Breastcancer.org Podcast

Ann Partridge, M.D., MPH., is founder and director of the Program for Young Women with Breast Cancer and the Adult Survivorship Program, as well as senior physician at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. She is a medical oncologist focusing on the care of women with breast cancer and has a particular interest in the psychosocial, behavioral and communication issues in breast cancer care and treatment. Dr. Partridge is also the lead investigator of the U.S. arm of the POSITIVE trial. This study is looking at whether premenopausal women diagnosed with hormone-receptor-positive disease who stop taking hormonal therapy after about 1.5 to 2.5 years of treatment to get pregnant have a higher risk of the breast cancer coming back, which doctors call recurrence. Most women diagnosed with hormone receptor positive disease take hormonal therapy for 5 to 10 years after surgery. In the POSITIVE trial, the women who want to get pregnant are stopping hormonal the

For nearly 25 years, Kelly Grosklags has dedicated her practice to minimizing suffering through her work in oncology, palliative care and hospice. An experienced therapist, Kelly is a licensed clinical social worker and a board-certified diplomat in clinical social work. She also earned a fellowship in grief counseling from the American Academy of Health Care Professionals. Kelly speaks frequently about end-of-life issues, including care, grief and loss, both in person and on her website, Conversations With Kelly. Her passionate and supportive demeanor helps patients, caregivers and health professionals connect with the wisdom of making life more meaningful, coping with depression and anxiety, transforming fear into hope, healing versus curing, and the wisdom of dying a good death. Listen to the podcast to hear Kelly talk about: becoming comfortable with talking about the end of life why stopping treatment is not giving up hospice care — what it is and when to start talking about it how to talk to children ab

Leisha Emens, associate professor of oncology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and member of the Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, discusses the state of immunotherapy to treat breast cancer.Running time: 3:15

The targeted therapy Kisqali (chemical name: ribociclib) is approved to be used in combination with an aromatase inhibitor to treat advanced-stage or metastatic hormone-receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer that hasn’t been treated with hormonal therapy yet in postmenopausal women. Dr. Debu Tripathy, professor of medicine and chairperson of the Department of Breast Medical Oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the results of the MONALEESA-7 study he presented at the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium showing that Kisqali can help treat premenopausal and perimenopausal women diagnosed with the same type of breast cancer.Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Tripathy explain: why the study is important why ovarian suppression helps make the treatments more effective the side effects caused by Kisqali why he thinks this study will change practice Running time: 7:25Editor's Note: On April 4, 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded the use of Ibrance

Research has shown that women who are overweight or obese have a higher risk of breast cancer, especially after menopause. Still, research results have been mixed on whether losing weight would decrease a postmenopausal woman's breast cancer risk. Rowan Chlebowski, research professor in the Department of Medical Oncology and Therapeutics Research at City of Hope, discusses an analysis of data from the very large Women's Health Initiative Observational Study that found that overweight or obese postmenopausal women who lost just a modest amount of weight — as little as 10 or 15 pounds — had a lower risk of breast cancer.Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Chlebowski explain: why he wanted to do this study why this study was different than earlier studies his advice to postmenopausal women Running time: 7:48

Preserving fertility after chemotherapy is an important issue for many, many younger women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. Dr. Matteo Lambertini, medical oncologist at the Institute Jules Bordet Brussels, presented research at the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium showing that ovarian suppression with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue such as Lupron, Trelstar, or Zoladex, can safely protect ovarian function and may help preserve fertility in younger women being treated with chemotherapy for early-stage disease.Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Lambertini explain: why earlier studies on this topic had mixed results the results of the study the side effects of gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues the strategies he recommends to his younger patients diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer who want to have a child after chemotherapy Running time: 9:09

Beth Baughman DuPree is a board-certified general surgeon specializing in diseases of the breast, with additional board certification in integrative medicine. She is also a master level Reiki practitioner. Dr. DuPree is part of the Sedona Breast Care Clinic of the Northern Arizona Healthcare System.Dr. DuPree earned her medical degree from Hahnemann University in Philadelphia and her undergraduate degrees in behavioral neuroscience and the history and philosophy of science at the University of Pittsburgh.Her first book, The Healing Consciousness: A Doctor’s Journey to Healing, was released in 2006 to excellent reviews by Christiane Northrup, M.D., and Bernie Siegel, M.D, among other well-known experts in the women’s health field. Her numerous honors include the Clara Barton Humanitarian Award from the American Red Cross for her ongoing contributions to the treatment of breast cancer. She was selected by her peers for Philadelphia Magazine’s TOP DOCS in Surgery in 2016 and 2017. She serves on the advisory boar

