LIVE WELL, LIVE LIFE...

Adventuring Out Again To Meet Another Triple Negative Breast Cancer Survivor Sister, Rachel In Maryland.

On April 8, 2012, I rented a Camry for the week and set out for another road trip with my son heading east to Maryland to show him the sites of Washington DC and to meet and stay with my Triple Negative Breast Cancer survivor sister, Rachel in her hometown. Rachel and I have met online in our TNBC support group about 1½ year ago and had become great friends. We shared some good laughs within the group as well as support as to where we were in our journey, finding our new normal after treatments were over.  One night we were poking fun at what we looked like with our new hair growing back after chemo. Rachel posted a pic of a baby monkey and said that's what she looked like and I posted a pic of a baby owl as to what I looked like. We talked often on the phone over the months and talked of getting together, HERE WE ARE! 
Rachel is so sweet and fun to hang out with, I just love her bunches!  Don't laugh, but Rachel taught me how to make hamburgers... I don't cook! We did shots of fish oil with beer chasers! We took walks, and walked some more in DC and in Baltimore showing my son Fort McHenry. My son really enjoyed his stay at Rachel's too. Loved it when we get lost while she's driving, it was really funny, all I could do is laugh about it... Oh, and can't forget Happy Hour!

"Pic of Rachel when her hair
started coming back in"

"I came across this photo and it
 reminded me of what my hair looked
like when it first started coming back in, LOL"

April 2012 Ask The Expert: Research And Treatment Options For Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

During the month of April, get your questions answered about research and treatment options for triple-negative breast cancer.

If you have questions about which groups are at highest risk for developing triple-negative breast cancer, the types of treatments available in early-stage and metastatic disease and the latest research on promising new developments in the pipeline,  ask our expert Edith P. Mitchell, MD, FACP, your question.

We will answer as many questions as possible, but we cannot answer all questions submitted. We will begin posting Dr. Mitchell’s answers in early April and continue to post answers throughout the month;  see our submission form for more information and guidelines, and check back here for updates.

You may also be interested in our April teleconference on Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Medical Update.

Question: I got two opinions from two different surgeons. One said to do chemo first to reduce the size of the tumor, then do surgery. The other said surgery first, then chemo. My tumor is just under 1 cm and triple-negative. I don't know what to do.  

Dr. Mitchell: They are both correct. The standard treatment for triple-negative breast cancer is surgery followed by chemotherapy. However, because triple-negative breast cancer has a tendency to metastasize (spread to other parts of the body) and recur within the first five years after diagnosis, many doctors recommend chemotherapy before surgery. The goal of chemotherapy is to prevent the breast cancer from coming back and spreading to other parts of the body (metastasis).

Question: Both of my surgeons suggested a lumpectomy. I want a bilateral mastectomy. Should I listen to my surgeon or do what would make me feel less anxious? 

Dr. Mitchell: You should make your decision carefully after talking with not only your breast surgeon, but also a plastic and reconstructive surgeon, medical oncologist and geneticist. Be sure to review all the information and work with your doctor or nurse to develop the best plan.

Question: Is there any research on what activates triple-negative breast cancer? 

Dr. Mitchell: Unfortunately, we do not yet know the cause of triple-negative disease or the factors that initiate the process.

Question: Are there any recommendations on what diet or exercise might prevent a recurrence of triple-negative breast cancer?  

Dr. Mitchell: In general, a healthy diet low in fat and high in vegetables and fruits, maintaining an ideal body weight and moderate exercise are important. You should discuss your follow-up care and plan of action for your post-treatment care, also called a survivorship care plan, with your doctor.

Question: Are there any new treatment options available for TNBC survivors after chemo, surgery and radiation?

Dr. Mitchell: There are currently no standard treatment options available after chemotherapy, surgery and radiation. You should discuss your follow-up and surveillance plan with your doctor.

Question: How much association is there between triple-negative breast cancer and BRCA1 and 2?

