Many women who experience abnormal swelling of the arm or shoulder area following treatment for breast cancer — a condition called lymphedema — suffer in silence, according to the results of a recent survey. Lymphedema… Continue reading
A new drug for women whose breast cancer fails to respond to conventional chemotherapy has been listed on Australia’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Abraxane, approved in more than 35 countries, has been shown to… Continue reading
A mastectomy is prudent when breast cancer returns after a lumpectomy, because survival rates are better than with another lumpectomy, according to a report published in October 2008. “We were surprised to find… Continue reading
The discovery of tumor-suppressor genes has been key to unlocking the molecular and cellular mechanisms leading to uncontrolled cell proliferation the hallmark of cancer. Often, these genes will work in concert with others… Continue reading
Making the decision between a mastectomy and a lumpectomy can be a very difficult choice for a woman newly diagnosed with breast cancer. Today, I read about a new procedure called oncoplastic surgery, which offers… Continue reading
Breast cancers that respond to female hormones, such as estrogen, generate specific proteins that help tumor cells survive and grow. One such protein, HDM2, is known to be present in higher levels in… Continue reading
For many cancer patients undergoing mastectomies, reconstructive breast surgery can seem like a first step to reclaiming their bodies. Last month I wrote a piece on reconstructive breast surgery and specifically the lack… Continue reading
I have just finished reading an inspirational interview in the Limerick Post with artist, Georgina Glesson, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992. Since then, she has had many medical complications to deal… Continue reading
Five Lessons I Didn’t Learn from Breast Cancer (And One Big One I Did) is the title of a book by Shelly Lewis, which is described as the antidote to the cancer as life… Continue reading
