JAMA Review on Mammography Points to the Need for Better Ways to Advise Women and Detect Breast Cancer

This new JAMA article reviews the literature. At a glance, it may add to the growing perception among journalists, primary care physicians and others – including ordinary women – that mammography’s effectiveness has been, again, disproved.

Posted in Breast Cancer, cancer screening, journalism, Oncology (cancer), Public Health, Women's HealthTagged , , , , , , , 3 Comments on JAMA Review on Mammography Points to the Need for Better Ways to Advise Women and Detect Breast Cancer

Shirley Temple Made It Easier to Talk About Having Breast Cancer

What I choose to remember about Shirley Temple is that she lived for 41 years after having a mastectomy for breast cancer. In 1972 she spoke openly about her medical condition, and encouraged other women to seek medical care if they noticed a lump, and not to be afraid of the disease. She made it easier for us, today, to talk about breast cancer treatment and options.

Posted in Breast Cancer, cancer awareness, Communication, Public Illness, Women's HealthTagged , , , , , , , , Leave a Comment on Shirley Temple Made It Easier to Talk About Having Breast Cancer

More on Mammography, Breast Cancer, Misleading Arguments, Emotion and Women’s Health

While therapy has improved quite a bit since 1985, the greatest benefit derives from most women avoiding the need for life-long treatment by having small tumors found and removed before they’ve spread.

Posted in Breast Cancer, cancer screening, clinical trials, Communication, Medical News, Oncology (cancer), Women's HealthTagged , , , , , , , , Leave a Comment on More on Mammography, Breast Cancer, Misleading Arguments, Emotion and Women’s Health

What to do about a Curved Spine? On Data, ‘BodyCast’ and New Directions

The NIH provides some information on scoliosis …Life is curved, usually, and maybe it’s better that way. Perhaps that was the Bocanegra’s point,

Posted in from the author, Life as a Patient, Life in NYC, scoliosis, Theater, Women's HealthTagged , , , , , , , , Leave a Comment on What to do about a Curved Spine? On Data, ‘BodyCast’ and New Directions

Why I Like the (Absurd) Dancing in the OR Video

What Deb did, and I thank her for this, is offer an extreme example of patient-centered care. Among other things, she did everything possible to assure that the people caring for her perceive her as a human being who loves dancing.

Posted in Breast Cancer, Empowered Patient, Life as a Patient, Medical News, Patient-Doctor Relationship, Video, Women's HealthTagged , , , , , , , , , Leave a Comment on Why I Like the (Absurd) Dancing in the OR Video

Birth of the Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance

The new Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance includes a spectrum of agencies, young and old, working together. The goal is to promote knowledge and research about breast cancer metastases – to develop more effective, less toxic treatments, and to improve the lives of people living with Stage 4 disease.

Posted in Breast Cancer, cancer awareness, cancer survival, Oncology (cancer), Women's HealthTagged , , , , , Leave a Comment on Birth of the Metastatic Breast Cancer Alliance

Questions for ASCO – on Tamoxifen, ATLAS and aTTom

The problem with Tamoxifen is that it has anti-estrogen effects that many young (and older) women consider undesirable. Already our breasts have been cut. Feeling “feminine” is not trivial.

Posted in Breast Cancer, cancer treatment, clinical trials, Medical News, Oncology (cancer), Women's HealthTagged , , , , , , , , 3 Comments on Questions for ASCO – on Tamoxifen, ATLAS and aTTom

Don’t Judge Her! An Essay on Angelina Jolie, BRCA, Cancer Risk and Informed Decision-Making

There’s no right answer…Jolie’s essay reflects the dilemma of any person making a medical choice based on their cir­cum­stances, values, genetic test results and what infor­mation they’ve been given or oth­erwise found and interpreted.

Posted in Breast Cancer, journalism, Medical News, Oncology (cancer), Public Illness, Women's HealthTagged , , , , , , , , , 5 Comments on Don’t Judge Her! An Essay on Angelina Jolie, BRCA, Cancer Risk and Informed Decision-Making

Another Take on Not Smoking, the Law and Tolerance

This vignette offers a 1930s perspective on what some call social health – that an individual’s behavior might be influenced by neighbors’ and coworkers’ attitudes.

Posted in Communication, Magazine, Public Health, Shorts, Women's HealthTagged , , , , , , , 2 Comments on Another Take on Not Smoking, the Law and Tolerance
newsletter software