Category Archives: Breast Cancer Research

High-tech bra aims to find breast cancer

Here’s a link about an exciting technology development called the iTbra that aims to compliment or improve on mammography: tiny sensors worn inside a bra for a couple hours each month that can send information to your smart phone. I had a chance yesterday to discuss the importance of breast cancer detection and finding new options at the premiere showing of Detected, a movie about the bra. Cisco, a San Jose technology company, funded the movie. The iTbra is in clinical studies at Ohio State University and abroad. It is NOT available as a product in the U.S.

I talked about breast cancer detection in my talk preceding the movie. It is a topic I have followed since 1992 when I wrote a story for the Detroit Free Press about how 2/3rds of Detroit area mammogram machines flunked state inspections in the first year of a landmark state law, introduced by Rep. Maxine Berman, that went on to be a model for a national mammography quality law. I gave special thanks in my talk to Berman; the Detroit Free Press, which gave me time and support to write about mammography quality through my 22 year career as medical writer, particularly with data help from librarian Victoria Turk; Donna Dauphinais, who inspired the book I wrote on breast cancer surgery and reconstruction options; and Free Press photographer Kathleen Galligan, whose elegant photos and personal story of breast cancer, brought to life the stories I told of women in “Breast Cancer Surgery and Reconstruction: What’s Right for You,” published last year by Rowman and Littlefield. I am delighted to report that we just heard the book will come out in paperback in December. I will update you about that as well as the iTbra.

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I had the pleasure yesterday of talking about a long-time passion, breast cancer detection, before the premier of a new documentary, Detected, about a
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Take-home Messages from #FORCE17

Force17

Here are 4 key messages of #FORCE17, which held its 10th anniversary conference last week on hereditary cancer issues.

  1. One-step and done? Nearly all breast reconstruction is not. Beware too, of scarless mastectomies claims.
  2. Breast reconstruction options for larger-framed women are improving. Now 3 of 10 women get nipple-sparing operations.
  3. Expect more gene discoveries in the next year or two that identify the deadliest tumors needing more aggressive treatment for prostate, pancreatic and other cancers where hereditary plays a role.
  4. Men need genetics testing too.

Summarized by Patricia Anstett, author, “Breast Cancer Surgery and Reconstruction: What’s Right for You,” from presentations at the conference of Facing Our Risk Empowered (FORCE).