If you’re dealing with a cancer diagnosis, genetic testing and genomic testing are two important concepts to understand. They sound somewhat similar, but refer to the gathering of two different types of important information about the biology of a person’s cancer. Both of these forms of cancer testing figure into “personalized medicine”, or matching treatment to the specific biological characteristics of a person’s cancer. In this post, we’ll take a look at genetic testing vs. genomic testing, why both are important and how they figure into a cancer care plan. What is Genetic Testing? Genetic ..read more

For this year-end post, I’m pulling together some of the top stories about cancer research that have been reported over the past year. Let’s get right to them. Here are my picks for five of 2022’s top cancer research stories. 1. The targeted drug trastuzumab deruxtecan (Enhertu) has become a new treatment option for the sub-group of people with metastatic breast cancer whose cancer expresses low levels of the protein HER2. The phase 3 DESTINY-Breast04 trial showed that Enhertu extended overall survival by about 6 months (compared with chemotherapy) for individuals with metastatic breast cancer ..read more

The month of October has become an important time of the year for breast cancer charities to raise funds. While most of us presumably are “aware” by now, one excellent way to actually do something about breast cancer is to donate to a reputable charity. And if you’re considering a donation, now or any time, the best way to go is to give directly to a worthy charity. There are lots of excellent breast cancer charities and cancer research charities to choose from. I’ve written about some of the best national breast cancer charities in this post. What if you want to make a donation that’s specifi ..read more

What if there were a blood test that anyone could get as part of a routine physical that could detect cancer before any symptoms appeared — when presumably it could be treated most effectively? Finding a blood test that can do that, and truly save lives as a result, is sometimes referred to as the “holy grail” of cancer research. There’s lots of research ongoing with that as the ultimate goal. But are we there yet? One company, which actually calls itself GRAIL, is already marketing a test called Galleri that is supposed to detect signs of cancer through a screening blood test. The Galleri Tes ..read more

One important way that we can make a difference in the fight against cancer is by donating to a worthy cancer research charity. METAvivor is a unique breast cancer nonprofit that is dedicated to funding research to help improve the longevity and quality of life of metastatic breast cancer patients. In this post, we’ll take a look at METAvivor–its mission, its approach and its accomplishments. If you’re interested, you can also read my reviews of several other cancer research charities here. The Organization’s History and Mission METAvivor Research and Support, Inc. was incorporated in 2009. Th ..read more

I’ve read quite a few books about cancer over the years. Many of my favorites are books that help the reader understand something of what we know about cancer, the stories behind the progress that has been made and where research is headed now. I also like to read books about how our approach to medicine can be more responsive to peoples’ needs, as well as an occasional memoir. In this post, I’m sharing my “top 10” of the best books about cancer that I’ve read so far. I’ve written reviews of several of these books and the links to those are included. The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of ..read more

I came across an article recently by Jane Brody in the New York Times that was titled Shifting the Focus of Breast Cancer to Prevention. There was also the sub-title “If protective measures were widely adopted, they could significantly reduce women’s chances of ever getting breast cancer.” As Ms. Brody notes, despite improvements in early detection and treatment, breast cancer still affects one woman in eight (over her lifetime) and remains the second leading cancer killer in women. And of course the disease affects men too. But what “protective measures” are we talking about here? After an in ..read more

If you’re dealing with a cancer diagnosis, there are many great reasons to participate in a clinical trial or research study. There’s a frequent misconception that clinical trials only make sense when all other options have been exhausted. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Even when there are standard treatments available for a condition, participating in a clinical trial can be a way to benefit from a treatment that is better than the standard-of care for any stage of cancer and not currently available any other way. And cancer clinical trials and other research studies are an ..read more

It’s October and it’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month once again. Whatever our views of BCAM, it does present an opportunity to work towards a more informed kind of awareness about this disease that affects growing numbers of women and men around the world. In this post, we’re going to look at six important facts about breast cancer that are less well known than they should be. 1. Breast cancer has become the most common cancer worldwide. In 2020, breast cancer surpassed lung cancer as the most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide based on estimates produced by the International Agency for Resear ..read more

Clinical trials are a very important part of how we make progress against cancer. The more people participate in clinical trials the more quickly we can learn whether potential new treatments are safe and effective. During the early months of the pandemic, enrollment in cancer clinical trials plummeted. But changes were made to increase flexibility and enrollment quickly came back up. The changes that were made, if they’re kept up, could mean that many more people are able to participate in clinical trials. Why Don’t We Participate in Clinical Trials? Low participation in cancer clinical trial ..read more