Breast Cancer Trials⁠⁠⁠ 

- X: ⁠⁠⁠@BCTrialsANZ⁠⁠⁠

Guests: Dr Monica Green and Ms Leah Lindrea-Morrison from Victoria.

Music: Noa Zulu - Meditension

Thank you for listening! If you found this episode valuable, please share it with your loved ones and help spread awareness about creating culturally safe pathways to clinical trials.

4CASTING the Future: Innovations in Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Triple negative breast cancer remains one of the most challenging types to treat because it lacks the common treatment targets, grows and spreads aggressively, is highly diverse and currently has limited effective therapies - but new research is changing the story.  

Associate Professor Rachel Dear takes us inside the 4CAST trial, showing how science moves from bench to bedside and what this could mean for the future of triple-negative breast cancer treatment. 

In this episode, we sit down with Rachel to discuss:

- (01:32) What makes triple-negative breast cancer so difficult to treat?

- (02:26) What pre-clinical findings led to the development of the 4CAST clinical trial?

- (08:37) The future of treatment for triple-negative breast cancer.

Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.

⁠⁠⁠Donate to Support Life-Saving Research⁠⁠⁠

Like this episode? ⁠⁠⁠Find more Breast Cancer Trials Podcast Episodes here⁠⁠⁠

Follow Breast Cancer Trials on Social Media: Instagram:⁠ ⁠⁠@breastcancertrials⁠⁠⁠ 

Facebook:⁠ ⁠⁠Breast Cancer Trials⁠⁠⁠ 

LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠Breast Cancer Trials⁠⁠⁠ 

X: ⁠⁠⁠@BCTrialsANZ⁠⁠⁠

Guest: Medical Oncologist Rachel Dear, from Sydney.

Thank you for listening! If you found this episode valuable, please share it with your loved ones and help spread awareness about triple-negative breast cancer.

Listen to Your Heart: Cardiac Care After Breast Cancer

Breast cancer treatments save lives, but sometimes it can leave the heart at risk. Professor Thomas Marwick sheds light on cardiac care for breast cancer survivors, exploring how monitoring and management strategies can protect heart health long after treatment ends.

In this episode, we sit down with Thomas to discuss:

- (01:09) The common cardiac risks associated with breast cancer therapies.

- (02:24) Patient monitoring during and post-treatment.

- (04:07) Balancing effective treatment while protecting cardiac function.

- (05:19) Emerging technologies to improve detection and prevent cardiac events from occurring.

Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.

⁠⁠⁠Donate to Support Life-Saving Research⁠⁠⁠

Like this episode? ⁠⁠⁠Find more Breast Cancer Trials Podcast Episodes here⁠⁠⁠

Follow Breast Cancer Trials on Social Media: - Instagram:⁠ ⁠⁠@breastcancertrials⁠⁠⁠ 

- Facebook:⁠ ⁠⁠Breast Cancer Trials⁠⁠⁠ 

- LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠Breast Cancer Trials⁠⁠⁠ 

- X: ⁠⁠⁠@BCTrialsANZ⁠⁠⁠

Guest: Cardiologist, Thomas Marwick.

Thank you for listening! If you found this episode valuable, please share it with your loved ones and help spread awareness about breast cancer and heart health.

Facing the Fear: Life After Breast Cancer

For many breast cancer survivors, finishing treatment isn't the end of the journey - it's the beginning of new fears. Fear of recurrence is one of the most common and distressing challenges patients face. In this episode, Associate Professor Ben Smith unpacks why these fears occur, how they affect daily life, and what strategies can help patients move forward with confidence.

In this episode, we sit down with Ben to discuss:

- (00:50) How we currently define fear of recurrence.

- (01:59) The factors that can contribute to a person's risk of having a fear of recurrence.

- (03:14) The impact that these fears can have on overall well-being.

Tune in for a deep dive into this important research!

⁠⁠⁠Donate to Support Life-Saving Research⁠⁠⁠

Like this episode? ⁠⁠⁠Find more Breast Cancer Trials Podcast Episodes here⁠⁠⁠

Follow Breast Cancer Trials on Social Media: - Instagram:⁠ ⁠⁠@breastcancertrials⁠⁠⁠ 

- Facebook:⁠ ⁠⁠Breast Cancer Trials⁠⁠⁠ 

- LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠Breast Cancer Trials⁠⁠⁠ 

- X: ⁠⁠⁠@BCTrialsANZ⁠⁠⁠

Guest: Senior Implementation Scientist, Ben Smith, from Sydney.

Thank you for listening! If you found this episode valuable, please share it with your loved ones and help spread awareness about the fear of breast cancer recurrence.

Screening Smarter: Personalised Approaches in Breast Care

Is it time to rethink a ‘one size fits all’ approach to breast screening? Associate Professor Sanjay Warrier joins us to discuss the future of tailored breast screening, a personalised approach that could revolutionise how we detect breast cancer earlier and more effectively.

