41 Items
6 Sections
7 Hours
4 Additional Items
This pathway introduces the possible symptoms, different types, and stages of breast cancer. Then it focuses on how to survive and thrive through treatment as well as treatment options, prognosis, and testing to determine recurrence and survival. Like many cancers, there is more than one treatment option, and there are many different risks and benefits to each option. Therefore, you are your best advocate to determine your nutrition, exercise, and medical options, along with guidance from your physician.
Before you review the Surviving Breast Cancer Pathway, we highly suggest you listen to our latest HIVE Podcast, where our host, Larry Durham, sits down with Dr. Gina Ann Richter to discuss her experiences with creating the pathway. During the podcast Gina highlights how she became involved with breast cancer, the value of the pathway, and her thoughts on the future of learning.
Section 1: Breast Cancer Introduction
Section 1 – Lesson 1:
Often it is a mammogram or self-exam that leads to the discovery of breast cancer. There are many different types of breast cancer, as well as stages. Both the type and stage of cancer determine the treatment options available as well as prognosis and survival.
20 Minutes
1/2 Lessons
2 Items
Breast Cancer Symptoms & Causes
For many women, there are no symptoms, and the exact cause is unknown. However, sometimes, there are symptoms and known causes, which will help to mitigate recurrence.
[1.1] Breast Cancer
You may be reading this because you or someone you care about has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Learning as much as you can about the disease can help you feel better prepared to speak with doctors about your condition, possible treatment, and care. This is a good place to begin. From here, you can visit other sections of this guide with more in-depth information. Take your time. Continue Reading
[1.2] Breast Cancer - Symptoms and Causes
Breast cancer is cancer that forms in the cells of the breasts.
After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in the United States. Breast cancer can occur in both men and women, but it’s far more common in women. Continue Reading
Section 1 – Lesson 2:
62 Minutes
2/2 Lesson
5 Items
Types and Staging
In this lesson, you will discover the different types of breast cancer as well as how it is staged.
[1.1] Understanding Breast Cancer
This animation explains what breast cancer is and how it develops. You can learn about the signs and symptoms to watch for, and the factors that can increase the risk for getting breast cancer. Breast cancer screening, diagnosis, and types of breast cancer are also explained. You can also learn about the different ways that breast cancer is treated – including surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy, combination treatments, and clinical trials.
[1.2] Breast Cancer Stages: 0 Through IV
Breast Cancer stage helps your doctors make treatment recommendations based on tumor size and other characteristics of the cancer. Continue Reading.
[1.3] Types of Breast Cancer
What are the types of breast cancer, and what do they mean? Continue Reading
[1.4] Stages of Breast Cancer
What are the stages of breast cancer, and what do they mean? Continue Reading
[1.5] Transcriptional signature of lymphoblastoid cell lines of BRCA1, BRCA2 and non-BRCA1/2 high risk breast cancer families
Approximately 25% of hereditary breast cancer cases are associated with a strong familial history which can be explained by mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 and other lower penetrance genes. The remaining high-risk families could be classified as BRCAX (non-BRCA1/2) families. Continue Reading
Section 2: Treatment Options
Section 2 – Lesson 1:
There are many different types of breast cancer as well as stages. Both the type and stage of cancer determine the treatment options available as well as prognosis and survival.
86 Minutes
1/2 Lesson
5 Items
Treatment Options
In this lesson, you will discover the different options for treatment of breast cancer at varying stages and different types.
[1.1] Treatment by Breast Cancer Diagnosis
The sections below describe the recommended treatments for different breast cancer diagnoses. Continue Reading
[1.2] Treatment and Side Effects
In recent years, there’s been an explosion of life-saving treatment advances against breast cancer, bringing new hope and excitement. Instead of only one or two options, today there’s an overwhelming menu of treatment choices that fight the complex mix of cells in each individual cancer. The decisions — surgery, then perhaps radiation, hormonal (anti-estrogen) therapy, and/or chemotherapy — can feel overwhelming. Continue Reading
[1.3] SWOG S1007: A PHASE III, randomized clinical trial
[1.4] The New Approach to Cancer Treatment
Sr. Nasha Winters is a naturopathic physician who specializes in cancer treatment. She trains clinicians and consults with those treating cancer patients. Continue Reading
[1.5] A Phase II Study of Breast-Conserving Surgery without Radiotherapy for Women with Breast Cancer: the PRECISION Trial
The PRECISION Trial (Profiling Early Breast Cancer for Radiotherapy Omission): A Phase II Study of Breast-Conserving Surgery without Adjuvant Radiotherapy for… Continue Reading
Section 2 – Lesson 2:
98 Minutes
2/2 Lesson
2 Items
Mitigating Side Effects
Beyond getting plenty of sleep, a good diet, and keeping active, there are specific steps you can take to mitigate the side effects of chemo and radiation. These include fasting and alternative therapies, like acupuncture.
