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About Breastlink

Comprehensive breast centers to help women with breast cancer treatment, prevention, screening and diagnosis.

Breast Cancer and Genetics

In true Hollywood fashion, when a celebrity speaks the masses listen.

That’s precisely what happened when Angelina Jolie penned an editorial in The New York Times that shined the spotlight on breast cancer and genetics, specifically genes that can cause the disease.

Quickly dubbed the “Angelina Jolie Effect,” the number of women requesting a blood test to reveal if they’re carriers of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes has nearly doubled since the editorial’s 2013 publication, according to various studies including one by the online journal Breast Cancer Research.

Although inherited factors account for less than 5 percent of breast cancer cases, individuals […]

By | August 17, 2015|Categories: Breast Cancer, Breast Cancer Screening|0 Comments
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BRCA Testing: What Patients Should Know

In recent years, many advancements have been made in our knowledge of the relationship between genetics and breast cancer. Tests are now available to help identify numerous genetic mutations that increase your risk for breast cancer. BRCA1 and BRCA2 are two genes that have been linked to increased risk for breast cancer. BRCA testing could potentially help you to make informed decisions regarding your breast health. […]

By | August 3, 2015|Categories: Breast Cancer Screening|0 Comments
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Male Breast Cancer Symptoms

Breast cancer is widely considered a woman’s disease, but men are also at risk. Around 1 in 1,000 men will develop breast cancer at some point in their lives. Although their risk for breast cancer is low, knowledge of male breast cancer symptoms can help men to recognize this potentially deadly disease.

What are the Signs of Male Breast Cancer?

Male breast cancer symptoms can be very similar to those found in women. The most prominent symptom is a lump in the breast. If you notice changes to your breast tissue, you should be evaluated by a physician with experience in treating breast diseases.

While most women are aware that a lump could […]

By | July 27, 2015|Categories: Male Breast Cancer|0 Comments
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Breast Cancer Incidences Expected to Grow

Over the next several decades, the incidence of breast cancer is expected to rise. We will also witness shifting patterns regarding the types of breast cancer diagnosed and ages of women diagnosed. As these changes occur, it is critical for breast cancer treatment teams to consider each case individually.

It is necessary for physicians to consider each patient’s disease on a case-by-case basis. Every breast cancer and every woman diagnosed with breast cancer is different. It is critical that women receive care tailored to their individual needs. A multidisciplinary team of breast cancer specialists will consider all possible options according to cancer subtype and personal goals to ensure women receive the […]

By | May 21, 2015|Categories: Breast Cancer, Cancer News|0 Comments
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Do Specialists Make a Difference in Breast Cancer Surgery?

Breastlink doctors specialize specifically in breast cancer care and treatment. While we can talk about the benefits of specialization, is there actually evidence to suggest that specialists can improve outcomes for breast cancer patients?

To answer that question, it is worth revisiting a 2003 study that investigated how patients fared following breast cancer surgery when treated by a breast-dedicated surgical oncologist.

What Makes a Breast-Dedicated Surgical Oncologist?

Surgical oncology is not a boarded subspecialty. This means it can be difficult to determine whether a surgeon is a specialist in breast cancer surgery. One indicator is whether they belong to a professional medical association committed to advancing surgical oncology or breast cancer surgery.

Professional medical […]

By | May 11, 2015|Categories: Breast Surgery, Dr. Lisa Curcio|Tags: |0 Comments
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USPSTF Recommendations Ignore Reality of Breast Cancer

Annual mammogram screening beginning at age 40 saves lives. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends less frequent screening at a later age, not because screening will not save lives, but because it will not save sufficient numbers of lives when started before age 50.

The guidelines are based on outdated, blemished data and do not evaluate cost-effectiveness or any other benefits of early detection. In fact, USPSTF states, “Screening mammography in women ages 40 to 49 years may reduce the risk of dying of breast cancer, but the number of deaths averted is much smaller than in older women and the number of false-positive tests and unnecessary biopsies are larger.”[…]

By | April 24, 2015|Categories: 40 not 50, Breast Cancer, Breast Cancer Screening|1 Comment
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Understanding Risk Factors for Breast Cancer

There are steps all women can take to reduce their chances of developing breast cancer.

It is not possible to completely eliminate your chances for developing breast cancer, but there are steps you can take to reduce risk. Some risk factors, like age and genetics, cannot be changed. However, certain lifestyle choices can help you to prevent breast cancer and there are steps you can take to minimize risk associated with factors you have no control over.

This post is the first in a Breastlink series on breast cancer risk and prevention. Here, we will go over some of the risk factors that affect your chances of developing breast cancer and provide […]

By | April 14, 2015|Categories: Breast Cancer Risks, Dr. Lisa Curcio|0 Comments
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Many Unaware of Cancer Risk Factors

There are steps you can take to help prevent cancer. Many lifestyle choices we make can increase or decrease our risk. However, a recent survey suggests many patients do not understand how these choices affect their chances for developing cancer.

How Well Do Americans Understand Cancer Risk Factors?

To gauge general understanding of cancer risk factors, the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) has periodically surveyed patients since 2001. The AICR 2015 Cancer Risk Awareness Survey included responses from more than 1,100 individuals. Here are some of the results:

  • Only 42 percent of respondents were aware that diets low in vegetables and fruit can increase cancer risk. […]
By | March 23, 2015|Categories: Breast Cancer Risks, Dr. Lisa Curcio|0 Comments
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Breast Tissue Density Awareness

Breast Density Awareness Varies Among American Women

Awareness of breast tissue density issues varies among American women. Researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota recently performed a national, cross-sectional survey to gauge differences in breast density knowledge across different patient populations.

Breast Tissue Density awareness

Approximately 1,500 women responded to the survey and results were published in Journal of Clinical Oncology. Based on results, researchers determined that race and ethnicity, education and income played a role in how likely a woman was to understand breast tissue density issues.

  • 58 percent of respondents had heard of breast density.
  • 49 percent were aware breast cancer detection can be affected by breast density.

    • […]

By | March 16, 2015|Categories: Breast Cancer Screening|2 Comments
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Palbociclib & Advanced ER-Positive Breast Cancer Treatment

ibrance palbociclib er positive breast cancerWomen with advanced estrogen receptor-positive (ER-positive) breast cancer now have a new treatment option at their disposal. The FDA recently approved a drug called palbociclib (Ibrance®) as a frontline treatment for women with ER-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer.

Palbociclib granted accelerated approval

Research investigating palbociclib has delivered promising results. Based on the phase 2 results of the PALOMA-1 clinical trial, palbociclib was granted “breakthrough therapy designation” by the FDA. On February 3, the FDA announced it had approved palbociclib through an accelerated process because clinical data showed clear potential for clinical benefit to patients.

Palbociclib Breast <a href=[…]

By | February 22, 2015|Categories: Cancer News, Oncology|0 Comments
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Authors

Breastlink
John Link, M.D.
John West, M.D.
June Chen, M.D.
Nancy Link, R.D.N.
Nimmi Kapoor M.D.
Tchaiko Parris, M.D., Ph.D.

Disclaimer

All information provided by Breastlink on this blog is of a general nature and is not intended to be and cannot substitute medical treatment or personal advice. The information is intended only for general purposes. Many patients have different needs, reactions or forms of treatment. If you have questions regarding your own or a loved one’s treatment or care you must consult with your own physician or seek the guidance of a treating physician.