This podcast is the audio from a special Virtual Support Group meetup featuring guest moderator Joanna Doran.

Listen to the podcast to hear Joanna and Community members discuss:

This podcast is the audio from a special Virtual Support Group featuring guest moderator Kelly Grosklags.

Listen to the podcast to hear Kelly and Community members discuss:

Four years after giving birth to her son, Jaci Field was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 39.

Listen to the episode to hear Jaci discuss:

her breast cancer experience and her advocacy work

the  discrimination she’s faced, both because of her race and whom she chooses to love

how she finds joy

At the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, Hope Rugo, MD, chaired a session on managing the side effects of new breast cancer treatments and also presented information on how to manage the side effects of hormonal therapy medicines, which are used to treat hormone receptor-positive breast cancer.

Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Rugo explain:

At the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting Fumiko Chino, MD, summarized her presentation on how doctors can help the people they care for overcome financial issues. She also offered some strategies for patients.

Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Chino explain:

some specific resources for people with cancer

why people with breast cancer may have the most financial issues

her top three recommendations for people having financial hardship

The 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting featured five days of presentations and educational sessions on all types of cancer. Dr. Eleonora Teplinsky, a board-certified medical oncologist at the Valley-Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Center in Paramus, NJ, summarizes the top breast cancer research.

Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Teplinsky discuss:

The SERENA-6 trial, which found that if metastatic hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer develops ESR1 mutations during first hormonal therapy treatment, switching to camizestrant from an aromatase inhibitor before the cancer grows improves outcomes.

Results from the DESTINY-Breast09 trial showing that the combination of Enhertu (chemical name: fam-trastuzumab-deruxtecan-nxki) and Perjeta (chemical name: pertuzumab) is a better first treatment for metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer than the current standard of THP chemo. 

The ASCENT-04/KEYNOTE-D19 trial, which found that people with metastatic, PD-L1-positive, triple-negative breast cancer fared better with the combo of Trodelvy (chemical name: sacituzumab govitecan-hziy) and Keytruda (chemical name: pembrolizumab) as a first treatment compared to people who received chemotherapy and Keytruda.

At the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, Dr. Katie Schmitz chaired a session on ways to ensure that exercise is part of every cancer treatment plan. She also talked about how results of the CHALLENGE trial in colon cancer might apply to breast cancer.

Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Schmitz explain:

strategies doctors can use to make exercise an integral part of cancer care

how people can afford and stay motivated to exercise

the results of the CHALLENGE trial, which found that three years of exercise after colon cancer treatment improved disease-free survival (how long people lived without the cancer coming back) and overall survival (how long people lived whether or not the cancer came back)

At the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, Dr. Samantha El Warrak presented the results of her research on how five lifestyle factors affect the risk of dying from breast cancer. 

Listen to the episode to hear Dr. El Warrak explain:

By 2030, researchers estimate that about 246,000 people will be living with metastatic breast cancer. METAvivor is the first organization dedicated to raising awareness of, and funding research on, stage IV breast cancer. Dr. Kelly Shanahan, current METAvivor president, has been living with metastatic disease for 11 years.

Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Shanahan explain:

how METAvivor started funding research

the funding process

why private funding is so important in today’s political climate

what she’s most fearful of

Ashton Davidson was diagnosed with breast cancer during gender-affirming top surgery. He faced some unique challenges and situations during and after treatment.

Listen to the episode to hear Ash explain:

the emotions he felt when diagnosed

how he decided to become an outspoken advocate

how he lives authentically in the face of adversity

how he finds joy, especially today