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The waters from hurricane Agnes flooded Evelyn Flyte’s home in 1972. She lost everything, including the medical equipment to treat her cancer. Flyte was left penniless, unable to continue treatment.
Dorothy Moore, now almost 80, was diagnosed with breast cancer at the young age of 20. She had a double mastectomy and was in remission for 27 years. Just a year-and-a-half ago, Moore was told the cancer came back.
Fraternal twins Julianne Oliver, an MU senior Philosophy, Pre-Law major, and Jennifer Oliver, Scranton University senior, are the granddaughters of Flyte and nieces of Moore.
They are on a mission.
The twins will walk for two weeks, starting June 9, 2009, from Pittston to Pittsburg to raise awareness for breast cancer. They have started The Flyte and Moore Walk Across Pennsylvania to try to help, as their slogan reads, “protect what’s between the pits” and raise money to find a cure to breast cancer, and help women like their aunt and grandmother.
The Facts
Breast cancer is a tumor that starts in the cells of the breast, which is made up of numerous ducts, fatty tissue and blood vessels. Most breast cancers begin in the cells of the breasts that line the ducts. Only a small number of cancers begin in the tissue.
There are numerous causes for breast cancer. Gender, age, genetics, and family history are key risk factors. Breast cancer is most common in women. Though men can also get it, only few develop breast cancer.
The American Cancer Society says doctors have begun to understand the role genetics plays. The BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes have been linked to breast cancer. ACS reports that women with these genes have an 80 percent chance of having breast cancer.
An ACS 2008 report says 97 percent of women died from breast cancer starting at the age of 40.
“Breast cancer runs in my family, so I make sure to eat healthy and exercise,” says Julie. “I have to be careful and stay healthy.”
MU 2007 graduate Nicole Thomas-Grube knows how important testing for the BRCA genes is. “I tested positive last winter for the genes.”
Thomas-Grube’s aunt died from the disease and her mother was diagnosed with it in 2003 and 2006. She has been cancer free for a year, but the journey was not easy. Thomas-Grube can remember when her mother told her she had cancer. It was September 11, and Thomas-Grube was almost 16.
“I was shocked. All the times my mom’s been sick I never though she would die, and now that was a possibility.”
Early Detection
The earlier the cancer is found, the better the chance of successful treatment. The ACS recommends that women have regular mammograms, which are simple x-rays of the breast, and clinical breast exams. Women over 40 years old should have yearly mammograms, and women as young as 20 should have breast exams as part of their regular health examination.
“It is important to keep up with new information for breast cancer and get tested,” says Thomas-Grube.
Breast self-exams are another way to fight. Women should be aware of how their breasts feel and appear, and abnormalities should be reported immediately to a health professional. The ACS suggests that women be on the lookout abnormalities when they perform breast self exams.
• Swelling of the breasts
• Skin irritation
• Breast pain
• Nipple turning inward
• Thickening of breast skin
• Nipple discharge (other than breast milk)
• Lumps not only in the breast but in the under arm region as well
Experts say the only way to diagnose breast cancer is to perform a biopsy, but doctors perform this procedure only after other tests indicate cancer. A biopsy is when an area of concern is surgically removed from the breast and sent to a lab to be examined.
Treatment
There are many treatments for breast cancer, and the ACS breaks them into two general groups: local versus systemic treatment and adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapy.
Local therapy, such as radiation therapy, treats a tumor without disturbing the body. Systemic therapy treats breast cancer with chemotherapy drugs, which can be taken by mouth or intravenously.
The goal of adjuvant therapy is to ensure that no hidden cells are left after surgery. This will ensure that the cancer will not return. Neoadjuvant therapy is involves taking chemotherapy prior to surgery to shrink the tumor and decrease the period of operating time for the patient.
Thomas-Grube knows how emotionally wrenching treatment can be.
“I went with my mother the second time she had chemotherapy. We just cried. We talked to one woman who told us her diagnosis- it wasn’t good. You just try to keep everything as positive as you can and keep moving forward.”
Stages of Breast Cancer
Stage One- The tumor is less than two centimeters in diameter in one location in the breast
Stage Two- The tumor is up to five centimeters and begins to spread into the lymph nodes (arm pit region)
Stage Three-The tumor is larger than five centimeters and is spreading to the auxiliary or mammary lymph nodes
Stage Four- the tumor spreads to other areas in the body
Important Questions
ACS encourages women to be open with their physicians and health care providers. Common questions to ask health professionals about breast cancer are:
• What can I do to prevent breast cancer?
• Where can I go for information about breast cancer?
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