Breastcancer.org Podcast

In this Breastcancer.org podcast, Marisa Weiss, M.D., Breastcancer.org’s chief medical officer, discusses a study examining survival rates after lumpectomy plus radiation or mastectomy for early-stage breast cancer. The study was presented at the 2015 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium Dec. 8-12. Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Weiss explain: why lumpectomy plus radiation and mastectomy are both good choices for early-stage breast cancer surgery why one type of surgery might be recommended over the other why the researchers think there might have been a difference in survival rates Running time: 11:27These podcasts, along with all the other vital content and community support at Breastcancer.org, only exist because of the generous donations of listeners like you. Please visit Breastcancer.org/support to learn how you can help keep our services free for you and the millions of women who depend on us.

Nancy Davidson, M.D., is director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, where she also is a distinguished professor of medicine and associate vice chancellor for cancer research. She also serves as president-elect of the American Association for Cancer Research, the first and largest cancer research organization in the world. Dr. Davidson is a world-renowned breast cancer researcher who has played a key role in discovering how hormones, particularly estrogen, affect cell growth in breast cancer. Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Davidson explain: what the American Association for Cancer Research is and what its goals are what precision medicine is what she thinks the moonshot program to conquer cancer will do what new treatments she sees coming in the near future Running time: 11:25These podcasts, along with all the other vital content and community support at Breastcancer.org, only exist because of the generous donations of listeners like you. Please visit Breastcancer.org/support to learn how

Hope Rugo, M.D. is a medical oncologist specializing in breast cancer research and treatment. A professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dr. Rugo is the director of the Breast Oncology Clinical Trials Program and is the lead researcher on a number of studies investigating new treatments for both early-stage and metastatic breast cancer. Dr. Rugo is a member of the Breastcancer.org Professional Advisory Board. She also was the lead researcher on the study that led to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of the DigniCap, a cold cap that may help some women keep some or quite a bit of hair during chemotherapy. Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Rugo explain: how she became interested in studying cold caps how cold caps work her research on the DigniCap how much cold caps might cost and whether insurance is covering it yet Running time: 20:32These podcasts, along with all the other vital content and community support at Brea

Tracy Crane is a registered dietitian and senior research specialist at the University of Arizona Zuckerman College of Public Health. Her research focuses on diet, specifically studying diet quality and cancer risk. Tracy also has more than 15 years’ experience developing nutrition plans for cancer survivors, many of them breast cancer survivors.Listen to the podcast to hear Tracy discuss: why obesity is linked to higher breast cancer risk the new U.S. Department of Agriculture 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and what they mean for women who’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer, as well as women who want to keep their risk of the disease as low as it can be how to make lasting changes to your diet styles of eating that can keep your risk of breast cancer or breast cancer recurrence as low as it can be Running time: 21:25These podcasts, along with all the other vital content and community support at Breastcancer.org, only exist because of the generous donations of listeners like you. Please visit

Courtney Bitz is a licensed clinical social worker who heads the Couples Coping with Cancer Together program for City of Hope, a comprehensive cancer center in Duarte, Calif. When a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, research has shown that having a supportive partner is one of the most important factors in helping her cope. But partners may struggle with knowing what to say or how best to support a loved one. The only program of its kind, Couples Coping with Cancer Together helps women and their partners identify problems that are most important to them as part of their overall medical care.Listen to the podcast to hear Courtney discuss: how the Couples Coping with Cancer Together program works specific examples of how a woman can ask for and get the support she needs the different ways women and men cope with stress and how each can understand the other better common requests that women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer ask of their partners Running time: 27:25To help our visitors, Courtney pro

In this Breastcancer.org podcast, Brian Wojciechowski, M.D., Breastcancer.org’s medical adviser, explains a study published in January 2016 suggesting that chemotherapy for breast cancer may increase the risk of common infections. Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Wojciechowski talk about: how the immune system works how chemotherapy affects the immune system when women who will be undergoing chemotherapy should get vaccines steps you can take to support your immune system Running time: 11:03These podcasts, along with all the other vital content and community support at Breastcancer.org, only exist because of the generous donations of listeners like you. Please visit Breastcancer.org/support to learn how you can help keep our services free for you and the millions of women who depend on us.

Cristina Nixon is a licensed certified genetic counselor with the Cancer Risk Assessment and Genetics Program at Main Line Health in Pennsylvania. In addition to counseling patients, she also assists with research, including, most recently, a study looking at multi-gene panels in BRCA1/BRCA2 positive families. Cristina also has completed the City of Hope’s intensive course in cancer risk assessment.This is part one of three-part podcast on genetics and breast cancer with Cristina. Listen to this podcast to hear her explain: the difference between a genetic abnormality and a genetic mutation what the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes do in the body and why having a mutation in one of them increases the risk of breast cancer other genes besides the BRCA genes that are linked to a higher risk of breast cancer other types of cancer that are linked to a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation Running time: 20:55Listen to part 2 of the series.Listen to part 3 of the series.These podcasts, along with all the other vital content and community

