This year’s Bridging the Gap: Enhancing Breast Cancer Prevention, Screening and Wellness event covered topics such as disparities in health care, alternative medicines, survivorship studies, genetics and other concerns for breast cancer patients, survivors and caregivers.
At the end of the day, audience members were asked submit their questions to expert speakers. Below are some of the more popular questions submitted to Preya Ananthakrishnan, MD, of the Clinical Breast Cancer Program
Question: Is radiation always required after lymph node surgery?
Answer: No, radiation is not always required after lymph node surgery. Radiation is standard treatment after lumpectomy or breast conserving surgery. Radiation is usually given to the axillary region if 4 or more lymph nodes are involved with cancer, and may be considered (particularly in premenopausal women) if 1 to 3 lymph nodes are involved with cancer. Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and antiestrogen medication are all components of a comprehensive breast cancer treatment program. Decisions about which further therapies are necessary after surgery are made by the multidisciplinary treatment team.
Q: What are the signs of breast cancer in men?
A: Breast cancer in men is rare, yet men have a small amount of breast tissue that can develop cancer. Symptoms of breast cancer in men are similar to those of women and include:
- a lump in the chest
- bleeding from the nipple
- skin rashes or lesions in the breast, nipple, or areola
Diagnosis of breast cancer in men is also similar to women and is diagnosed with:
- a physical exam
- mammography and/or ultrasound
- biopsy.
Treatment of breast cancer in men is also similar to that of women. Therapies include:
- surgery
- radiation treatment
- chemotherapy
- and/or endocrine therapy.
It is important for men to be aware of any changes on self-exam, and to immediately bring these to the attention of their doctor for further work-up.
Q: What does NYP/Columbia do to raise awareness of breast cancer in minority communities?
A: Breast cancer occurrences in Black, Asian or Latina women are less frequent than in Caucasian women, but when found, breast cancer is often more aggressive with higher rates of mortality in these minority communities. Therefore, outreach efforts are made to promote early screening and detection in minority communities. Once a cancer is diagnosed, we highlight the availability of clinical trials and the latest treatment options through the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center Program’s Research Recruitment Minority Outreach (RRMO) program. This program is targeted towards increasing minority enrollment in clinical trials.
For several years, NYPH/Columbia has held breast cancer awareness programs similar to Bridging the Gap. The Department of Surgery Clinical Breast Cancer Program also participates in the Columbia University Breast Cancer Screening Partnership. For more information about these programs please click on the links included in the text of this post. To learn about upcoming Bridging the Gap events contact Christine Rein at cmr2146@columbia.edu.
Related Links:
Bridging the Gap: Enhancing Breast Cancer Prevention, Screening & Wellness Q&A (1 of 4)
Bridging the Gap: Enhancing Breast Cancer Prevention, Screening & Wellness Q&A (2 of 4)
{ 0 comments }