Young Women and Breast Cancer

As I was doing a little bit of research for this blog post, I came across some information that really showed me how important my issue is and what others out there are doing about it.  On February 27-March 1, 2009, there will be an annual conference held in Dallas, TX supremely dedicated to young women affected by breast cancer.  It is presented by organizations such as the Young Survival Coalition, the Susan G. Komen Foundation and Living Beyond Breast Cancer, which shows the power of this event if these three organizations are joining together.  The conference will offer the latest medical, psychological and practical information provided by breast cancer experts; workshops pertaining to recently diagnosed women, those currently going through or have completed treatment, those living with advanced or metastatic breast cancer, and caregivers; and opportunites to discuss issues with other women who are going through the same thing. 

When I first found this information, I though this would just be an event for those who are currently going through breast cancer.  However, there is a mention that those who are at high risk should also attend for they will be provided with updated information about the current issues of breast cancer among young women.  Although there is nothing listed for the actual events of the conference, we are encouraged to check back in the fall to see the list of speakers, exhibitors, sponsers, etc.  If you know a young woman currently going through breast cancer or anyone at high risk for this disease, please encourage them to visit this website and possibly attend the conference if they are able. 

I think it is great that these organizations are joining together to put breast cancer in young women in the spotlight.  So often, younger women are brushed aside when it comes to risk factors of being diagnosed with breast cancer.  As the awareness heightens, I can only hope that one day this conference will be big enough to occur in our area, and that everyone, no matter what age, will educate themselves when it comes to breast cancer.

9th Annual Conference for Young Women Affected by Breast Cancer

Since I heard about her diagnosis this summer, I must say I was surprised to hear that Christina Applegate had breast cancer.  I must say I was always a fan of her acting, and now am an even bigger fan of her with what she has done to battle breast cancer.  I recently watched a clip from her interview on Ellen and I was truly inspired by what she said.  I have posted the clip for everyone to see. 

I also found out that she has started her own foundation to help with the fight against breast cancer.  However, hers isn’t one just about raising awareness and money to go to some cancer institution.  Hers seems to focus more on younger women.  Because of the density of young women’s breasts, it is often more difficult for mammograms to detect anything.  Because of Applegate’s high risk (her mom is a breast and cervical cancer survivor), she was offered an MRI scan by her doctor, which is much more reliable than mammograms or ultrasounds.  The only problem here is that many insurance companies do not cover the cost of MRI scans and the price is extremely expensive.  So, the non-celebrities like us are not offered t his procedure and we can’t afford it.  Applegate’s foundation raises money for this particular purpose.  For those women who are high risk and young, the money will be used to provide them with an MRI scan.

Right Action For Women

Christina Applegate on Ellen 10/10/08

In this month’s issue of Cosmopolitan, there is a little snippet of my issue in the “Your Health” section.  Although it is just a short blurb is all that is mentioned, it covers some aspects of what has been talked about within this blog.  Cosmo mentions how breast cancer is rare among women under 40, being only 5% of the total cases, but when it does occur, it is more likely to spread quickly, withstand treatment, and recur more often.  They even go on to mention a new study which explains this phenomenon.  It states that the types of tumors younger women get appear to be biologically different from the tumors older women can develop.  Researchers are currently working on engineering new drugs and other therapies that will specifically target younger women’s more aggressive types of breast cancer.

When I read this, it really caught me off guard because it truly does show the importance of my issue at hand.  Although I am mainly focusing on simply the education side of this disease for young women to be prepared when their risks increase as they age, this small article shows that if these young women do develop breast cancer, it can be much more aggressive and fatal in that it doesn’t respond to modern treatments.   This proves that early education on breast cancer symptoms and screenings is so important for younger women, in order to prepare for aggressive cancer at a younger age or to prevent all types of breast cancer as we age.  I will be checking more into this topic and post more if anything surfaces.

Something I haven’t stressed very much since the start of this blog is the genetic factors when it comes to breast cancer.  At first, I wasn’t too sure if I completely understood this aspect because it is a little over my head, but I am learning more and more about it through my research on this issue.  I wanted to use this blog entry to talk a little bit more about what I have learned when it comes to the genetic side of breast cancer.

Certain mutations can occur within genes and can be passed on to children which can be a main cause of breast cancer.  The two most common ones are BRCA1 and BRCA2, meaning breast cancer gene one and two.   There is an estimation that about 250,000 women in the United States carry at least one of these genes putting them at much higher risk for breast cancer.  Women who do not have this genetic mutation have about a 12% chance of developing breast cancer in their lifetime if they live to be 85.  From this statistic it is plain to see that this mutation plays an incredibly large part in a woman’s, or man’s, risk factors. 

