“Janelle, you have breast cancer. Would you like to have chemotherapy, radiation, or a mastectomy?” Every word beyond, “You have breast cancer,” was a blur. It was 1980 when little information was given to patients about such medical conditions. While I was in the hospital having a hysterectomy, my doctor performed a biopsy on a […]
Tag: breast cancer
Tricia’s Breast Cancer Diary (1 – New Diagnosis)
I Am Second
Many people have asked me to share the story of how my faith in God helped me face breast cancer as a young woman 30 years ago. That faith has become the sustaining strength of my life. Over the years, when something bad happened to me, instead of dwelling on it, I have always tried […]
Having a Bad Egg Day
2010 was a master year of cooking for me until the last stretch when I faced a culinary meltdown. We discovered our oven wasn’t working one night when we had company over for dinner. Our pizza came out of the oven burned on the top and undercooked on the bottom. But, that was not the […]
Mammograms Can Reveal More Than Breast Cancer
Your health and long life can depend on early detection. Can mammograms detect more than breast cancer? Women are always asking me about calcifications and how they relate to their health. Here are some interesting statistics that may give us insight through mammograms into our future health. Mammogram: Heart Predictor? by Ann Lukits Wall Street […]
Can the Risk of Breast Cancer be Determined Through Breast Milk?
If mammography screening is our most valid test for the early detection of breast cancer, could there be additional indicators that help women know if they are at risk? Early research indicates that breast milk may hold clues as to whether or not women are at risk for developing breast cancer. Dr. Kathleen Arcaro states in […]
Surgical Breast Biopsies Being Overused
A study conducted in Florida suggests that too many women are undergoing open, surgical breast biopsies instead of less invasive needle biopsies. These results were published in the American Journal of Surgery. If a woman has a breast lump …
Hormone Use Near Menopause May Pose Greatest Breast Cancer Risk
A large study conducted in the UK has reported that early use of menopausal hormone therapy (use before or soon after menopause) may increase breast cancer risk to a greater extent than later use. These results were published in the …
Social Support May Improve Breast Cancer Outcomes
Social well being during the first year after a breast cancer diagnosis may have a beneficial effect on cancer outcomes. These results were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. A diagnosis of breast cancer often affects a woman’s
WHI Trial Suggests Possible Reduction in Breast Cancer Risk with Estrogen Alone
Postmenopausal women who take hormone therapy consisting of estrogen alone may have a somewhat reduced risk of breast cancer. These findings—from longer term follow up of the Women’s Health Initiative trial of estrogen alone—were published in the Journal of the …