Black women have a higher risk of developing triple-negative breast cancer at a young age than white women. At the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, Dr. Holly Pederson, of the Cleveland Clinic, and Dr. Elisha Hughes, of Myriad Genetics, presented their research on how a polygenic risk score can help predict the risk of early-onset triple-negative breast cancer in Black women.

Listen to the episode to hear Drs. Pederson and Hughes explain:

what a polygenic risk score is

the results of their research

how the results are being used

At the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, Dr. Brooklyn Olumba was part of ASCO Voices, a program that gives people in the oncology a community an opportunity to tell their stories. Her talk was entitled “Genetic Testing Saved My Life.”

Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Olumba explain:

how she came to have genetic testing at age 25

when she started breast cancer screening

how she advises young women about screening

There are many reasons women don’t get annual mammograms, including the distance to a mammogram facility, lack of transportation, or not having a primary care doctor. 

Licensed, certified genetic counselor Rena Vanzo wants to overcome those barriers. She’s started The Boob Bus, a mobile mammography bus that also offers genetic testing and cosmetic procedures, to make getting a mammogram feel more like going to a spa.

Listen to the podcast to hear Rena discuss:

how she came up with the idea for The Boob Bus

the services offered on The Boob Bus

why screening mammograms are so important

how she wants to grow the business

Photo courtesy of Master of Business Creation, David Eccles School of Business, University of Utah

Pain is a common side effect of breast cancer. The cancer itself may cause pain and nearly all breast cancer treatments may cause some type of pain. If breast cancer is metastatic – meaning it’s spread to parts of the body away from the breast, such as the bones or liver – it may cause pain in those areas.

There are many medicines that can ease cancer pain. Opioids are narcotic drugs that are commonly used to treat moderate to severe pain caused by breast cancer or its treatments. While effective, opioids can be habit-forming, which can be a problem for people with a history of addiction.

Listen to the episodes to hear Dr. Moryl discuss:

the difference between chronic and acute pain

the difference between withdrawal symptoms and addiction

pain control options for people with a history of substance abuse disorder

If early-stage breast cancer has a high risk of recurrence – coming back after treatment – nearly all doctors recommend radiation after mastectomy. But when a woman wants to have reconstruction, the timing of radiation after surgery is tricky because radiation can cause changes in the reconstructed breast’s appearance and up the risk of complications, such as delayed healing. So many women have a tissue expander placed during mastectomy surgery and then receive radiation. Once the area has recovered from radiation, reconstruction surgery is done, usually about six or 12 months after radiation is completed.

In the April 5, 2024, issue of JAMA Network Open, Dr. Benjamin Smith and colleagues published the results of the SAPHIRe trial, which studied whether giving radiation before mastectomy was safe.

Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Smith explain:

how the idea for the trial came about

the benefits and risks of giving radiation before mastectomy

why women having implant reconstruction aren’t good candidates for radiation before mastectomy

next steps, including the phase III TOPAz trial

That being diagnosed with breast cancer is stressful is an understatement. It may be difficult to accept the diagnosis. You may feel overwhelmed by making so many decisions at once: Which doctor should you see? Which treatments should you have? Where should you have treatment? You may have concerns about how you’re going to keep up with your responsibilities at home and at work.

At the 2024 Living Beyond Breast Cancer Conference on Metastatic Breast Cancer, Dr. Ginsberg will be discussing the psychological effects of metastatic breast cancer. During this podcast, she talked about tools anyone who’s been diagnosed with any type of breast cancer, as well as caregivers, can use to manage stress and anxiety. 

Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Ginsberg explain:

the most stress-inducing aspects of a breast cancer diagnosis

the factors that make caregivers stressed

how to tell the difference between stress and anxiety and depression

strategies and tools to manage stress and anxiety

After a breast cancer diagnosis, many people want to eat more healthfully. This podcast is the audio from a special Virtual Community Meetup featuring guest moderator Hillary Sachs.

Listen to the podcast to hear Hillary discuss:

how sugar and protein affect cancer cells

foods and supplements that can help ease fatigue

alcohol and cancer

soy and breast cancer

Living with metastatic breast cancer can bring many changes, including to what you find important. This podcast is the audio from a special Virtual Community Meetup featuring guest moderator Kelly Grosklags.

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

how to live in the “right now”

acknowledging and accepting feelings, but not justifying them

the importance of being true to yourself and letting go of things that don’t make you feel good

celebrating what brings you joy

Many people struggle with being intimate during and after breast cancer treatment. Surgery can change the way you look and feel about yourself, as well as change the sensations your breasts feel. Hormonal therapy can lower your libido and make sex painful. You may be afraid that having your breasts or other areas touched will be painful. And you may be fatigued and feeling exhausted. Talking to your partner about all this can feel overwhelming.

Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Ross discuss:

how people can get more comfortable talking about sex

tips on overcoming some of the most common issues, including body image, painful sex, loss of libido

the best time to bring up the topic

different professional that can help with sex and intimacy issues

At the European Society for Medical Oncology 2023 Congress, Dr. DeMichele presented results from the CLEVER study, which looked at ways to treat inactive breast cancer cells that remained in people who were previously treated for breast cancer. The results suggest that it might be possible to find and treat these inactive breast cancer cells, which could help prevent breast cancer recurrence (the cancer coming back).

Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. DeMichele explain:

how inactive breast cancer cells survive chemotherapy

how the inactive cells wake up and cause a recurrence

the results of the CLEVER study

next steps for the research