“There are two groups of people, I think, in America,” Dr. Oz explained on Monday’s The Doctor Oz Show. The two groups are what he calls the “Peace of Mind” group and “Power of Me” group.

“The Peace of Mind group says, ‘You know what, I don’t mind potential false positives … I’m willing to take that chance. I want to reduce as much as possible the odds of me having of breast cancer,’” said Dr. Oz.

“On the other hand, there are a lot of Power of Me people who will say, ‘You know what, I know the research. I’ve done my homework. I can draw my own conclusions. I can take precautions and actions beyond medicine.’ If you’re in that group, I think you ought to follow this panel’s guidelines,” he added.

Last week, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended against regular mammograms for women under 50 unless they are at risk for breast cancer, a change from the American Cancer Society’s longstanding position that women should get such screenings starting at 40.

The new study also found self-exams to be of no value and further concluded that women should not be taught to do them. Oz disagrees.

“One thing I disagree with completely [is] with the recommendations from this panel [about] the commentary that you shouldn’t bother doing breast exams,” he said. “I have more confidence in you. You can do this.”

Recently there has been much debate over The US Preventative Services Task Force’s new guidelines for mammography screening.  The Maurer Foundation, along with other organizations such as the American Cancer Society (ACS), firmly support that women go for annual mammogram screening beginning at the age of 40.  Understanding that this is a controversial subject, it should not deter women from being in control of their own health.

It is also important to incorporate a healthy diet and regular exercise into your lifestyle.  High levels of estrogen contribute to one’s risk of breast cancer.  A diet high in fat increases estrogen levels.  Therefore, maintaining a diet low in fat and exercising at least 30 minutes a day can significantly decrease your risk.  Studies show that there is also a link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer.  Even one drink a day increases your risk when compared to non-drinkers.

Understanding that there is controversy over the mammography screening guidelines should not deter women from being in control of their own health.  It is important to reinforce that each person can reduce their risk of breast cancer by living a healthier lifestyle!

Naomi Cunningham

Today a non-profit organization called Kids in Action is holding their 9th Annual Youth Conference of Long Island at Farmingdale State College. Formed in the wake the Columbine incident, Kids in Action promotes health and wellness at a young age. Thousands of Middle School students are expected to attend today’s conference which will feature a keynote by Sarah Reinertsen, the first female to complete the Hawaii Ironman and with a prosthetic leg no less! We have happily partnered with Kids in Action as we feel it is important to align ourselves with other organizations that are working toward similar causes. I have been lucky enough to represent the Foundation at some Kids in Action meetings and events as well as volunteering on their team in several ways. I know that today’s event will not only be a success but a huge benefit to all the young students who will learn the importance of taking care of themselves now so that they will make it a habit to take care of themselves as adults and become their own health advocates.

Take care everyone,
Helen Galarza
Bilingual Program Educator

Being able to educate people of all ages and ethnicities about breast health is very rewarding.  This week, I went from presenting to ten 40-50 year old Caucasian and African American women at YWCA of NYC, to one hundred Asian high school students at Lower East Side Prep High School.

People of all ages and ethnicities need to be educated about breast cancer because it unfortunately, affects everyone.  Our focus remains on early detection.  The earlier you find any type of cancer, the better.  Despite all the controversy out now about what age you should get mammography, we at the Maurer Foundation still emphasize getting annual mammograms done starting at 40 years old, in addition to annual clinical breast exams, and doing monthly breast self exams.  There has also been much debate about the benefits of breast self exams, however, so many women are finding cancer lumps through doing this exam, that it is still something we recommend.

Susan

Program Educator

In a recent article in the New York Post  about Breast Regrowth, it speaks about  a surgical technique that could help cancer victims who had mastectomies regrow their breasts.

If the three-year trial of the experimental stem-cell technique called Neopec, is a success women could form a new breast in four to six months, the Herald Sun of  Melbourne reported.

The procedure uses stem cells of a patient’s own fat thereby enabling women to grow their natural breasts.

During the trial, surgeons from the Bernard O’Brien Institute of Microsurgery in Melbourne will implant a breast-shaped, biodegradable, synthetic chamber under the skin on the patient’s chest as a scaffold for the new breast to grow in.

Doctors redirect a blood vessel from the underarm to the fat inside the chamber, which would grow and fill the fist-sized space and form a new breast during the next four to six months.

