Breast cancer devastated Anne Kalosh’s family. When Anne was a teenager her mom died from breast cancer. Two of her mom’s sisters, Anne’s aunts, also passed away from breast cancer. Anne hoped that she would be spared.  Anne started having regular mammograms when she was 32 years old. To this day, she has never felt any abnormal lumps and her mammograms have never shown any signs of cancer. Anne’s doctor, Dr. Rachel Brem, told Anne that she had a serious risk factor for breast cancer - dense tissue. Because of this, Dr. Brem ordered ultrasounds for Anne, in addition to Anne’s annual mammo ..read more

Eliana (Annabelle) Elikan The breast cancer awareness movement has been garnering continuous support for the past fifty years. Beginning with The Women’s Field Army in 1936, which consisted of a legion of volunteers who waged war on cancer and promoted early detection and prompt medical intervention, breast cancer is no longer  taboo. But breast cancer, no longer being an unspeakable disease, has transformed into the mundane; the inundation of pink ribbons, water bottles, and tote bags have made cancer a brand. Breast cancer is omnipresent. We see the pink that characterizes it all the ti ..read more

by Amanda Kappler, M.D.       How often? When should I start? When can I stop? As a Brem Breast-Imaging Fellow, my patients ask me these questions about screening every day. Breast cancer screening guidelines have always been confusing. But recently they have become even harder to follow. I want my patients – and all women – to have a better sense of how to get properly screened so that they can maximize their chances of finding early, curable breast cancers. Here’s how to make heads and tails of the recent guidelines.       Let’s lay out the organizational landsc ..read more

Amanda was always sure she would get breast cancer. After her mother died from the disease in her thirties, three-year-old Amanda was left to begin a waiting game that could have lasted a lifetime - until she decided to rewrite the rules to become a “pre-vivor” who quite literally outran cancer.   Rule #1: Timing is Everything  With a family history of breast cancer, Amanda thought it was only a matter of time before she got breast cancer. That is why, in 2015, with six-year-old Symon, two-year-old Dexter, and husband David by her side, Amanda decided to get tested for the BRCA mutat ..read more

In 2006, at age 44, Sheryl Crow went in for her annual mammogram - as she had every year since she turned 40. She never expected there to be a problem. But there was a problem. She had breast cancer. Though her cancer was early-stage and non-invasive, she had a lumpectomy and radiation. Crow’s diagnosis transformed her life in many ways but, most lasting, was her transformation into an early-detection advocate. According to Crow, “[talking about breast cancer] takes the fear out of it…one of the problems we have with breast cancer in general is getting women to go and get a mammogram. A lot o ..read more

By: Andrea Wolf and Dr. Rachel Brem A swath of mainstream media lapped up a new study published in the Annals of Medicine. This Danish study claims that there has been widespread “overdiagnosis” of breast cancer. This claim is unfounded and dangerous. The cited study makes three inaccurate and damaging implications. First, the study implies that doctors know which breast tumors are and are not threatening. Promising studies are underway in genomics and molecular medicine seeking proven ways to determine how threatening a breast tumor may be. But scientists cannot yet make those differentiation ..read more

  Dr. Gauri Khorjekar I am a Brem Breast Imaging Fellow. I spend my days learning the most cutting-edge techniques in breast cancer diagnosis and understanding how to be a compassionate physician. Part of my role includes reaching out to communities by volunteering to support the Brem Foundation’s life-saving work. This year I had the privilege of doing so – but in an unconventional way – at the Redskins’ annual breast cancer awareness game. The Redskins Foundation chose the Brem Foundation as its breast cancer charity of choice in 2016. Part of this partnership included donating proceeds ..read more

Your breast density is critical when it comes to understanding your breast cancer risk. Breast density is a measurement of the amount of fibroglandular, or connective, tissue. The more fibroglandular tissue you have, the denser your breasts. When a radiologist reads your mammogram, she defines your breast density as being one of four categories. Those categories are: Predominantly fatty (only 0-25% fibroglandular tissue) Scattered fibroglandular (25-50% fibroglandular tissue) Heterogeneously dense (50-75% fibroglandular tissue) Extremely dense (greater than 75% fibroglandular tissue) This char ..read more

CHRISTINA MARKS  2014 I usually upgrade my smart phone every two years, when I renew my contract with AT&T.  In return for committing to another two years of service with AT&T, the newest smart phone is available for a discounted price (for example, we will assume it is $400 less and the final cost is $200).   The newest smart phone usually weighs less, has more storage space, has longer battery life, and also functions faster than the older smart phone.  The “last year” smart phone model is also available as an option.  Although still functional, it weig ..read more

Dr.  Denise Thigpen  2013 Hydrangeas are blooming along the brick sidewalks, the heavy evening air is stirred by a breeze, the savory scent of a neighbor’s grill wafts past, the charming glow of lightning bugs brighten the night, and herds of tourists crowd the sidewalks … these are the signs of summer in Washington, DC. As the 4th of July approaches and we fire up our grills and pack our picnic baskets, we also reflect on our independence. Not just our country’s independence, but the individual liberties that freedom grants each of us. For many of us, we also think about our milita ..read more