October 17th is National Mammography Day

The American Cancer Society Reminds You:
•Women 40 years and older should receive a yearly mammogram for as long as they are in good health.
•Women in their 20s and 30s should receive a clinical breast exam (CBE) as part of a periodic health exam about every three years; women 40 and older should receive a CBE every year.
•Women should know how their breasts normally feel and report any breast change promptly to their health care providers. Breast self-exam (BSE) is an option for women starting in their 20s.
•Women at high risk (greater than 20 percent lifetime risk) should get an MRI and a mammogram every year and women at moderately increased risk (15 to 20 percent lifetime risk) should talk with their doctors about the benefits and limitations of adding MRI screening to their yearly mammogram. Yearly MRI screening is not recommended for women whose lifetime risk of breast cancer is less than 15 percent.

Early Detection and Treatment will Save Your Life. Get Screen Today!

What is Breast Cancer?
Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that grows in one or both of the breasts. Breast cancer usually develops in the ducts or lobules, also known as the milk-producing areas of the breast.October 17th is National Mammography Day. Many sites will be offering free and low-cost mammographies.
If you have not had a mammography recently, please sign up.

Free and Low-Cost Mammographies (Some programs are for this month only or on October 17th):
The American College of Radiology - Search for these facilities in your area. The facilities that are participating will be listed with a pink ribbon designation.
Local Susan G. Komen Foundation Affiliate: Komen affiliates raise money to help local underserved women obtain breast health services. The affiliate will have a listing of organizations to which they have granted funding, so call to see what services might be available in your area. To locate your nearest affiliate, log onto the Komen Foundation Web site.
Planned Parenthood Clinics: Women can make an appointment for all types of low-cost or free health services, including breast health, with the clinic nearest them by calling 1-800-230-PLAN (800-230-7526).
YWCA Encore Plus Programs: Services are provided on a sliding scale. Screening mammography is available to women 35 years and older who are medically underserved. Call 1-800-95-EPLUS (1-800-953-7587).
CDC's National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Programs: Offer low-cost mammograms and clinical breast exams to women between the ages of 40-64. States are legally able to narrow the age range, so call your state to find out if you are eligible for this program. They may also have information about other facilities in their area for younger women. Call toll-free 1-888-842-6355 or log onto the above Web site for information specific to your area.

Resources:
• Mammograms: Questions and answers about screening
• National Cancer Institute: What you need to know about breast cancer
• Visit The Healing Project's Resource Page and Select Breast Cancer for an exhaustive list of Breast Cancer Resources.

National Mammography Day
American Cancer Society
250 Williams Street NW
Atlanta, GA 30303(800) ACS-2345 (227-2345)
http://www.cancer.org/
Materials available
Contact: National Office

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month occupies a special place on The Healing Project's (THP) calendar. Our organization was founded by Debra Lachance, a breast cancer survivor. Our Board of Directors includes scientist H. Michael Shepard, PhD who led the Herceptin discovery team at Genentech. Dr. Shepard continues to develop novel medications for treating a range of diseases including Breast Cancer as president and CSO of Receptor BioLogix. THP has also benefited greatly from the support of Scientific Advisory Board Member, Stephanie F. Bernik, MD, FACS. Dr. Bernik is Chief of Breast Surgery for the comprehensive breast program at St. Vincent's Comprehensive Cancer Center in New York City. She is noted for her efforts in creating treatment protocols for women under 40.

Fast Facts About Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States.
178,480 women in the United States will be found to have invasive breast cancer in 2007.
40,460 women will die from the disease this year.
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women (after lung cancer).
2 million women are living in the United States who have been treated for breast cancer.
African American Women are much likely to die of Breast Cancer.
2,030 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed among men in the United States.

Early Detection and Treatment will Save Your Life.

What is Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that grows in one or both of the breasts. Breast cancer usually develops in the ducts or lobules, also known as the milk-producing areas of the breast.

October 17th is National Mammography Day. Many sites will be offering free and low-cost mammographies. If you have not had a mammography recently, please sign up.