Brian Wojciechowski, M.D., practices medical oncology in Delaware County, Pennsylvania at Riddle, Taylor, and Crozer hospitals and also serves as Breastcancer.org's medical adviser. A native of South Philadelphia, he trained at Temple University School of Medicine and Lankenau Medical Center. Dr. Wojciechowski is a sought-after speaker on the topics of medical ethics and the biology of cancer. In September 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released a statement warning that the CDK4/6 inhibitors used to treat breast cancer: Ibrance (chemical name: palbociclib) Kisqali (chemical name: ribociclib) Verzenio (chemical name: abemaciclib) may cause rare but serious inflammation in the lungs. Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Wojciechowski talk about: how CDK4/6 inhibitors are used to treat breast cancer why we’re just hearing about this side effect now the recommendations for anyone being treated with a CDK4/6 inhibitor Running time: 7:11Thank you for listening to the Breastcancer.org podcast. Please s

Dr. Gabriel Hortobagyi is professor of breast medical oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. He is a past president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and is one of the world’s leading authorities on breast cancer treatment. He has published more than 1,000 papers in peer-reviewed journals. At the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress 2021, Dr. Hortobagyi presented overall survival results from the MONALEESA-2 trial, which compared the combination of Kisqali and Femara to Femara alone to treat advanced-stage hormone-receptor-positive HER2-negative breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Earlier results from the study found that adding Kisqali to Femara improved progression-free survival — the amount of time the women lived without the cancer growing. These new results found that the combination of Kisqali and Femara also improved overall survival — the length of time women lived whether the cancer grew or not. Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Hortobagyi explain: t

Dr. Hope Rugo is professor of medicine in the division of hematology and oncology at the University of California San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, where she is also the director of breast oncology and clinical trials education. Dr. Rugo is also a member of the Breastcancer.org Professional Advisory Board. She is a principal investigator of a number of clinical trials looking at combining new targeted and immunotherapy medicines with standard treatments for both early-stage and advanced-stage breast cancer and has published hundreds of peer-reviewed papers. At the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress 2021, Dr. Rugo presented final results from the KEYNOTE-355 trial, which was looking to see if Keytruda (chemical name: pembrolizumab) and chemotherapy were better than chemotherapy alone as a first treatment for metastatic PD-L1-positive, triple-negative breast cancer. Earlier results found that adding Keytruda to chemotherapy improved progression-free survival — how long

Dr. Peter Schmid is chair in cancer medicine at Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University London and also serves as clinical director of the Breast Cancer Centre at the St. Bartholomew Cancer Centre and honorary consultant medical oncologist at Barts Hospital. His research focuses on breast cancer, cancer immune therapy, and early drug development. At the European Society for Medical Oncology 2019 Congress, he presented results from the KEYNOTE-522 study showing that the combination of the immunotherapy Keytruda (chemical name: pembrolizumab) and chemotherapy before surgery to remove early-stage triple-negative breast cancer led to a better pathologic complete response than chemotherapy alone. This is the first phase III study using immunotherapy to treat early-stage breast cancer. Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Schmid discuss: the design of the KEYNOTE-522 study side effects related to both chemotherapy and Keytruda what these results mean for patients Running time: 9:27

Dr. Monique Gary is a board-certified, fellowship-trained breast surgical oncologist and medical director of the Grand View Health-Penn Cancer Network Cancer Program in Sellersville, Penn., where she also serves as director of the Breast Program. As a physician, advocate, and expert on health and healthcare disparities, she is passionate about developing integrative, holistic, and innovative approaches to cancer treatment, prevention, and general wellness. Dr. Gary joined us to talk about oncoplastic lumpectomy surgery, which is lumpectomy to remove the breast cancer followed by immediate breast reconstruction. In many cases, lumpectomy and reconstruction are done during the same surgery. The goal is to have the best possible cosmetic outcomes, without the need for any additional surgery to correct any dents or asymmetry. Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Gary explain: how and why oncoplastic lumpectomy was developed who is and isn’t a good candidate for oncoplastic lumpectomy the benefits and drawbacks

Dr. Jennifer Litton is a board-certified medical oncologist and professor of breast medical oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, where she is also vice president of clinical research. The 2021 American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting was held virtually June 4-8, and there were a number of studies on breast cancer presented. Dr. Litton joined us to talk about some of the most notable research. Listen to the episode to hear her explain: results from the OlympiA trial, showing that Lynparza (chemical name: oliparib) offered benefits for early-stage breast cancer in people with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation results from the NEOTALA trial showing that Talzenna (chemical name: talazoparib) offered benefits for early-stage breast cancer in people with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation when given before surgery updated results showing continued better overall survival when advanced-stage, hormone-receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer is treated with the CDK4/6 inhibitor

