For older news, please visit the ASBD news archives.
Breast-Conserving Surgery More Likely at Breast Centers
DALLAS (September 22, 2008) Breast cancer patients are twice as likely to be offered breast-conserving surgery if treated by surgeons at breast centers than by surgeons in private practice, according to a national survey of breast specialists conducted by the American Society of Breast Disease. The survey presented a case study of a woman from her initial workup following a mammogram through diagnosis to surgical treatment. A full report of the case and survey responses of 118 clinicians is available in the Society’s ASBD Advisor online.
According to Fayetteville, Arkansas breast surgeon, Michael Cross, MD, “this patient should be offered breast conservation, but genetic testing and counseling should be conducted early on as a full workup is performed.”
When asked whether the patient should receive an MRI of the breast as part of the diagnostic process, nearly three-quarters of the physicians recommended an MRI. Of these, 50% recommended MRIs for all breast cancer patients and 50% requested the procedure based on the type of cancer that the patient in the case had. Dr. Cross, who provides a full commentary in the ASBD Advisor, offers that “all breast cancer patients should undergo bilateral breast MRI. An MRI is needed to properly stage the affected breast and assess for disease in the opposite breast.”
Brian Englander, MD, director of imaging at the Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia, notes that after appropriate treatment, “repeat bilateral MRI should be performed to evaluate for response to therapy and extent of residual disease prior to surgery.”
The full article also reports on uses of chemotherapy and hormonal therapy prior to surgery as well as the kinds of surgical options and procedures that this woman might receive.
Visit the Society website to download the full article.
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Breast Cancer Patients Face Preoperative Options
DALLAS (July 31, 2008) A comprehensive healthcare newsletter from the American Society of Breast Disease summarizes options for preoperative systemic therapy for many breast cancer patients. The ASBD Breast Healthcare Update - Systemic Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer: Issues in Preoperative and Adjuvant Treatment reviews current issues and controversies in preoperative and adjuvant treatment of breast cancer.
The new ASBD Breast Healthcare Update addresses indications and appropriate selection of patients, current controversies in the use of preoperative therapy, including surgical issues associated with preoperative chemotherapy and issues surrounding postmastectomy radiotherapy in patients treated with preoperative chemotherapy. The newsletter also covers data that show that tumor response to preoperative treatment cannot be used to tailor therapy for the individual patient.
As noted in the newsletter by author Patrick Morris, MD, “preoperative or neoadjuvant therapy has been shown to improve survival, local control, and operability in a variety of tumors, including breast cancer. In some cases, preoperative therapy is imperative to achieve local control, whereas in other instances, the indication for preoperative therapy is less strong.”
The newsletter, which highlights two scientific sessions at the 32nd Annual Symposium of the American Society of Breast Disease, held in April 2008, is designed to meet the on-going educational needs of breast healthcare specialists. The ASBD Breast Healthcare Update is available for free download at the Society’s web site.
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New Central Resource for Breast Healthcare Teams Now Available
DALLAS (July 17, 2008) The American Society of Breast Disease announces the opening of a career center to link breast healthcare professionals across all specialties with employers and educational opportunities. The new feature at the Society’s web site at http://careers.asbd.org will provide free listings of fellowships, residencies, as well as international and domestic volunteer opportunities.
The American Society of Breast Disease is the only organization in the United States to serve all healthcare professionals involved in breast cancer and disease diagnosis, treatment, and research. “One of the Society’s core missions is to advocate for a multidisciplinary team approach to breast healthcare management. We are excited to be able to help link healthcare professionals worldwide in the development of those teams,” said Brooke Breslow, Executive Director.
In addition to listing these educational and volunteer opportunities, the site provides easy-to-post resume and professional job listing services for all disciplines.
Organizations and individuals posting positions will be able to easily manage postings online, receive activity reports, search resumes, and receive automatic e-mail notices when new resumes arrive that match search criteria.
Individuals looking for positions in breast healthcare can post their resumes for free enabling employers or recruiters to contact them directly, receive automatic notification of new postings that match their criteria, and post up to three documents, e.g., CVs, to simplify application processing.
Contact the Society at info@asbd.org for the procedures for posting educational and volunteer listings.
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THE MARY KAY ASH CHARITABLE FOUNDATION AWARDS GRANT TO FUND INNOVATIVE BREAST SURGERY TRAINING PROGRAM
Women’s Health Director of Cooper Clinic in Dallas, Texas to serve as program director for the Mary Kay Ash Advanced Training Program in Oncoplastic Breast Surgery.
DALLAS (June 30, 2008) The American Society of Breast Disease announces the creation of the Mary Kay Ash Advanced Training Program in Oncoplastic Breast Surgery. The Addison-based Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation – a leading philanthropy in the field of cancers affecting women – has approved a two-year $225,000 grant to support this innovative program to train breast surgeons in the emerging field of oncoplastic surgery.
Oncoplastic surgery is a rapidly evolving subspecialty area in the diagnosis and treatment of benign and malignant conditions of the breast. Oncoplastic surgery integrates the knowledge and surgical techniques of surgical oncology with aesthetic and reconstructive surgery.
The American Society of Breast Disease, the nation’s only organization serving all healthcare professionals involved in breast cancer and disease diagnosis, treatment, and research, will administer the program. Gail Lebovic, MD, Director, Women’s Health, Cooper Clinic, Dallas, Texas, who is among the nation’s leading oncoplastic breast surgeons, will serve as the Program Director.
“The objective of oncoplastic breast surgery is to improve aesthetic outcomes after the surgical removal of benign or malignant tumors, and to address any other concerns the patient may have regarding size, shape, and/or symmetry of the breast,” said Dr. Lebovic. “As a result, patients benefit from careful and complete preoperative assessment that uses an interdisciplinary approach to help define a comprehensive surgical plan.”
“This grant is a natural extension of the Foundation’s long history of supporting research involving women’s cancers,” said Anne Crews, a board member of the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation. “One of the missions of the Foundation is to eliminate cancers affecting women by supporting top medical scientists. We are proud to provide funding for this innovative training as well.”
The support of the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation will enable the American Society of Breast Disease to announce the appointment of the program’s first trainee in fall, 2008.
About the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation
The Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation was created in 1996 and its mission is two-fold: to fund research of cancers affecting women and help prevent domestic violence while raising awareness of the issue. Since the Foundation's inception, it has awarded more than $14 million to shelters and programs addressing domestic violence and $10.8 million to cancer researchers and related causes throughout the United States. To learn more about the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation, log on to www.mkacf.org or call 1-877-MKCARES (652-2737).
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