Recently mammograms have taken center stage in the news due to the recommendations by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. This independent panel of doctors and researchers suggested that the recommendations for mammogram screening be changed which has caused controversy between this panel and cancer organizations such as the American Cancer Society.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force suggests that the mammogram screening recommendations be changed so that women without
a family history start screening at age 50 instead of age 40, and have a screening every two years instead of every one year. The recommendation stems from the fact that few additional lives may be saved by beginning screening at age 40 rather than at age 50. Unfortunately, the clinical studies that were done do not allow a precise estimate. In order to possibly save those few lives, many women must undergo mammography and receive breast irradiation, biopsies, or surgeries for abnormalities seen on mammograms which are not cancerous.
The American Cancer Society suggests that there be no change in current screening guidelines. The American Cancer Society recommends that women 40 years and older have a screening mammogram every year and continue for as long as they are in good health. If a woman has a family history of breast cancer, screening may actually start earlier.
Here are some additional thoughts on the issue from Dr. Stephanie Bernik, Chief of Breast Surgery at the cancer center:
“In this whole argument what has been lost is that with breast cancer screening, it is not only improving the survival rate that matters. This was all the task force addressed and it was how they reached their conclusion. Has everyone forgotten that we try to avoid mastectomies by catching tumors when they are smaller, so that we can go forward with breast conservation? That is one of the benefits of finding a cancer on mammogram that is too small to find on a breast exam. Also, although a benign biopsy is often thought of as unnecessary, we sometimes gain information from the results. A certain percentage of women will have atypia or LCIS, high risk lesions. Women with high risk lesions have more intense screening going forward, and can be offered preventative drugs that will reduce the risk of cancer by 50-85%. It is NOT only about survival.”
Q. Have the current screening recommendations changed as a result of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force’s report?
A. At this point, the American Cancer Society and other organizations have not changed their screening recommendations.
Q. Why is mammogram screening useful?
A. A mammogram is the best way to catch cancer early when it can be treated more effectively.
Q. What is your best advice for women who may be confused by what they are hearing in the news?
A. Women should discuss their concerns and their personal health situation with their physician.
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Dr. Sundar Jagannath was invited by the 2009 Program Committee of the American Society of Hematology (ASH), to present his abstract titled: Final results of PX-171-003-A0, part 1 of an open-label, single-arm, phase II study of carfilzomib (CFZ) in patients (pts) with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma (MM). The abstract was selected to be presented at the 51st ASH Annual Meeting in the ASH/American Society of Clinical Oncology Joint Symposium. The 2009 symposium took place in New Orleans on Sunday, December 6. Also on display at the ASH Symposium was a poster presentation titled: The Impact of Withholding Immunomodulatory Drugs for Stem Cell Mobilization on Disease Activity in Multiple Myeloma. This study was authored by Drs. Preeti Khetarpal, Amitabha Mazumder, Ajai Chari, Sundar Jagannath, and David Vesole.
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The Sarcoma Program at St. Vincent's Comprehensive Cancer Center now has an open clinical trial with an investigational drug, Denosumab, a monoclonal antibody that inhibits the growth of giant cells and has been shown in prior experimental studies to shrink benign Giant Cell Tumors (GCTs).
The hope is that this investigational drug will shrink, and make less vascular, large vascular GCTs that would otherwise prove to be more dangerous, debilitating and difficult to completely resect prior to primary surgery. The hope is that it can also be used to manage inoperable and /or hemorrhagic recurrences, as well as metastatic benign GCTs.
The clinical trial’s primary objective is to evaluate the safety profile of Denosumab in subjects with Giant Cell Tumor (GCT) of bone. Secondary objectives include evaluation of time to disease progression in subjects with unsalvageable GCT treated with Denosumab; evaluation of the proportion of subjects able to undergo limb or joint sparing (e.g. curettage) surgical procedures in Denosumab treated subjects with salvageable GCT who would have otherwise required en bloc excision.
For more information you can visit our web site at www.svccc.org/clinical_trials or call Dr. Gerald Rosen’s office at 212-604-6020.
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The holiday season can be a very stressful time for most people but even more so when you are dealing with cancer. Breathing exercises are an easy way to relieve some of that stress in an easy and fast way. The next time you feel stressed, take a moment and try these few easy steps. You can do this a few times to release tension or for several minutes as a form of meditation.
1) Sit or stand in a relaxed position.
2) Slowly inhale through your nose, counting to five in your head.
3) Let the air out of your mouth, counting to eight in your head as the air leaves your lungs.
Repeat several times.
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Nothing is as soothing as a warm beverage in front of the fire on a cold winter day. Sure a cup of coffee or hot cocoa is great, but try
these recipes for a special winter treat.
 Calm your stressed-out stomach with this warm and soothing
herbal drink.
INGREDIENTS: 1 lemon
1/4 cup mint leaves
4 cups boiling water
DIRECTIONS: Carefully remove rind from lemon using a vegetable peeler, making sure not to get any of the white pithy part of the rind, and reserve lemon for another use. Place rind, mint leaves, and boiling water in a large bowl; cover and steep mixture 5 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, and discard rind and mint. Serve immediately. YIELD: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
INGREDIENTS: 6 oz. milk
1 packet instant hot chocolate
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract DIRECTIONS: Heat milk, add hot chocolate and mint. Garnish with a candy cane. Serves 1. 
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