Saundra Pelletier is the CEO and founder of Evofem Biosciences. Saundra was diagnosed with stage III breast cancer while her company was conducting phase III clinical trials on Phexxi, a nonhormonal contraceptive gel for women. She describes herself as a mother, daughter, CEO, and trailblazer. She has more than two decades of experience of executive leadership at companies and nonprofits focusing on women’s health. Listen to the episode to hear Saundra discuss: how she led her company without taking a leave of absence while being treated for breast cancer how breast cancer changed her how Phexxi, a nonhormonal birth control gel, was developed, how it works, and why it's safe for women who’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer her advice for women who’ve just been diagnosed with breast cancer See full product information at Phexxi.com. Do not use if you have a history of repeated urinary tract problems. Side effects include vaginal burning, itching, discharge, genital discomfort, yeast infection, urinar

Brian Wojciechowski, M.D., practices medical oncology in Delaware County, Pennsylvania at Riddle, Taylor, and Crozer hospitals and also serves as Breastcancer.org's medical adviser. A native of South Philadelphia, he trained at Temple University School of Medicine and Lankenau Medical Center. Dr. Wojciechowski is a sought-after speaker on the topics of medical ethics and the biology of cancer. One of the goals of treatment for DCIS and early-stage breast cancer — which is stage I, II, or stage III cancer — is to stop the cancer from coming back, called recurrence by doctors. Dr. Wojciechowski joined us to talk about recurrence risk and how it’s estimated. Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Wojciechowski discuss: the factors used to determine each breast cancer’s risk of recurrence the steps a person can take to help keep the risk of recurrence as low as it can be how tests called tumor genomic assays can help estimate the risk of recurrence Running time: 16:39

Brian Wojciechowski, M.D., practices medical oncology in Delaware County, Pennsylvania at Riddle, Taylor, and Crozer hospitals and also serves as Breastcancer.org's medical adviser. He is a sought-after speaker on the topics of medical ethics and the biology of cancer. Medical and oncology organizations disagree on the value of breast self-exam. The American Cancer Society, for example, doesn’t recommend breast self-exam, while Breastcancer.org believes they are part of a comprehensive screening plan. Dr. Wojciechowski joined us to talk about the role of breast self-exam in screening and why it’s controversial. Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Wojciechowski explain: why organizations stopped recommending breast self-exam the benefits and drawbacks of breast self-exam how he talks to his patients about breast self-exam Running time: 12:02

Dr. Hana El Sahly is associate professor of molecular virology and microbiology in the Vaccine and Treatment and Evaluation Unit at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Dr. El Sahly is the chairperson of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, the committee that makes vaccine recommendations to the FDA, and was also the lead investigator for the phase III trial for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Because of her role in studying the Moderna vaccine, Dr. El Sahly recused herself from the committee’s review of COVID-19 vaccines. In this podcast, she talks to us about both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines that have been granted emergency authorization by the FDA. Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. El Sahly explain: how mRNA vaccines work the differences between the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines the safety and effectiveness of the vaccines for people with weakened immune systems why someone who’s been vaccinated still

Marcia Beck is a clinical nurse specialist at the University of Kansas Health System. Marcia is certified in adult health and breast health and also certified as a lymphedema therapist by the Lymphology Association of North America. Listen to the episode to hear Marcia explain all aspects of lymphedema, including: what lymphedema is and where it can develop risk factors for lymphedema how lymphedema is treated steps people can take to reduce their risk of lymphedema or lymphedema flare-ups Running time: 28:48Thank you for listening to the Breastcancer.org Podcast. Please subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn, Google Play, or wherever you listen to podcasts. To share your thoughts about this or any episode, leave feedback on the podcast episode landing page on our website.

Brian Wojciechowski, M.D., practices medical oncology in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, at Riddle, Taylor, and Crozer hospitals and also serves as Breastcancer.org's medical adviser. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control have recommended that use of the Johnson & Johnson-Janssen COVID-19 vaccine be paused because six cases of what’s called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis with thrombocytopenia have been diagnosed after people received the vaccine. Basically, a blot clot was found in the veins that drain blood from the brain, and the people also had very low levels of platelets, a type of cell that helps the blood to clot. Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Wojciechowski explain: what these rare clots are and how they happen what people who’ve received the J&J vaccine should know how he’s advising his patients with breast cancer Running time: 22:08Thank you for listening to the Breastcancer.org Podcast. Please subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn, Google Play,

Joanna Fawzy Morales is a cancer rights attorney, author, speaker, and CEO of Triage Cancer, a national nonprofit organization providing free education on the legal and practical issues that may affect people diagnosed with cancer and their caregivers. Joanna has spent more than 27 years working on behalf of people with cancer, including 5 as an adjunct professor of law at Loyola Law School, teaching a seminar in cancer rights law, and 8 years at the John Wayne Cancer Institute’s Psychosocial Care Program. Currently, she’s also an adjunct law professor at Wayne State University. Listen to the episode to hear her explain the American Rescue Plan and the benefits it may offer to people diagnosed with breast cancer, including: additional economic impact payments for individuals who make up to $75,000 or couples who make up to $150,000 the increase in health insurance marketplace subsidies when the benefits begin and how long they will last Running time: 27:27