Breast Cancer Care in 2024: What Women Need to Know

By: Epoch Times - Science Posted On: November 02, 2024 View: 3

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Leading oncologists share critical information about detection, treatment, and support in Breast Cancer Awareness month.

A diagnosis of breast cancer arrives like an earthquake, reshaping the landscape of a woman’s life in an instant. Yet, amid the uncertainty, medical advances and personalized treatment approaches offer more hope than ever.

This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, leading oncologists share critical information about detection, treatment, and support that every woman needs to know.

Understanding Your Risk

“Breast cancer is a disease that, when detected and treated early, has an excellent prognosis,” Elaine M. Matos, a nurse practitioner at Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, told The Epoch Times. “It’s crucial to understand that regardless of family history, screening is recommended for all women of average risk, beginning at age 40.”

Risk factors vary significantly among women, Dr. Cindy Cen, a breast surgical oncologist at the Northwell Health Cancer Institute, told The Epoch Times, emphasizing the role genetics plays in women’s risk. “If you have a lot of cancer in the family, your risk is going to be higher.”

Some other risk factors are not properly emphasized, such as the role lifestyle can play in a woman’s risk, Cen said. “Breast cancer risk is very much entwined with alcohol intake,” she noted. “So the more that you drink, the higher the breast cancer risk is—and this is something that not a lot of women are aware of.”

Other lifestyle choices that help reduce breast cancer risk include exercise and maintaining a healthy weight, she added.

Ethnicity also influences risk—white women have different incidence rates compared to black and Asian women.

The Importance of Screening

Breast cancer screening is the most important factor public awareness campaigns should address, according to Mato.

She pointed out that routine annual screening aids in earlier detection, which increases the odds of a favorable treatment outcome. However, it’s important to note that receiving a mammogram comes with certain risks, including:

Radiation exposure: Mammograms expose patients to a small amount of radiation from X-rays. This can increase some women’s risk of cancer from the screening itself. At particular risk are women with large breasts who may require extra views for a complete examination.
False results: Mammograms can produce false positive or false negative results. A false positive result occurs when a doctor sees something that looks like cancer but isn’t. A false negative result occurs when a mammogram looks normal even though breast cancer is present.
Overdiagnosis: A mammogram can find a cancer that would not have caused symptoms or problems or even have gone away on its own. This is called overdiagnosis, which can lead to unnecessary and unwanted treatments. Mammograms also can’t detect all cancers, especially those too small or in areas that are difficult to view, like the armpit. Women with dense breasts are also more likely to receive false negative results.

According to one study, despite the increased use of screening mammography, a large percentage of breast cancers are detected by the women themselves during self-screening.

Understanding Treatment Options

In the United States, approximately one in eight women will receive a breast cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. While this statistic affects many families, each woman’s experience is unique, making personalized care essential.

“The big picture here is that everyone’s cancer is different,” Cen said. When facing a diagnosis, women often find themselves overwhelmed by treatment choices.

However, unlike many other medical conditions, breast cancer treatment can often be tailored to patient preferences, according to Matos.

When considering surgery, patients have the option of mastectomy (removal of all the breast tissue) or lumpectomy (removal of the tumor from the breast tissue) while also considering cosmetic outcome, patient preference, tumor size, location, and volume of disease, Matos said.

“We also offer whole breast versus partial breast radiation,” she added. “Some factors that impact the scope of radiation include tumor grade, size, patient age, and history of prior radiation.”

Lastly, Matos said that systemic therapy options can vary “from a pill to chemotherapy, depending on the type of tumor, size, patient age, and existing medical conditions.”

Recent innovations have expanded treatment possibilities. Pembrolizumab, an immunotherapy medication commercially known as Keytruda, has emerged as a new standard for treating certain aggressive types of breast cancer, particularly triple-negative breast cancer, which disproportionately affects black women.

Emotional Health and Support Systems

“Being diagnosed with cancer doesn’t mean that all the normal stuff in your life stops happening,” Dr. Daniela A. Ochoa, a breast surgeon, stated in an article by the American College of Surgeons. “Adding the stress of a cancer diagnosis and treatment on top of all the normal stressors of life can be a lot to deal with.” She recommends connecting with licensed professionals specializing in oncology-related mental health care and joining support groups in person or online.

Creating a robust support network is crucial for successful treatment. This network should include surgeons, oncologists, nurses, social workers, and patient navigators who guide patients through the complexities of care.

Dr. Katharine A. Yao, a surgical oncologist, emphasizes the importance of trust in one’s health care team. “One of the most important things is that patients should seek out a team that they have confidence in, that they trust will have their back when they need it, and a team they feel they can get access to and that will help them when they are in need,” she said.

Since the treatment options can vary widely based on the specific type and stage of cancer, both Yao and Ochoa, who are members of the American College of Surgeons, emphasize the importance of being informed and engaged during discussions with health care providers about treatment plans.

Taking Care of Your Emotional Health

Understanding the value of emotional support, Cen said she always asks about patients’ support systems during consultations. “When you’re sitting there and I’m throwing all this information at you about radiation, chemo, surgery plans, it is a lot,” she said.

Having family, friends, and a support system around helps. For those who don’t have as much support, there are support groups, she added.

Receiving a cancer diagnosis can take a toll on emotional well-being. Ochoa highlighted the need to address mental health as part of the overall care plan.

She suggests reaching out to licensed professionals like social workers and psychologists who specialize in oncology, as well as joining support groups, whether in person or online. Connecting with others who share similar experiences can provide comfort and valuable coping strategies.

Receiving a breast cancer diagnosis can be extraordinarily stressful, but Cen emphasized that the patient’s emotional state is routinely addressed as a part of care.

“I always ask when [patients] come in,” Cen said. “Sometimes they come in alone for these talks and I ask is there someone we can get on the phone, a loved one, family member, friend, somebody else that can listen in.”

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