Cristina Nixon is a licensed certified genetic counselor with the Cancer Risk Assessment and Genetics Program at Main Line Health in Pennsylvania. In addition to counseling patients, she also assists with research, including most recently a study looking at multi-gene panels in BRCA1/BRCA2-positive families. Cristina also has completed the City of Hope’s intensive course in cancer risk assessment.This is part two of three-part podcast on genetics and breast cancer with Cristina. Listen to this podcast to hear her explain: the factors that would recommend genetic testing for a particular woman whether DCIS is considered differently than invasive cancer when recommending genetic testing the process of genetic testing when genetic testing wouldn’t be recommended for a woman diagnosed with breast cancer Running time: 23:44Listen to part 1 of the series.Listen to part 3 of the series.These podcasts, along with all the other vital content and community support at Breastcancer.org, only exist because of the generou

Cristina Nixon is a licensed certified genetic counselor with the Cancer Risk Assessment and Genetics Program at Main Line Health in Pennsylvania. In addition to counseling patients, she also assists with research, including most recently a study looking at multi-gene panels in BRCA1/BRCA2-positive families. Cristina also has completed the City of Hope’s intensive course in cancer risk assessment.This is part three of three-part podcast on genetics and breast cancer with Cristina. Listen to this podcast to hear her explain: how a woman could use an online risk assessment tool the factors the different tools consider why it’s important that a woman use a risk assessment tool with her doctor or a licensed genetic counselor what the results from direct-to-consumer testing companies such as 23andMe and Ancestry.com contain Running time: 11:37Listen to part 1 of the series.Listen to part 2 of the series.These podcasts, along with all the other vital content and community support at Breastcancer.org, only exist be

Dr. Alan Stolier is a surgeon at the Center for Restorative Breast Surgery in New Orleans. He has more than 35 years of experience in surgical oncology. He specializes in the surgical treatment of breast cancer and is a pioneer in the development of nipple-sparing mastectomy. Dr. Stolier also focuses on breast cancer genetics and the associated care of women who have a BRCA gene mutation.Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Stolier talk about: how much each type of prophylactic surgery (breast, ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus) can reduce risk who is most likely to benefit from prophylactic surgery women who shouldn’t consider prophylactic surgery whether there is an optimal age for prophylactic surgery Running time: 27:01Listen to part 2 of the series. These podcasts, along with all the other vital content and community support at Breastcancer.org, only exist because of the generous donations of listeners like you. Please visit Breastcancer.org/support to learn how you can help keep our services free for you

Dr. Alan Stolier is a surgeon at the Center for Restorative Breast Surgery in New Orleans. He has more than 35 years of experience in surgical oncology. He specializes in the surgical treatment of breast cancer and is a pioneer in the development of nipple-sparing mastectomy. Dr. Stolier also focuses on breast cancer genetics and the associated care of women who have a BRCA gene mutation.Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Stolier talk about: the timing of prophylactic surgery other genetic mutations besides BRCA1 or BRCA2 that might make a woman consider prophylactic surgery the type of screening program recommended for a woman who’s had prophylactic surgery how often cancer is found during prophylactic surgery Running time: 24:13Listen to part 1 of the series.These podcasts, along with all the other vital content and community support at Breastcancer.org, only exist because of the generous donations of listeners like you. Please visit Breastcancer.org/support to learn how you can help keep our services fre

Lorell Hornbrook has a strong family history of breast cancer: Both her older sister and her father were diagnosed with breast cancer. Her father died at age 75 from treatment complications, a year after he was diagnosed. In 2014, at age 48, Lorell decided to have genetic testing to see if she had a gene mutation that dramatically increased her risk for breast cancer. When her test results came back positive for a BRCA2 mutation, Lorell had already decided what she would do: a double prophylactic mastectomy and reconstruction using tissue from her tummy area. Lorell is one of three women whose stories are featured in the Breastcancer.org video series on genetic testing, prophylactic surgery, and reconstruction. Listen to the podcast to hear Lorell talk about: why she never hesitated about participating in the videos the type of research she did after she got her genetic test results how she prepared herself for surgery the advice she would give to women in a similar situation Running time: 11:04 These

Mandi Seifert was 3 when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1990. When it became available, genetic testing for a mutation that raises the risk of breast cancer was strongly recommended for Mandi’s mom -- in 2010 her mother tested positive for a BRCA2 mutation. Mandi knew that meant she had a 50-50 chance of having the same mutation. In 2013, she decided to have genetic testing and learned that she, too, had a BRCA2 mutation. She decided to have a double prophylactic mastectomy and reconstruction using tissue from her tummy area. Mandi is one of three women whose stories are featured in the Breastcancer.org video series on genetic testing, prophylactic surgery, and reconstruction. Mandi’s older sister, Kerry, also tested positive for a BRCA2 mutation and is also in the video series. Listen to the podcast to hear Mandi discuss: how talking about her surgery with her sister was both emotional and freeing how it felt to see her reconstructive surgeon again after she was completely healed