Finding a cure now...so our daughters won't have to.

Posts Tagged ‘research’

Chemo Brain is Real

Posted By on June 15th, 2011 at 9:00 am | 0 comments.

Written by Barbara Good, Ph.D.

For years, women in cancer support groups and those discussing their treatment with sympathetic friends or relatives have referred to a syndrome they call “chemo brain,” the somewhat amusing-sounding but all too real experience of many who undergo chemotherapy in the course of cancer treatment. At times complaints from cancer patients about forgetfulness, lack of coordination, or the inability to find certain words during speech have been looked at by some in the medical profession as a result of the stress of cancer treatment, or fatigue, or both.

A recent study at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle now lends credence to the idea that the symptoms cancer patients describe appear, in fact, to come at least in part from cancer treatment and that they may last for periods up to five years or more. The patients examined had undergone chemotherapy as part of bone marrow or stem cell transplants to treat blood cancers, but the researchers believe their findings to be applicable to breast cancer patients and to those who have undergone chemotherapy for other types of cancer. Verbal memory and motor problems lasted longer than five years in some of the patients examined, but information processing, multitasking, and executive function tasks seemed to be regained within five years.

Targeting Breast Cancer: Adult Stem Cell Research

Posted By on May 16th, 2011 at 12:54 pm | 2 comments.

Over the last few years, much discussion and debate in the media has focused on using stem cells in medical research.  The issue has centered on the use of fetal stem cells, their possible use in research to cure or better treat a wide variety of diseases, and the ethical questions surrounding such research.  However, stem cells are not only found in fetal tissue; adult stem cells exist in the mature human body.

Stem cells were discovered in the breast in 2003 by researchers at the University of Michigan. They are defined as cells that “have the ability to continuously divide and develop into various other kinds of cells/tissue.”  It is possible that when a cancer re-emerges after hormonal therapy and chemotherapy, even in a woman with ER-positive breast cancer, the culprit may be stem cells that have not been affected by the treatment.  In recent laboratory research, investigators have tested the drug sorafenib (Nevaxar®), a drug used in the treatment of kidney and liver cancers, and found that this agent eliminated more breast cancer stem cells and blocked tumor formation better than 4 other drugs tested. It is now being examined in clinical trials.  This approach to cancer treatment, which deals with the disease at a cellular level through the targeting of genes and proteins, is one that we will see more of in the coming years as therapeutic options begin to focus on individual patient and tumor characteristics.

For more information about this research, click here. Or, more information about stem cells can be found here.

2011 Refunds for Research Awardees Announced

Posted By on April 15th, 2011 at 9:01 am | 0 comments.

Through the generosity of Pennsylvania taxpayers, the PBCC’s Refunds for Breast Cancer Research program awarded grants to three PA based cancer researchers to further their study. Melanie Flint, Ph.D., Steffi Oesterreich, Ph.D., and Azadeh Stark, Ph.D. each received $50,000 to continue their respective research endeavors to unlock more of the mysteries of breast cancer.

Dr. Flint and Dr. Oesterreich are both researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. Dr. Stark is employed by the Center for Health Service Research at Geisinger Medical Center. This is the first PBCC Refunds for Research grant award for all of the three recipients.

Many thanks to each Pennsylvania taxpayer who has contributed all or part of his or her state income tax refund to support the Refunds for Research program to help bring us closer to our goal of finding a cure for breast cancer now…so our daughters won’t have to.

President’s Corner: 3-D Breast Scans Aid in Early Detection, Lessening False Positives

Posted By on April 15th, 2011 at 9:00 am | 0 comments.

Recently approved by the FDA, 3-D breast scan systems provide radiologists with a clearer, spatially accurate representation of breast tissue to accompany the image provided by a mammogram. The 3-D reconstruction will make it easier to detect and identify possible malignancies in the breast tissue that may not have been visible prior to the 3-D technology.

The 3-D scan will provide radiologists with the ability to better analyze tumors found in the breast and help reduce the likelihood of false positives. A recent Philadelphia Inquirer article on the topic provided insights by radiologists familiar with the 3-D breast scan technology, formally called “tomosynthesis”. They showed that the 3-D breast scan will allow them to see any tumors more clearly than mammography alone. However, it is important to note that at this stage, the 3-D scan would not be a replacement for the traditional 2-D mammogram; rather, it would be used in conjunction with a traditional mammogram to provide a clearer picture of the inside of the breast. It is also important to remember that the 3-D scan provides a higher dose of radiation than do currently used mammograms, and the long-term effects of it on the breast are unknown.  Any woman considering this procedure should review it with her physician.

Information on cutting-edge breast cancer news and research will be available at the PA Breast Cancer Coalition Annual Conference on Tuesday, October 11, 2011 in Harrisburg. Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Register today to join us for this inspirational and educational gathering of breast cancer advocates and survivors.

FrontLine, PBCC’s Print Newsletter: Spring 2011 Edition Online

Posted By on March 30th, 2011 at 3:54 pm | 2 comments.

The Spring 2011 edition of the PBCC’s print newsletter, FrontLine, is now available online! Thanks to Issuu, this newsletter is available to everyone though various websites including Facebook and PABreastCancer.org. Over the next few editions, we will be working to increase online content for FrontLine including videos, photos, and more!