Free and Low-Cost Mammographies (Some programs are for this month only or on October 17th):
The American College of Radiology - Search for these facilities in your area. The facilities that are participating will be listed with a pink ribbon designation.
Local Susan G. Komen Foundation Affiliate: Komen affiliates raise money to help local underserved women obtain breast health services. The affiliate will have a listing of organizations to which they have granted funding, so call to see what services might be available in your area. To locate your nearest affiliate, log onto the Komen Foundation Web site.
Planned Parenthood Clinics: Women can make an appointment for all types of low-cost or free health services, including breast health, with the clinic nearest them by calling 1-800-230-PLAN (800-230-7526).
YWCA Encore Plus Programs: Services are provided on a sliding scale. Screening mammography is available to women 35 years and older who are medically underserved. Call 1-800-95-EPLUS (1-800-953-7587).
CDC's National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Programs: Offer low-cost mammograms and clinical breast exams to women between the ages of 40-64. States are legally able to narrow the age range, so call your state to find out if you are eligible for this program. They may also have information about other facilities in their area for younger women. Call toll-free 1-888-842-6355 or log onto the above Web site for information specific to your area.

Resources:
• Mammograms: Questions and answers about screening
• National Cancer Institute: What you need to know about breast cancer
Visit The Healing Project's Resource Page and Select Breast Cancer for an exhaustive list of Breast Cancer Resources.

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month Board of Sponsors
C1C-315
1800 Concord Pike
Wilmington, DE 19850-5437
nbcamquestions@yahoo.com
http://www.nbcam.org/
Contact: Cynthia Church

Aspirin Cuts Risk of Common Form of Breast Cancer

Researchers from the National Cancer Institute published finding today that affirmed aspirins reputation as a wonder drug. A daily administration of aspirin reduced the risk of developing ER- positive breast cancer by 16%. ER-positive breast cancer represents approximately 75% of all breast cancer cases in women. This confirms earlier studies conducted by Columbia University researchers.

The research involved about 127,000 women aged 51 to 72 from around the United States who were cancer-free when the study began. About 18 percent of the women were daily aspirin users. They were tracked for seven years and about 4,500 of them developed breast cancer.

Aspirin has long been administered for its analgesic qualities and it has long been used to treat cardiac and hematological conditions. Further it has also demonstrated that it may reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.

Before electing to take aspirin daily one should discuss it with your healthcare provider due to adverse reactions that are associated with daily administration. The complete study can be reviewed online.

Diet Influences the Incidence of Breast Cancer

Canadian researchers authored a study published in Journal of Cancer Detection and Prevention that suggest that dietary patterns influence the development of breast cancer for women with and without a genetic predisposition to the disease.

The research was a retrospective study analyzing 9 years of data through 2007. The results indicated that a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy products, fish, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamin D, calcium, and phytoestrogens is associated with a reduction in the incidence of breast cancer. A diet that has a high intake of meats or saturated fats is associated with an increase in the incidence of breast cancer.

Additional research is being conducted to tease out the critical factors tying diet to the development of breast cancer.

Herceptin in combination with Chemotherapy Eliminates Tumors in Half the Targeted Patients Without Surgery

The results of study presented European Breast Cancer Conference in Berlin. The treatment was targeted at 453 HER2 positive women with early-stage breast canncer. 45.5 per cent were found cancer free following the combination course before surgery. The response from Herceptin in combination is more than double than that of traditional chemotherapy alone. No serious side-effects were reported, but patients receiving Herceptin should always be monitored closely for potential cardiac problems.

It points to the possiblity that women with this highly aggressive form of breast cancer may find a cure within the next decade.

The Declining Rates of Breast Cancer in Recent Years are Largely Confined to Caucasians

Research conducted Dr. Dezheng Huo of the University of Chicago illustrates that the sharp drop in U.S. breast cancer cases in recent years was limited to Caucasian women. The decline maybe linked to Caucasian women’s greater use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in the late 90’s than other ethnic groups. Many women terminated using hormone replacement therapy after a large study suggested in 2002 that the combination of estrogen and progestin used to treat menopause symptoms raised the risk of breast cancer and heart disease.

According to the American Cancer Society, the overall incidence of female breast cancer fell 3.9 percent a year from 2001 through 2004. The bulk of the decline has been principally among women older than 50 with estrogen-receptor positive cancer.