Genetic testing is a way to see if family history of breast cancer is due to these genetic mutations.  There are certain requirements to be eligible for this type of genetic testing including:

                -those who have a strong history of breast cancer at an early age

                -those who have family history of breast and ovarian cancers

                -those who have history of male breast cancer

                -those who are Ashkenazi Jewish heritage and have history of breast cancer in their family

Although this test requires a simple blood sample, there are physical, emotional and financial impacts of knowing one’s genetic status, so this test is used only for families with a strong history of breast cancer.  So, then what is the benefit of this test?  If the test is done and it comes out positive, there are medications that can be given to lower risks which are usually saved for women after they have gone into remission.  If you have a high history of breast cancer in your family, this is definitely something to consider.

For more information on this, visit the Komen Foundation.

After my interview with Julie Philp, Director of Administration and Outreach at the Pittsburgh affiliate of Komen, I learned many new things about what the Komen Foundation does that I didn’t before.  One of the most interesting things I found out was about the Mammogram Voucher Program.  As you may read in my profile which is soon to be posted, the MVP is a program where women with little or no insurance can receive a free mammogram and possible follow-up diagnosis.  I think this is a very important process for the Pittsburgh affiliate to be involved in.  It shows that a good amount of the money donated does stay close to home, and it gives women a chance to get the proper screening they need when they may not be able to afford it.  A mere $60 donation to this program can buy a woman a mammogram and ultimately could save her life. 

Philp was also able to talk to me about college women being the “target group” for breast cancer awareness and education.  Not only are we easily accessible for organized events but how many of us now know someone who has gone through breast cancer?  She explained to me how important it is for us to get educated and even screened at this age to be able to see what is normal so that we can recognize what is abnormal if that time comes.  Talk to your general practitioner and gynecologist to see what individual risks could be threatening for you and to discuss your breast health with a professional. 

One of the

first events to kick of breast cancer awareness month was the Haute Pink Party at the Warhol Museum on October 4.  As someone who attended this event, I can tell you if young women are looking for a way to give to breast cancer research, this was the event for them.  I don’t know how many other foundations would put together an event like this, but it was definitely one to remember.  This being my first year going to the Haute Pink Party, I wasn’t sure what to expect.  But I was overall pleased with the turnout.  A $25 ticket included admission to the entire Warhol Museum (meaning the exhibits were open to all those that were interested), a complimentary champagne toast as well as a full service bar, different food choices, live music and a Chinese auction (which I took a prize home in).  More importantly, all proceeds went to the Pittsburgh affiliate of the Komen foundation.  This of course being the most important idea of the night, I can say it was wonderful to see all the supporters, whether it was men, women, young or old, out to help an important cause.

There are many more events that are taking place this month locally to support breast cancer awareness month.  Continually check back to the Pittsburgh affiliate’s website to see what will be coming up soon.

Since today is the last day of September, that can only mean two things: Happy Birthday to me and tomorrow is the start of breast cancer awareness month.  All month long, there will be plenty of opportunities for us Pittsburgh women to give to finding a cure, as well as many events and promotions to promote breast cancer awareness. 

At the Komen website for Pittsburgh, there is an extensive list of what is taking place in October.  These range anywhere from “Pinking” the fountain at Pointe State Park and the Phillip Pelusi fashion show.  This is taking place at the Privilege night club in the Strip District on October 1.  The event starts at 7:00 pm with hors d’oeuvres and music followed by the 8:30 hair and fashion show.  Clothing is provided by Decade, Jude, Moda, and Maxalto.  Tickets are on sale at all Phillip Pelusi locations and at the door for $40.  

Also, on October 4, UPMC is throwing an Haute Pink Party at the Andy Warhol museum from 6-9 pm.  Local bands and DJ’s will be performing all night, as well food provided by “Big Catering.”  A Chinese auction will be held and all proceeds will benefit the Komen foundation.  Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at ticketmaster, and all guests must be 21 or older. 

Please continue to look at the Pittsburgh affiliate website as well as the main Komen website for more events taking place this month.  Remember to wear your pink ribbons to support and awareness.  Every little bit helps.

So many of my classmates’ blogs are focusing on getting college students to be healthier, which I would agree is a growing problem these days.  This also seems to connect with my blog, after learning that there are many activities that promote a healthy lifestyle for college students that also can lower the risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer later in the future.  I find it interesting that certain small changes to a 20-year old woman’s routine can possibly save her life when she reaches her 40s and 50s.  Things as simple as consuming a diet that contains food low in fat content, including more physical exercise into your daily routine, limiting alcohol consumption and refraining from tobacco use can all help lower your risk for breast cancer, and (hello) they will make you a much healthier person from every perspective, which I can’t see ever being a bad thing.