Currently, FrontLine is mailed out to over 57,000 households and businesses across the state quarterly. If you receive FrontLine in the mail and wish to instead receive correspondence from the PBCC electronically, email us! We’ll be happy to make the change.

Enjoy the Spring 2011 edition!

PA Breast Cancer Coalition Awards Two Research Grants Through the Income Tax Refund Campaign

Posted By on March 22nd, 2011 at 11:31 am | 6 comments.

2011 Refunds for Research Check Presentation at the Hillman Cancer CenterPITTSBURGH, Pa. – The PA Breast Cancer Coalition (PBCC) has launched its annual Refunds for Research campaign to fund Pennsylvania cancer researchers. By simply checking YES on line 35 of the PA-40 tax form, any taxpayer can donate all or part of their state income tax refund to breast and cervical cancer research. Every penny contributed goes directly to PA breast and cervical cancer researchers as they work for a cure. By donating, the taxpayer will join the thousands of Pennsylvania tax filers who have contributed over $2.7 million for PA-based cancer research.

Through this program, the PA Breast Cancer Coalition is pleased to announce two recipients of research grants for 2011. Melanie Flint, Ph.D. and Steffi Oesterreich, Ph.D., both of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) and members of the Magee-Womens Research Institute, have been awarded $50,000 grants to assist in their research process.

“Thousands of donations of every size made by Pennsylvania residents make the Refunds for Research grants possible. The generosity of the people of this state for the program has been overwhelming,” said Pat Halpin-Murphy, President and Founder of the PBCC. “This simple and effective program, and the support of so many, reinforces our commitment to finding a cure for breast cancer now…so our daughters won’t have to.”

The PBCC worked with the state legislature to enact the Income Tax Check-Off for Breast & Cervical Cancer Research which is currently the most popular refund donation option in Pennsylvania. The funds raised through this initiative support the outstanding breast and cervical cancer researchers in our own backyard.

The PA Breast Cancer Coalition represents supports and serves breast cancer survivors and their families in Pennsylvania through educational programming, legislative advocacy and breast cancer research grants. The PBCC is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to finding a cure now…so our daughters won’t have to. For more information, please call 800-377-8828 or visit www.PABreastCancer.org.

Refunds for Research: Dollars DO Make a Difference

Posted By on March 15th, 2011 at 8:53 am | 0 comments.

Advancements in breast cancer treatment and diagnosis – such as the lymph node removal study mentioned in the President’s Corner – happen because of the work of dedicated researchers. In PA, their work is made possible in part thanks to state taxpayers’ contributions to the Refunds for Breast Cancer Research program.

It is easy to make a difference, and every contribution helps. Whether your state return is $5 or $500, you can make an impact by checking line 35 on your PA-40 state income tax form. You can impact research happening here in Pennsylvania with the click of your mouse or the stroke of your pen.

President’s Corner: Clinical Trial Breakthrough May Mean Less Surgery

Posted By on March 15th, 2011 at 8:52 am | 6 comments.

Removal of lymph nodes may not decrease recurrences or increase overall survival rates for some women, according to a Journal of the American Medical Association study.  The study results are particularly promising for some women with early-stage breast cancer, although we caution that for others, more research is needed.

The study’s results show promise particularly for those women with tumors less than 5 centimeters and no more than two positive sentinel nodes who are undergoing lumpectomy followed by radiation. The study did not provide enough data to make a determination on treatment for those under age 50 or those with particularly aggressive cancers. As with all treatment decisions, be sure to talk with your doctor to determine the best plan for you.

We Love Thank You Notes!

Posted By on November 17th, 2010 at 8:48 am | 0 comments.

The 2010 PBCC Annual Conference is history!  But thank you notes and emails are still coming into the PBCC office.   Many of these are from women and men all across the state who were given financial assistance to attend the conference in Harrisburg on October 13th.   The PBCC offers various levels of grants and scholarships to applicants who otherwise would not be able to attend this inspirational and educational event.
This year, through the generosity of donors to the Cary Massa Memorial Scholarship Fund, the PBCC was able to provide assistance to 35 women and men all across the state and beyond – a record number!

One scholarship recipient wrote:

To all who donate to the Cary Massa Memorial Scholarship Fund,
The very thought of cancer leaves one in a state of fear. You get so lost in deep concerns and issues faster than you can take a breath to consume the news. You begin to lay your options out to try to cope. People like yourself come into your life. Caring, unknown strangers opening their hearts and offering the help we so desperately need…knowledge, hope, facts, and most of all choices. Thanks to you, I will have this helpful information offered to me. I am extremely grateful for that. Without your help I would not have been able to attend.

Patty
Erie, PA

Another said:

Please extend my sincere thank you to the friends and family of Cary for the gift. The scholarship represents a very fitting way to honor a dear friend and volunteer to the PBCC. What a lovely way for Cary to be a woman who continues to help other women breast cancer patients/survivors.

Cora Lee
State College, PA

And a nursing professor at Towson University, 9 of whose students received scholarships, wrote:

Please accept my heartfelt thanks for providing scholarships for my Towson University nursing students. They were totally impressed with the event, collegiality, networking and opportunities to learn more about breast cancer. It was indeed a class act of a professional conference, as I also gained much needed valuable information and knowledge as an educator.

Janet
Hagerstown, MD

Please consider contributing to the scholarship fund to help women and men attend future PBCC conferences.  We cannot do this work without your support.  The PBCC and all the recipients thank you!