Rates of change in rates of breast cancer by ethnic are as follows (by the end of 2003):

Caucasians had 2.4 percent decline per quarter;
African Americans had a 0.7 percent increase per quarter;
American Indians and Alaskan Natives had 0.14 percent decline per quarter; and
Asian Americans by 0.46 percent decline per quarter.

This study offers additional evidence that HRT (estrogen therapy) influences the rates of breast cancer in women.

Breast Cancer Vaccine Shows Promise Against Deadlier Form of Disease

A breast cancer vaccine in Phase II clinical testing significantly reduced reoccurrence and mortality in early stage patients with a high expression of protein HER2-neu. HER2-neu patients represent 25% of all breast cancer patients. The vaccine lowered mortality by 100 percent in women with breast cancer and low or intermediate expression of HER2/neu. Current treatments for HER2-neu expressing patients are limited to chemotherapy and surgery. Regrettably the study design was insufficiently powered to generate a statistically significant result, that is, the results maybe due to chance. Nonetheless, the vaccine is safe and well-tolerated. The vaccine is designed to stimulate the immune system to fight breast cancer. A Phase III trial is planned for 700 to 1000 patients for patients that are not eligible for Herceptin. The sponsor is Apthera. Please check with Clintrials if you would like to participate.

The Healing Projects Invites Caregivers, Patients, Professionals and Family Members to Join Its Social Network

New Social Networking Website Connects Patients and Caregivers

The Healing Project is launching today Voices Who Care, an innovative social networking website for individuals dealing with life-threatening or chronic illnesses. This website is designed to connect the patient and caregiver communities by providing individuals with a forum where they can meet online.

Key features of the website include:
* Person-to-person search by disease category
* Individual pages including bios, blogs, photo galleries
* Email capabilities
* Community bulletin boards

As the site grows, additional functionality will be added to expand the utility of the site.

Please join its free. Sections and resources have been developed for ALCOHOLISM, ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, AUTISM, BREAST CANCER, CANCER, CEREBRAL PALSY, DIABETES, DOWN SYNDROME, EPILEPSY, FRAGILEX, LEUKEMIA, LUNG CANCER, LYMPHOMA, MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, PARKINSON'S DISEASE, SENIOR SERVICES AND AGING ISSUES, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, VETERANS SERVICES

It is Free and tailored to your needs.

The Healing Project is Pleased to Announce the Offering of Two New Free Publications

The Healing Project is pleased to release two new free publications available for downloading. The first publication, Breast Cancer: What Every Woman Should Know, is authored by Stephanie F. Bernik, MD, FACS, and the second, A Look to the Future of Alcoholism Treatment, is authored by Ron L. Alterman, MD. These publications join our initial free offering, Lung Cancer: What the Patient and Family Need to Know, written by Reed Phillips, M.D.

These free guides and publications represent an ongoing effort to better educate our community about treatment options, working with the medical system and the latest advances in medicine. We look forward to making available additional publications throughout the year.

About the Authors:

Stephanie F. Bernik, MD, FACS


Stephanie F. Bernik, MD, FACS, is Chief of Breast Surgery for the comprehensive breast program at St. Vincent's Comprehensive Cancer Center in New York City. A board certified surgeon specializing in breast diseases, Dr. Bernik has developed a specialty in treating women under 40 diagnosed with the disease.

A 1993 graduate of Yale University School of Medicine, she completed her internship and residency at St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center in New York City. She was awarded fellowships at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in breast surgery and St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center in surgical oncology. Dr. Bernik also received two research fellowships from Yale University School of Medicine in 1990 and 1992. She received her undergraduate degree magna cum laude from Columbia University in 1989.

In 2005 she was honored with the 2005 Top Doctor Award by the research firm Castle Connelly. In 2004, she received Columbia University's John Jay Award for Professional Achievement and in 2001, Columbia University's Alumna Achievement Award. Dr. Bernik is the author of numerous medical journal articles published in, among others, The Breast Journal, Journal of Nuclear Medicine, Annals of Surgical Oncology and The American Surgeon. She is a principal investigator for breast disease research at St. Vincent's Hospital and has presented her research at symposia across the country, most recently at the American Society of Breast Surgeons 2006 annual meeting and the American Society of Breast Disease 2006 annual symposium.