[2.1] Can Fasting Improve Chemotherapy's Effects
Can Fasting Improve Chemotherapy’s Effects? Continue Reading
[2.2] Acupuncture Helps Ease Side Effects and Symptoms of Some Cancers
Recent studies have shown that acupuncture can help control a number of symptoms and side effects — such as pain, fatigue, dry mouth, nausea, and vomiting — associated with a variety of cancers and their treatments. Continue Reading
Section 3: Recurrence Risk
Section 3 – Lesson 1:
The greatest news here is that recurrence risk is very low when the cancer is caught early and that there are new tools that have been developed to more accurately determine your risk based on several variables, including your tumor type, size, and hormone receptor status. There is also a relatively new test called Oncotype that can determine your recurrence risk.
9 Minutes
1/2 Lessons
2 Items
Recurrence Risk
The only thing scarier than hearing “you have cancer” is hearing “you have cancer, again.” Unfortunately, cancer has varying recurrence rates based on your profile, and the Predict tool can provide you insight into what your risk of recurrence is based on the treatment options you select, as well as your tumor size, and lymph node involvement, etc.
[1.1] Predict Tool
Treatment options and results will appear when you have filled in all the information needed. Continue Reading
[1.2] Breast Cancer Cells in Sentinel Lymph Node Don't Affect Survival
A large study found that women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer with occult metastases in the sentinel lymph node had the same survival rates as women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer without occult metastases in the sentinel lymph node. Continue Reading
Section 3 – Lesson 2:
80 Minutes
2/2 Lessons
5 Items
Oncotype and Recurrence Score
In this lesson, you will discover a breakthrough technology that is used to determine the recurrence risk for breast cancer.
[2.1] Oncotype DX: Essential Genomic Information for Improving Your Treatment Decision
Oncotype DX for early-stage invasive breast cancer is the only test with real-life evidence for the impact it has on patients’ results. Get Oncotype DX before you start…Continue Reading
[2.2] Research Confirms Women With Oncotype DX Recurrence Score of 11 or Lower Can Skip Chemotherapy
The Oncotype DX test is a genomic test that analyzes the activity of a group of 21 genes from a breast cancer tissue sample that can affect how a cancer is likely to behave and respond to treatment. Continue Reading
[2.3] About the Oncotype DX ® Test
This information explains the Oncotype DX® test and answers frequently asked question s about the test. Continue Reading
[2.4] Predictive and Prognostic Value of the 31-Gene Recurrence...: American Journal of Clinical Oncology
The addition of adjuvant chemotherapy to hormonal therapy is recommended for patients with estrogen receptor–positive (ER+), node-positive (N+) early breast cancer (EBC). Continue Reading
[2.5] Breast Cancer Experts Question New Recommendations for 21-Gene Recurrence Score Assay - the ASCO Post
At the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, a group of breast cancer experts made a case for using the 21-gene Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score Assay in… Continue Reading
Section 4: Nutrition & Exercise
Section 4 – Lesson 1:
Oncologists are very cautious in recommending a specific diet, and most will say eat more vegetables, limit your consumption of red meat and processed meats. When it comes to exercise, it is important to move every day. In this lesson, you will find some exercise options. If your breast cancer is hormone-positive, it is really important to make sure you don’t carry extra weight. It’s also important to check your Vitamin D levels.
65 Minutes
1/2 Lessons
6 Items
Nutrition
It seems “you are what you eat” really is a great way to live. In the United States, it seems we have come full circle with many people moving to intermittent fasting and an organic whole foods diet. By making gradual changes, you can adopt a way of life that enables you to make healthier eating selections and feel better, not to mention lose a few pounds.
[1.1] 11 Breast Cancer-Fighting Tips
Find more cancer-fighting tips here:
[1.2] Safer Than Mammograms, Slashes Your Risk by 83 Percent
Vitamin D optimization may eliminate a vast majority of diseases, yet this key information is completely ignored by conventional disease awareness campaigns. Continue Reading
[1.3] Chris Beat Cancer - A resource for healing cancer with nutrition and natural therapies by Chris Wark
A resource for healing cancer with nutrition and natural therapies by Chris Wark. Continue Reading
[1.4] Intermittent Fasting: Transformational Technique | Cynthia Thurlow | TEDxGreenville - Youtube
Two-thirds of women 40-59 years old are overweight and more than1/2 are obese. Intermittent fasting can help women lose weight effectively. And can have profound impact on biophysical profiles, but also improved self-esteem and interpersonal relationships.