            I also, during my research, found that many risk factors for breast cancer, besides being generally unhealthy,  there are many things that contribute to your risk that are uncontrollable and out of our hands.  Therefore, these healthy lifestyle choices are very important.  I was also very surprised at how many of these factors that raise my risk pertained to me.  I think it is important for every woman in her twenties learn what things can raise their risk and find out what they can do to help lower it.  One of the bigger factors is having a mother or sister who diagnosed with breast cancer or having multiple generations in your family with breast cancer.  This of course shows that some factors are genetic and uncontrollable.  Therefore, it is very important to take part in those activities that a woman can control in able to balance out those factors that are out of our hands.

Visit breastcancer.org on the “Lower Your Risk” tab to find out all you can about breast cancer risk factors.

          After compiling many statistics and analyzing graphs and charts for time and time again, I learned a lot about breast cancer this week.  There are so many great websites out there that can inform you of just about anything you need to know about this disease.  The one thing that surprised me the most during my research was that there a lot of things that girls my age can be doing right now in their lives that could someday make a difference in their chances of developing breast cancer.  Even though many causes are mainly genetic, so many of the risk factors that I found were lifestyle choices that are as simple as maintaining a healthy diet, exercising and limiting alcohol consumption.  What could be more persuading to change bad habits then wanting to reduce your risk of cancer?

            Another part of my findings this week was how easy it is to give back to breast cancer research.  Breast cancer awareness has become so heightened in the past decade that there are endless possibilities on how to donate money or time to the cause.  The one that I love the most is Click to Give @ The Breast Cancer Site. When you visit this site, all you have to do is click a button and for every click, sponsors will pay to give mammograms to those who can’t afford it.  That’s all there is to it; just a click of a button and you’re helping someone possibly detect this disease early enough to save their life.  Also, definitely visit the Pittsburgh affiliate of the Komen foundation’s website.  There you can find an extensive list of fundraisers that take place throughout the city.  This is like easy stuff too, like going to local Macy’s stores and having a bra fitting.  Wacoal is donating $2 for every free bra fitting that takes place at participating stores.  Something that simple definitely needs checked out.

          I’m sure most people are wondering why I am writing a breast cancer blog to women in their 20’s.  Something I found out recently is how fast the rate of breast cancer incidences increase after the age of 35, and I can only wonder if these women were prepared for this disease and if they did everything they could to help lower their risk when they were younger.  I think the most important thing for women our age to do is to have clinical breast examinations preformed by a health care professional at least once every three years.  There’s no harm in being on top of things, right?  At least, get into this routine now, and also include self-examinations, so when the time comes you and your doctor will be an expert in the area. 

            At age 10, I knew very little about breast cancer.  I didn’t understand why my mom was constantly getting sick, missing work, and most of all wearing a wig.  As any intuitive child would assume, I knew there was something that was taking place but I continued on as any normal sixth grader would do.  The only downfall I encountered was when my mom went for her “special treatments,” I had to pack my own lunch. 

            Now 11 years later, I can look back and understand how truly oblivious I was as to what was taking place within my own mother’s body.   She was fighting for her life right before my eyes and today I can honestly look at her with great pride and respect.  Ever since my mom’s fight against breast cancer has entered remission, I have done all that I can to educate myself on this terrible disease.  Understanding that I am now at a much greater risk to one day be diagnosed myself, I want to be able to do all that I can to make sure I tackle it with the strength and courage, just like my mom did.

            Even though I now consider myself some sort of “expert” on this disease, I can’t help but think about how much I would know if my mom was never diagnosed.  Would I really know the difference between invasive breast cancer and carcinoma in situ?  What about the benefits between mammography and self-examinations?  This is the thought that really scares me.  Although I am now educated about this disease because I pretty much have to be if I want to make it to senior citizenship, how many people out there haven’t witness a firsthand account of someone battling breast cancer?  How many women today don’t go for a regular mammogram because they don’t know to go?  In this case, I believe, ignorance is never an excuse.

           What I want this blog to do is to inform female University of Pitt students (as well as anyone else my age) about breast cancer awareness.  I want those people who didn’t have a firsthand account to learn about what could in fact happen to them later in life.  And finally I want these same people to understand that they can in fact help make a difference in battling this disease.  Again this is something that I know from first hand experience.  As of 2006, I was the largest single teen donor to the Susan G. Komen Foundation Pittsburgh Affiliate.  By making my donation, I was able to purchase 60 mammograms for those that couldn’t afford it, all by stringing beads onto stretchy string and then selling them to whomever would buy them.  Now I’m not saying that everyone has to go out and make a huge donation, but if you get involved in these organizations, not only can you make a difference but you can most certainly learn how to prepare yourself for what may lie ahead in the next decade or so.