Dr. Ron L. Alterman


Dr. Ron L. Alterman is the Director of Functional and Restorative Neurosurgery at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. He has held academic positions at New York University School of Medicine (1995-1997), University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (1997-1998), and Albert Einstein College of Medicine (1998-2004) where he was Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery and a director of stereotactic and functional neurosurgery at Beth Israel Medical Center. Board certified in neurological surgery, Dr. Alterman is well known for his work on deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease, torsion dystonia, and tremor. His clinical interests include image-guided surgery for brain tumors and benign spine disease.



Dr. Reed Phillips

Dr. Reed Phillips is board certified in internal medicine, oncology and hospice and palliative care medicine. He is affiliated with the North Shore University Hospital in New York and he is an instructor in pain management and hospice and palliative care at Winthrop University Hospital and the State University of New York School of Medicine at Stony Brook, New York.

The Healing Project and LaChance Publishing Celebrate the Release of the Voices of Breast Cancer

The Healing Project and LaChance Publishing came together on Tuesday, October 16th at the St. Vincents Comprehensive Cancer Center to celebrate the publication of Voices of Breast Cancer .

The evening began with a cocktail reception for the authors, friends, family and supporters of The Healing Project and LaChance Publishing. More than 100 people were in attendance.




The evening's speakers were led off by Debra LaChance, the founder of The Healing Project and President of LaChance Publishing. Following Ms. LaChance, Dr. Stephanie Bernick, The Healing Project's Oncology Advisor, spoke about the cancer patient experience. Remarks were concluded by the Oncology pioneer and President of Receptor Biologix, Dr. H. Michael Shepard. Dr. Shepard was the team leader in the discovery of the ground-breaking pharmaceutical, Herceptin. He is currently developing a new generation of biologic therapies to battle various forms of cancer.

The Healing Project wishes to thank all the authors, attendees and LaChance Publishing for creating such a special evening. We would also like to thank St. Vincents Comprehensive Cancer Center for graciously hosting the event.




Voices of Breast Cancer may be purchased at Amazon.

The Healing Project is also pleased to annouce that Voices of Breast Cancer is now in its second printing.

Upcoming releases include Voices of Alcoholism and Voices of Autism. 100% of the profits will be donated to The Healing Project.

October 19th is National Mammography Day

The Healing Project wants every women over 40 years old to have an annual mammography. Earlier diagnosis is the key to successful treatment and a long life.

If you think you can't afford a mammography, free and low-cost breast cancer screenings (cervical cancer as well) are available throughout the United States. To find a location near you, click here.

For more information contact:
National Mammography Day
American Cancer Society
1599 Clifton Road NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
(800) ACS-2345
www.cancer.org

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

The Healing Project (THP) started as a project to raise consciousness about Breast Cancer and build a community of family members, caregivers and survivors. Our founder Debra LaChance is one of the 2,4 million breast cancer survivors in the United States. Breast Cancer occupies a special place in our minds to which we give special emphasis.

First, The Healing Project wants every women over 40 years old to have an annual mammography. Earlier diagnosis is the key to successful treatment and a long life.

If you think you can't afford a mammography, free and low-cost breast cancer screenings (cervical cancer as well) are available throughout the United States. To find a location near you, click here.

Second, THP is pleased to announce our third book Voices of Breast Cancer: The Healing Companion: Stories for Courage, Comfort and Strength (Voices Of series) (Paperback). It can be purchased at Amazon by following this link.

Further, Lori Benson, Academy Award Nominated Documentarian, will be giving a screening of Dear Talula followed by a Question and Answer session at Morrisania WIC in the Bronx, New York.

Finally, Dear Talula is running throughout the month on Cinemax ReelLife. Premieres Tuesday, October 9 at 7:30pm on CINEMAX.

For more information regarding National Breast Cancer Awareness Month contact:
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month Board of Sponsors
C1C-315
1800 Concord Pike
Wilmington, DE 19850-5437
nbcamquestions@yahoo.com
www.nbcam.org