Dr. Mitchell: Approximately 7 percent of breast cancer cases are associated with an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance, which means you only need to get the abnormal gene from one parent in order for you to inherit the disease. One of the parents may often have the disease. Approximately 80 percent of BRCA1-associated tumors will be triple-negative.

http://www.lbbc.org/Learning-From-Others/Ask-the-Expert/2012-04-Triple-Negative-Breast-Cancer

Signs Of Breast Cancer

Click on photo to enlarge

"Life Marathon", Triple Negative Breast Cancer Survivor Portrays For Breast Cancer Awareness Body Painting Project

"Life Marathon" is the 8th survivor portrait in an ongoing 50 survivor image series for the Breast Cancer Awareness Body Painting Project: A Fine Art; Photography Essay of Survivors. Denice is a Triple Negative breast cancer survivor - she is a health teacher, marathon runner and cancer ass kicker... The sun is over her chemo port... her face is an actual silhouette of her - same with the sneakers that are silhouettes of her actual running shoes. While the finish line tape is made up of hundreds of small pink ribbons.

To learn more about the survivor project please follow us on facebook and twitter.

www.facebook.com/BCABPP

www.twitter.com/BCABPP

The project has also evolved as it has progressed and now has sprouted an amazing offshoot called - SURVIVORS - a magazine for Inspiration, Hope, Healing and more...

This is a magazine for breast cancer survivors, fighters, care-givers and awareness for women and men. Each issue features a cover image from the Body Painting Project with several pages of that survivors story. As well as many other stories of survivors from around the world. Combined with relevant products and services all among a mediative mix of artwork and photography as well. Currently, produced as a quarterly publication it is available as a digital download for iPad or as a PDF. Also, print on demand delivered to your door on beautiful glossy pages. The first issue of the magazine is available as a free complementary download.

To learn more about SURVIVORS magazine please follow us on facebook and twitter.

www.facebook.com/SurvivorsMag

www.twitter.com/SurvivorsMag

Please be sure to download and share our Premiere Issue - FREE DIGITAL download:
http://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/257729

All current and back issues available as digital download for iPad or as a PDF or print on demand at MagCloud:
http://www.magcloud.com/browse/magazine/226898

If you would like to share your story please email survivors@inkspotdesigns.com

Singer/Songwriter, Author And Triple Negative Breast Cancer Survivor, Laura Roppe' On The Cover Of Spring 2012 Issue Of Breast Cancer Wellness Magazine

Hello Family and Friends, 
It's true! I've joined the fabulous ranks of Suzanne Somers, Hoda Kotb, and Olivia Newton-John as a cover girl for Breast Cancer Wellness Magazine-- AND they're featuring an article I wrote, too! Woot!  ~Laura Roppe'


http://www.breastcancerwellness.org (click to link)
http://data.axmag.com/data/VIP/U2552/F85688/index.html 
(click link to view story online)

I Know Many Women Of Strength...

Breast Cancer Study Points To Cruciferous Vegetables’ Benefit (04/5/12)

Cruciferous vegetables contains phytochemicals, isothiocyanates and indoles that may reduce or risk of death or breast cancer recurrence.
“Breast cancer survivors can follow the general nutritional guidelines of eating vegetables daily and may consider increasing intake of cruciferous vegetables, such as greens, cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli, as part of a healthy diet,” Nechuta said.

Breast cancer study points to cruciferous vegetables’ benefit (04/5/12)

http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/reporter/index.html?ID=12494 
(Click link for full story) 


Broccoli
Cauliflower
Rutabaga
Cabbage (red)
Kale
Collard greens
Brussels sprouts
Bok Choy
Radish


"To get the most benefits from cruciferous vegetables we should consume them raw since some benefits are lost due to the heat of cooking.  All of them may be chopped, blended, chewed or juiced since these all break the vegetables cell walls.  So as we chew these vegetables we release the beneficial components.  The key wording here is some…not all benefits are lost to cooking.  Consuming a large variety of these vegetables regularly is the key to boosting your immune system and fighting cancer.  When possible eat them raw but don’t avoid them if you can’t eat them raw or you do not like them raw.  Try to undercook these vegetables slightly to preserve their health benefits."
http://vibrantlivingnews.com/2011/10/disease-fighting-cruciferous/ 
(Click link for full story)

Telomeric Allelic Imbalance, New Marker For Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Shows Potential In Predicting Chemo Response

"The marker identified by researchers—telomeric allelic imbalance—has the potential to predict whether a patient with triple-negative breast cancer will respond to platinum-based chemotherapy..."
http://www.cancernetwork.com/triple-negative-breast-cancer/content/article/10165/2054305
(click link for full story)

Triple Negative Breast Cancer: BC Cancer Agency Unveils Exciting Breast Cancer Breakthrough

http://bccancerfoundation.com/about-us/news/darwinian-evolution-deadliest-breast-cancers
(click on link for story)