Donna

Yesterday, The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)  announced that it was changing its guidelines for mammography and no longer recommending routine screening for women between the ages of 40 and 49. As a breast surgeon, I strongly disagree to the recommendations released. I believe there is adequate data to support annual digital mammography screening for women ages 40 and older.

Most recent data shows that 17% of breast cancer deaths happened in women who were diagnosed in their 40s, and 22% occurred in women diagnosed in their 50’s. In terms of cost-effectiveness, practical use, and precision, digital mammography is the best screening tool for the early detection of breast cancer.  To limit its use will mean that breast cancers will go undiagnosed for a longer period of time.  Early detection often allows for breast conserving surgery and possible avoidance of chemotherapy. The limitation of an annual digital mammography screening potentially crushes these options for women 40-49.

Like the American Cancer Society I will continue to recommend annual screening using digital mammography to all women beginning at age 40 and clinical and breast self examinations for women beginning at the age of 18. There is no known cure for breast cancer, though the earlier it is caught increases a woman’s chance of survival. A breast self-exam is not a diagnostic practice but a tool that encourages a woman to recognize any changes that may occur in her breast; a clinical examination allows an expert to confirm any suspicious changes and a digital mammography enhances visibility by up to 300% making it more likely to see lumps and other abnormal changes that may be present in the breast tissue. Women need to fight this disease from a position of strength  and knowledge and advocate for their own health with these three components of early detection. Breast cancer is a major health problem to too many women; a digital mammography screening reduces breast cancer mortality and saves lives.

Virginia E. Maurer, MD
Diseases of the Breast

After Kathy Adams battled Stage III Breast Cancer and won (!!!) she saw the need for comfortable functional clothing for post-surgery patients.  And so the Confident Clothing Company was born.

Post mastectomy patients leave the hospital with tubing and drains embedded near the surgery site to collect lymphatic fluid during the healing process.  These drains need to be emptied and the fluid measured for a week or two before they’re removed.  In that time the patient is left with cumbersome and unsightly tubing and drains to pin to her shirt.  To alleviate this, Kathy developed the Cool Chemo Top with genius features only a survivor like her could have thought of!

• Discreet snap channels manage the tubes to the drain pocket
• Drain pocket is secure and completely removable after treatment is complete
• Made from wicking material for sensitive skin
• Cut for easy access to the medical port if needed during treatment and drawing the eye away from the chest area for aesthetic reasons
• Sleeves cut to address the issues of lymph edema
• Also be sure to check if your insurance company will cover the cost

Veterans Day is an American holiday honoring military veterans. With the increasing number of women serving in the military today and returning from deployments as seasoned veterans, there is a need to identify and treat the obstacles that are unique to female veterans such as pregnancy, breast cancer and other medical concerns. Today New Jersey Assembly Woman Nellie Pou is doing her part to continue honoring veterans by announcing that in the next coming months she plans to team up with the National Foundation for Women Legislators and the Center for Women Veterans at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to recognize and create new strategies to meet the everyday challenges that women veterans face.

At The Maurer Foundation we commend the work Nellie is promising to take on and hope that many other politicians follow her lead.

-Morgan

A recent article by Gina Kolata in the New York Times has led to some confusion about the benefits of cancer screening, particularly in the case of screening for breast cancer.

The American Cancer Society has recently stated in a journal article that the benefits of detecting many cancers (especially breast and prostate) have been overstated.

At The Maurer Foundation, we stress the three-pronged approach to breast cancer and monthly breast-self exams to promote early detection and breast-imaging in the case of discovering any cancerous masses. The three-pronged approach emphasizes Breast Imaging, Clinical Breast Examination, and Breast Self Examination. While we cannot stop breast cancer from spreading, the three pronged approach empowers individuals to take breast health into their own hands.

Studies from the 1960s to the 1980s have demonstrated that screenings reduced the death rate from breast cancer by up to 20 percent.

The article demonstrates a Catch-22 with early screening — If you find a benign tumor through screening, your run the risk of “over-treating” it. In other words, if this benign tumor or cancer was never caught in the first place, the patient would be unaffected or not harmed by the cancer. Despite what the article may say, we at the Maurer Foundation stress monthly breast-self exams and education! So don’t stop doing your monthly exams, and be sure to set up a virtual alarm clock on our site.

–Gayatri