Breastcancer.org Podcast

Dr. Steven Isakoff is a medical oncologist who serves as associate director for clinical research at the Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and also as director of the Mass General Scalp Cooling Program and the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Program. He is also an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Isakoff explain what scalp cooling is and how it works, including: the differences between automated scalp cooling systems and manual cold caps the factors that influence how effective scalp cooling can be at preserving hair during chemotherapy the biological mechanism of how scalp cooling works his tips for anyone who wants to try scalp cooling Running time: 25:33Thank 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.

Dr. Halle Moore is director of breast medical oncology and co-director of the Comprehensive Breast Cancer Program at the Cleveland Clinic. Her research focuses on breast cancer treatment and issues related to cancer survivorship. Since the first COVID-19 vaccines were approved, she has been advising people diagnosed with cancer about what they need to know about being vaccinated. In this episode, she gives us an update on COVID vaccines, as well what people with allergies to polyethylene glycol and polysorbate should consider before being vaccinated. Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Moore explain: how the technology of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine differs from the technology of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines why the vaccines can’t be compared head-to-head how she is advising people with polyethylene glycol and polysorbate allergies about the COVID vaccines what people currently being treated for breast cancer need to consider before being vaccinated Running time: 18:14Thank you for listening

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, TX, where she is vice president of clinical research. She also is a member of the Breast Immuno-Oncology Task Force of the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Litton joins us for this episode to talk about the side effects that may be caused by the two immunotherapy medicines approved for breast cancer: Keytruda (chemical name: pembrolizumab) and Tecentriq (chemical name: atezolizumab). Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Litton explain: how these two immunotherapy medicines work the side effects that are unique to the immunotherapy medicines how doctors monitor immunotherapy side effects tips how people can monitor themselves for side effects Running time: 20:44Thank 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

Dr. Deanna Attai is associate clinical professor of surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Dr. Attai was an early adopter of social media for professional and patient education. She serves as the social media editor for the Journal of Oncology Practice and is a member of the Annals of Surgical Oncology editorial board. She is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology Social Media Working Group and co-chair of the Collaborative for Outcomes in Social Media in Oncology research group. Much of her recent research has focused on going flat and how satisfied women are with this decision, as well as whether surgeons support women who want to go flat. Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Attai explain: the reasons why a woman may opt to go flat why she decided to study how satisfied women were with their decision to go flat how a woman should talk to her surgeon to ensure she gets a truly flat chest that she is happy with cosmetically after mastectomy, with symmetrical scars and no dog ea

Dr. Neil Iyengar is a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center whose practice focuses on people with breast cancer. His research is looking at the links between metabolic health and cancer, specifically looking at how diet, exercise, and medicines can prevent cancers tied to obesity, such as breast cancer, and improve outcomes for people with inflammation in fatty tissues. Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Iyengar explain: what intermittent fasting is and how it was developed why some people think intermittent fasting could be a tool to prevent breast cancer the research done so far the risks of intermittent fasting and what people who want to try it should consider Running time: 21:40Thank 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.

Dr. Reshma Jagsi is the Newman Family Professor and deputy chair of the department of radiation oncology and director of the Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine at the University of Michigan. At the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, she presented results from a study looking at how well doctors recognized radiation treatment side effects among people treated for breast cancer. Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Jagsi explain: why the researchers decided to look at this topic why certain groups, including younger women and women who are Black or of a race other than Asian or white, were more likely to have their doctors assess their side effects as less severe than they really were how patients can help make sure their doctors understand the severity of any side effects they’re having Running time: 12:59Thank 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 though

Fertility after breast cancer treatment is an important issue for many, many younger women diagnosed with breast cancer. At the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, research was presented showing that while breast cancer survivors of child-bearing age are less likely to get pregnant than the average woman, most have healthy babies and pregnancy has no effect on their long-term survival. Dr. Matteo Lambertini, adjunct professor of medical oncology at the University of Genova - IRCCS Policlinico San Martino Hospital, is corresponding author of the study. Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Lambertini explain: why the researchers did the study a summary of the study and the results why it is important for women and doctors to know that pregnancy after breast cancer treatment is safe for both a woman and her baby his advice to young women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and want to have a child after treatment Running time: 11:14Thank you for listening to the Breastcancer.org Podcast. Please subs