In this episode, we sit down with Professor Warrier to discuss:

(01:32) The main factors that might influence a more personalised screening strategy.

(03:19) The current evidence about tailored screening.

(04:27) How researchers are working to determine who might benefit from more/less intensive screening.

(05:20) How close we are to seeing tailored breast screening become part of routine care.

Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.

⁠⁠⁠Donate to Support Life-Saving Research⁠⁠⁠

Like this episode? ⁠⁠⁠Find more Breast Cancer Trials Podcast Episodes here⁠⁠⁠

Follow Breast Cancer Trials on Social Media: 

• Instagram:⁠ ⁠⁠@breastcancertrials⁠⁠⁠ 

• Facebook:⁠ ⁠⁠Breast Cancer Trials⁠⁠⁠ 
• LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠Breast Cancer Trials⁠⁠⁠ 
• X: ⁠⁠⁠@BCTrialsANZ⁠⁠⁠

Guest: Breast Surgeon, Associate Professor Sanjay Warrier, from Sydney.

Thank you for listening! If you found this episode valuable, please share it with your loved ones and help spread awareness about genetic testing for breast cancer.

Advancing Care for Young Women with Breast Cancer

Young women with breast cancer often face unique challenges beyond their diagnosis, including long-term survivorship issues, fertility and family planning concerns, and a higher likelihood of aggressive cancers. But are their treatment pathways keeping up?

Dr Belinda Kiely explains the ground-breaking OPTIMA-Young trial, part of the larger PATH-for-Young initiative, exploring how global collaboration could change the future of treatment for younger patients.

In this episode, we sit down with Belinda to discuss:

• (04:14) How does OPTIMA-Young differ from existing treatment approaches?
• (05:25) Why is it important to have an international collaborative approach?
• (06:21) How will findings from OPTIMA-Young potentially change the way that we treat young breast cancer patients in the future?

Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.

⁠⁠Donate to Support Life-Saving Research⁠⁠

Like this episode? ⁠⁠Find more Breast Cancer Trials Podcast Episodes here⁠⁠

Follow Breast Cancer Trials on Social Media:  Instagram:⁠ ⁠@breastcancertrials⁠⁠  Facebook:⁠ ⁠Breast Cancer Trials⁠⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠⁠Breast Cancer Trials⁠⁠ X: ⁠⁠@BCTrialsANZ⁠⁠

Guest: Medical Oncologist Belinda Kiely, from Sydney.

Thank you for listening! If you found this episode valuable, please share it with your loved ones and help spread awareness about genetic testing for breast cancer.

Holding It Together: Breast Cancer and the Busy Mum Life.

When you’re a mum of two young boys, life is full of chaos, and for Belinda, it also became a time of deep uncertainty when, in 2019, she was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer.

In this episode, we sit down with Belinda to discuss:

• Navigating a breast cancer diagnosis while raising a young family.
• The importance of having a community around you to offer support during this time.

• Why Breast Cancer Trials' research is so important.

Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.

⁠Donate to Support Life-Saving Research⁠

Like this episode? ⁠Find more Breast Cancer Trials Podcast Episodes here⁠

Follow Breast Cancer Trials on Social Media:  Instagram:⁠ @breastcancertrials⁠  Facebook:⁠ Breast Cancer Trials⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠Breast Cancer Trials⁠ X: ⁠@BCTrialsANZ⁠

Guest: Belinda Ward from Newcastle NSW.

Thank you for listening! If you found this episode valuable, please share it with your loved ones and help spread awareness about genetic testing for breast cancer.

Routine, Resilience, and Research: One Mum's Cancer Story.

What happens when your life plans are suddenly redrawn by a breast cancer diagnosis? Emily, her husband, and their two children had moved to Australia in 2012 from the UK and was busy building a future for her family when she found herself on a very different path.

In this episode, we sit down with Emily to discuss:

• Navigating breast cancer with a young family.
• The role that routine and swimming played in helping her cope.

• The role that Herceptin, a treatment drug brought about by the Breast Cancer Trials HERA trial, played in her treatment.
• Why breast cancer clinical trials research is so vital.

Tune in for a deep dive into this important research.

⁠Donate to Support Life-Saving Research⁠

Like this episode? ⁠Find more Breast Cancer Trials Podcast Episodes here⁠

Follow Breast Cancer Trials on Social Media:  Instagram:⁠ @breastcancertrials⁠  Facebook:⁠ Breast Cancer Trials⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠Breast Cancer Trials⁠ X: ⁠@BCTrialsANZ⁠

Guest: Emily Allard from Newcastle NSW.

Thank you for listening! If you found this episode valuable, please share it with your loved ones and help spread awareness about genetic testing for breast cancer.