Study Sheds Light On Why Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Is So Hard To Treat, Genetic Coding

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2012/04/04/bc-cancer-genetic-code.html
(Click link to story)

TGen News - TGen’s Dr. John Carpten Presents Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Study Supported By Life Technologies

CHICAGO — April 2, 2012 — "Because cases of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) are so genetically different, whole-genome sequencing is needed to detect the subtle molecular differences that might point to specific treatments for individual patients."

http://www.tgen.org/news/index.cfm?newsid=2054

(click link for full story)

Triple Negative Breast Cancer: Genetic Code Of Most Deadly Breast Cancer Deciphered | CTV News

CTVNews.ca Staff

Date: Wednesday Apr. 4, 2012 3:32 PM ET

Canadian researchers announced Wednesday they have figured out the genetic makeup of the deadliest form of breast cancer, a breakthrough that may one day help doctors devise a treatment plan that better targets their patients' disease.

Scientists at the BC Cancer Agency said the genetic code for triple negative breast cancer shows that it is a complex type of tumour with a wide range of potential mutations.

The researchers liken the genetic sequence to a "mini ecosystem," and say its evolution may explain why currently available treatments can be ineffective against triple negative breast cancer.

They say their findings now make it possible for them to estimate how the disease's genetic mutations evolved prior to diagnosis.

Lead study author Dr. Sam Aparicio, a professor at the University of British Columbia and chair of breast cancer research at the BC Cancer Agency, said the results prove that triple negative breast cancer is not a "uniform subtype" of the disease.

"It's actually extremely complex, with each cancer at a different stage in the evolutionary process at the time of diagnosis, which helps to explain why patient responses to treatment differ greatly," Aparicio said in a statement.

"What's extremely motivating with these findings is the opportunity to design clinical trials for patients with triple negative breast cancer so we can explore patient responses to treatment at the genetic level and look at ways to improve therapies and outcomes for patients."

The study included researcher teams from the University of British Columbia, Cross Cancer Institute of Alberta and Cancer Research UK/University of Cambridge. Their findings were published Wednesday in the online edition of the journal Nature.

Triple negative breast cancer is so named for the three cancer-causing proteins that it's missing: the estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and ERBB2 receptor. These tumours do not respond to drugs that target hormones, such as Tamoxifen or Femara, or to Herceptin, which targets the HER2 receptors.

Triple negative breast cancer is typically more aggressive than other types of breast cancer. It accounts for 16 per cent of all breast cancer cases, or about 3,800 cases in Canada, and about 25 per cent of breast cancer deaths.

It is often treated as a single disease, but the researchers say their findings prove that patients' tumours can encompass a vast array of genetic mutations. Understanding these mutations and the role they play in a tumour's growth is key to figuring out why patients respond differently to treatment, and important for the development of more effective treatments, they say.

The researchers say they found groups of mutations for which there are already potential treatments in about 20 per cent of the 104 cases they studied.

Read more: http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/TopStories/20120404/triple-negative-breast-cancer-study-120404/#ixzz1r79htvqG
Genetic code of most deadly breast cancer deciphered | CTV News
(Click to link)

This Triple Negative Breast Cancer Survivor Wants To Be Honorary Bat Girl For The Cleveland Indians On Mother's Day, Need Your Votes As I'm going To Bat Against Breast Cancer!

3 days left to vote for me for Honorary Bat Girl for the Cleveland Indians on Mother's Day as I go to bat against breast cancer. Please click on link to vote, no limit on voting http://mlb.mlb.com/honorarybatgirl/2012/gallery.jsp?transactionId=242773760  


VOTE, VOTE, VOTE!
TILL APRIL 5TH

My Triple Negative Breast Cancer Sister, Rachel Pappas Self Promotes Her Memoir, "Hopping Roller Coasters"

Rachel's memoir of a mother and daughter’s struggles with mental health issues and how they worked through it. Then, there’s the mother’s breast cancer diagnosis and how she worried how this would affect her daughter… It was a time for them to rebuild their mother and daughter relationship, a 2nd chance at life and a 2nd chance at finding that common ground again.
“Hopping Roller Coasters”, this is going to be a good read.
http://www.1uponcancer.com/rachels-memoir/ (Click link to Rachel's website for more information on her book and to purchase.) 


http://wemagazineforwomen.com/worth-reading-hopping-roller-coasters/ (Click link for Review)