Living Beyond Breast Cancer: Celebrating a New Normal

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Living Beyond Breast CancerCelebrating a New
Normal

• A Breast Cancer Symposium
• Saturday, May 30, 2009

Cronin Auditorium, Hospital of Saint Raphael
1450 Chapel St, New Haven CT 06511
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Womens Center for Breast Health at the Hospital
of Saint Raphael

• May 30, 2009

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What can I do to stay healthy?
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What Increases the Risk of Breast Cancer ?

• Multifactorial
• Gender
• Age
• Family history
• Personal history
• Dense breast tissue
• Radiation to chest

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What Increases the Risk of Breast Cancer ?

• Not having children, or having them later in life
• Recent use of birth control pills
• Long-term use of combined hormone replacement
  therapy
• Alcohol
• Lack of Exercise

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Factors with No Defined Link

• High fat diet
• Underwire bras
• Antiperspirants
• Breast implants
• Pollution
• Smoking
• Night work

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Traditional Breast Cancer Treatment

• Surgery
• Radiation
• Chemotherapy
• Hormonal Therapy

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Breast Cancer Treatment 2009

• Individualized treatment planning
• Genetic testing
• Genomic profiling
• Complementary and Alternative Medicine

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• Therapies can be hard on the body and mind
• Complementary therapies to ease side effect,
  anxiety, and promote sense of well being

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The goal of complementary medicine is to balance
the whole person physically, mentally, and
emotionally while conventional medicine does
its work. For many people diagnosed with breast
cancer, complementary medicine has helped
torelieve symptoms ease treatment side
effects improve quality of life
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Complementary medicine treatments

• Acupuncture
• Aromatherapy
• Chiropractic Therapy
• Guided Imagery
• Hypnosis
• Journaling
• Massage
• Meditation
• Music Therapy
• Progressive Muscle Relaxation
• Reiki
• Shiatsu
• Spirituality and Prayer
• Support Groups
• Tai Chi
• Yoga

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The National Center for Complementary and
Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)

• Division of NIH
• Naturopathy a system in which the body is
  encouraged to heal itself through changes in
  nutrition and lifestyle
• Ayurveda a system in which the body, mind and
  spirit are integrated to prevent or treat health
  problems
• Meditation a practice that encourages clearing
  of the mind and inward focus
• Creative therapy such as art or music, in which
  patients express their feelings and hopes through
  drawing, painting, singing or playing a favorite
  instrument
• Yoga which uses controlled breathing and
  postures

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How many people seek complementary therapy?

• 2002 National Health Interview Survey, (Centers
  for Disease Control and Prevention).
• 36 of U.S. adults are using some form of CAM.
• 62 if megavitamin therapy and prayer for health
  reasons are included
• July 2000 issue of the Journal of Clinical
  Oncology found that
• 69 of 453 cancer patients had used at least one
  CAM therapy as part of their cancer treatment.
• December 2004 issue of the Journal of Clinical
  Oncology
• 88 of 102 people with cancer who were enrolled
  in phase I clinical trials (research studies in
  people) at the Mayo Comprehensive Cancer Center
  had used at least one CAM therapy.

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The National Center for Complementary and
Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)

• Acupuncture to relieve neck and shoulder pain
  following surgery for head or neck cancer
• Ginger as a treatment for nausea and vomiting
  caused by chemotherapy
• Massage for the treatment of cancer pain
• Mistletoe extract combined with chemotherapy for
  the treatment of solid tumors

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What have clinical trials shown?

• Green tea
• Vitamin D
• Turmeric
• Nutritional supplements must be taken in addition
  to conventional surgery, radiation and
  chemotherapy to achieve improved outcomes
  reported in clinical trials
• 1997, a panel of experts at the National
  Institutes of Health (NIH) Consensus Conference
  found acupuncture to be effective in managing
  chemotherapy-associated nausea and vomiting and
  in controlling pain associated with surgery

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When considering Complementary or Alternative
Medicine, what questions should I ask my health
care providers?

• What benefits can be expected from this therapy?
• What are the risks associated with this therapy?
• Do the known benefits outweigh the risks?
• What are the potential side effects?
• Will the therapy interfere with conventional
  treatment?
• Is this therapy part of a clinical trial? If so,
  who is sponsoring the trial?
• Will the therapy be covered by health insurance?

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Through Treatment and Beyond

• Nutrition
• Physical Fitness
• Sexuality
• Stress Management

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Womens Center for Breast Health at the Hospital
of Saint Raphael

• May 30, 2009

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Healthful Eating

• Mary Malloy, R.D.

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Physical Fitness

• Cathy Rives, MS, PT

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Regaining Intimacy After Treatment

• Lois Spivack, PhD

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ASK THE EXPERTS

• Thomas Fynan, MD, Medical Oncology
• Vanna Dest, APRN, Genetic Counseling
• Joyce Chung, MD, Radiation Oncology
• Nhu Ngo, MD, Pathology
• Amy Sherman, MD, Breast Imaging
• Denise Barajas, MD, Surgery

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Stress Management

• Lori Ratchelous, MSW