Dr. Jenni Sheng is assistant professor of oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Sheng mainly treats people diagnosed with breast cancer and helps them live with, through, and beyond cancer by working with her patients to create the best treatment plans and manage any side effects treatment may cause. Dr. Sheng is also a research member of GRASP — Guiding Researchers and Advocates to Scientific Partnerships — a nonprofit that connects cancer researchers and advocates so they can learn from each other. Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Sheng explain: what health literacy is and how having good health literacy skills can help people diagnosed with breast cancer how people can improve their health literacy skills how to navigate online sources of health information Running time: 21:51 Thank 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 o

Dr. Patricia Ganz is a medical oncologist who is distinguished professor of medicine as well as professor of health policy and management at UCLA. She also serves as director of the Center for Cancer Prevention and Control Research at the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Ganz is a member of the Breastcancer.org Professional Advisory Board. At the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, she presented results from a study looking at using mindfulness meditation and survivorship education classes to ease depression in younger women treated for breast cancer. Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Ganz explain: how the breast cancer experience is different for younger and older women why the researchers chose to study mindfulness meditation and survivorship classes to ease depression how someone who is interested could participate in the UCLA Mindfulness Center mindfulness meditation classes Running time: 19:07 Thank you for listening to the Breastcancer.org podcast. Please subscribe on iTunes, Stitch

Heba Abdalla is a member of the Breastcancer.org community who was diagnosed with de novo metastatic breast cancer at age 36 when she was pregnant with her third child. Being diagnosed de novo means that the cancer was metastatic at first diagnosis. Heba has been on several different treatments, including some that are known to cause hair loss. She has used cold caps during treatment three times and in this episode of the Breastcancer.org podcast, she’ll tell us about her experience with them. Listen to the episode to hear Heba talk about: her diagnosis and first treatments how she learned about cold caps why she wanted to use cold caps how well cold caps worked for her what she wants other people considering cold caps to know Running time: 29:51 Thank 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 landin

Maura Harrigan is an oncology research registered dietitian and project manager at the Yale School of Medicine. She also serves as a registered dietitian nutritionist in the Survivorship Clinic at the Yale Cancer Center. At the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, results were presented from a study on dietary supplement use by breast cancer survivors and how these supplements may interact with tamoxifen and the aromatase inhibitors. Maura is the lead researcher on the study. Listen to the episode to hear Maura discuss: why telling your doctor and/or a registered dietitian with oncology expertise about any and all the supplements you take is so important why people may be getting more of a particular supplement than they realize her advice for women who’ve been treated for breast cancer and are considering taking supplements Running time: 35:31 Thank you for listening to the Breastcancer.org Podcast. Please subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, TuneIn, Google Play, or wherever you listen to podc

Dr. Chirag Shah is a radiation oncologist and director of breast radiation and clinical research in the department of radiation oncology at the Cleveland Clinic. His primary research interests are breast cancer, sarcoma, and innovative radiation treatment schedules, as well as lymphedema. He has participated in numerous clinical trials. Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Shah explain: the difference between hypofractionated radiation schedules and older, longer radiation schedules, as well as why accelerated schedules were created the benefits and possible risks of a hypofractionated radiation schedule how to advocate for yourself if your radiation oncologist doesn’t recommend a hypofractionated schedule Running time: 11:06 Thank 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.

Ira Feinstein is an American author currently living in Chicago. Cut Off will be his first book. Growing up in Georgia and Michigan, Ira lived as Carla before gender transitioning at age 38. Carla lost both of her parents by age 11 — her father died unexpectedly of a heart attack and 2 years later, her mother died from breast cancer. A number of years after her mother’s death, Carla learned that she carried a BRCA1 mutation, which gave her a much higher than average risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Carla had a preventive double mastectomy and hysterectomy before gender transitioning. Listen to the podcast to hear Ira talk about: living with a BRCA1 mutation, both as a woman and a trans man the decision to have preventive surgery his experiences as a trans man dealing with the medical community his advice for other people dealing with a genetic mutation Cut Off, his first book Running time: 28:16 Thank you for listening to the Breastcancer.org podcast. Please subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Tune

Weslinne Cespedes, who lives in Brooklyn, was diagnosed with stage III triple-negative breast cancer at age 30 in March of this year, just as New York City was deciding when and what to shut down because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Listen to the podcast to hear Weslinne talk about: how finding a lump in her breast led to her diagnosis how the COVID-19 pandemic added to the stress of cancer treatment how she started chemotherapy and planned her wedding during the pandemic how she feels the diagnosis changed her what she wants people to know Running time: 39:38 Thank 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.

Dr. Leisha Emens is professor of medicine in hematology/oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Hillman Cancer Center. She is also co-leader of the Hillman Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Program and director of translational immunotherapy for the Women’s Cancer Research Center. She is internationally recognized for her research on using immunotherapy to treat breast cancer. At the European Society for Medical Oncology Virtual Congress 2020, Dr. Emens presented final overall survival results from the IMpassion130 study, showing that the combination of Tecentriq, which has the chemical name atezolizumab, and Abraxane, which has the chemical name nab-paclitaxel, improved overall survival by 7.5 months compared to Abraxane alone for people diagnosed with metastatic PD-L1-positive, triple-negative breast cancer. But another trial — the IMpassion131 study — found that combining Tecentriq with Taxol, a different form of paclitaxel, was no better than Taxol alone in treating the same type of breast cancer — me

Dr. Michael Method is an oncologist and also senior medical adviser and global lead for adjuvant breast cancer treatment research at Lilly Oncology. While ESMO 2020 was virtual this year, there was still quite a bit of breast cancer research presented. Dr. Method joined us to talk about some of the most notable studies. Listen to the podcast to hear him discuss: studies looking at using the CDK4/6 inhibitors Verzenio (chemical name: abemaciclib) and Ibrance (chemical name: palbociclib) to treat early-stage hormone-receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer a study using the immunotherapy Tecentriq (chemical name: atezolizumab) to treat early-stage triple-negative breast cancer before surgery Running time: 27:16Thank 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.

Infectious disease expert Dr. Elizabeth Robilotti is assistant attending physician and associate medical epidemiologist at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Listen to the podcast to hear her discuss: why a flu vaccine is so important during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for people diagnosed with breast cancer why you can’t contract the flu from the flu vaccine how to safely celebrate the fall and winter holidays Running time: 13:07Thank 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.

Dr. Megan Kruse is a breast medical oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic. On Aug. 24, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) modified its COVID-19 testing guidelines to say that people who don’t have symptoms don’t need to be tested, even if they’ve been exposed to the virus. Many experts questioned the change, and on Aug. 26, the director of the CDC issued a statement saying that, “testing may be considered for all close contacts of confirmed or probable COVID-19 patients.” It’s the “may be considered” language that seems to be confusing people. Dr. Kruse joins us to help clear up any confusion about COVID-19 testing recommendations. Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Kruse explain: how she’s talking to her patients about COVID-19 testing how someone who is immunocompromised should approach COVID-19 testing why testing recommendations for people being treated for breast cancer have to be nuanced Running time: 9:36Editor’s Note: This episode was recorded before September 18, 2020, whe

In this Breastcancer.org podcast, Brian Wojciechowski, M.D., Breastcancer.org medical adviser, discusses some of the research that was published in September and October 2014. Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Wojciechowski explain: results of a study that found the targeted therapy Perjeta increased overall survival by about 1.5 years in women diagnosed with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer why wearing a bra IS NOT linked to breast cancer risk why breastfeeding decreases breast cancer risk how Trelstar might increase the chances that some premenopausal women get pregnant after going through breast cancer treatment Running time: 18:03These 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.

In this Breastcancer.org podcast, Brian Wojciechowski, M.D., Breastcancer.org medical adviser, discusses some of the research that was published in October 2014. Listen to the podcast to hear Dr. Wojciechowski explain: results of a study that found the targeted therapy Herceptin offers long-lasting benefits for women diagnosed with early-stage HER2-positive disease a study that found occult cancers in more than 2% of women who were having their ovaries removed preventively because of genetics or family history why Hispanic women still need to take steps to reduce their risk of breast cancer, even if they have a genetic variant that may lower their risk why more research is needed before a new genomic test can be used to make treatment decisions Running time: 13:40These 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