[1.5] Breast Cancer and Vitamin D
Research on vitamin D’s role in breast cancer hasn’t been conclusive, but one more piece to the puzzle has just been discovered. Continue Reading
[1.6] Chris Beat Cancer - Top 10 Anti-cancer Vegetables
One of my favorite studies was published in Food Chemistry, January 2009 called, “The antiproliferative and antioxidant activities of common vegetables: A comparative study”
Researchers studied the inhibitory (cancer-stopping) effects of 34 vegetable extracts on 8 different tumor cell lines.
They basically just ran vegetables through a juicer and then dripped the extracted juice on different cancer cells to see what would happen. Here are the top 10 anti-cancer vegetables from this study…Continue Reading
Section 4 – Lesson 2:
33 Minutes
2/2 Lessons
4 Items
Exercise
Exercise generates energy, and it doesn’t take hours at the gym. You always should be thinking of ways you can get your body moving, and this lesson talks about some of the possibilities for just about anyone.
[2.1] Why You Need to Try the Nitric Oxide Dump Workout
Exercise is key to any health program; high-intensity exercises such as the Nitric Oxide Dump is a time-efficient workout that can be completed anytime. Continue Reading
[2.2] ZACH BUSH MD | 4 Minute Workout
[2.3] Walk your way to fitness
Ready to reap the benefits of walking? Here’s how to get started – and stay motivated. Can you really walk your way to fitness? Get started today. Continue Reading
[2.4] Exercise - A Powerful Ally for Breast Cancer Survivors
According to Breastcancer.org, nearly 1 in 8 American women is at risk of developing breast cancer. Beyond skin cancer — which officials believe is the most commonly diagnosed cancer, even though the CDC and National Cancer Institute do not report or track certain types of skin cancer — breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women. Continue Reading
Section 5: Lymphedema
Section 5 – Lesson 1:
Some people experience Lymphedema in the upper extremity after surgery and/or radiation. This condition is not curable, but it can be treated and controlled and often doesn’t interfere with a person’s activities.
11 Minutes
1/1 Lesson
3 Items
Lymphedema
Although lymphedema isn’t a serious side effect, it can be a chronic one that will need to be managed for the rest of your life.
[1.1] Lymphedema
Lymphedema is abnormal swelling that can develop in the arm, hand, breast, or torso as a side effect of breast cancer surgery and/or radiation therapy. Lymphedema can appear in some people during the months or even years after treatment ends. Continue Reading
[1.2] Pneumatic Pumps for Lymphedema
A pneumatic pump — also called an intermittent pneumatic compression pump — is a machine that has an inflatable sleeve or vest-like garment attached to it, with multiple chambers (like balloons) that inflate one after the other to stimulate the flow of lymph in the right direction. Continue Reading
[1.3] After cancer treatments, there's threat of a chronic side effect: lymphedema
Since Susan Ruffini’s breast cancer surgery in 2006, the Riverhead woman has been hospitalized 11 times for bacterial infections stemming from lymphedema, a chronic, sometimes painful swelling that is one of the most serious potential side effects of cancer treatment.
“The breast cancer was put aside — did this, done that,” said Ruffini, 62. “Now you’re living with this and it doesn’t ever go away.”Continue Reading
Section 6: Learn More
Section 6 – Lesson 1:
In this section, you will discover resources that enable you to continue to learn about breast cancer and the steps you can take to ensure you survive a diagnosis, mitigate a recurrence, or prevent it.
62 Minutes
1/2 Lessons
3 Items
Resources
Here you will discover survival stories and other relevant resources.
[1.1] Breast Cancer Cells in Sentinel Lymph Node Don't Affect Survival
A large study found that women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer with occult metastases in the sentinel lymph node had the same survival rates as women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer without occult metastases in the sentinel lymph node. Continue Reading
[1.2] Highlights from ASCO 2019: A Low-Fat Diet and Breast Cancer Risk, Targeted Therapy for Salivary Gland Tumors, and More
Each year in Chicago, tens of thousands of doctors, nurses, and researchers meet to discuss the latest in cancer research and ways to treat the disease at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). The theme this year is “Caring for every patient, learning from every patient.” Continue Reading
[1.3] Best DNA Test Kits – Results Revealed, Compared, Analyzed & Explained
Andras Gabrich
“First, I have to admit that I’m a genealogy geek. Since I was a child, I have always been interested in researching my ancestry and I managed to trace 7 generations of my ancestors via archives. As I am a curious family tree researcher, I wanted to try one of the DNA kits.” Continue Reading
Section 6 – Lesson 2:
42 Minutes
2/2 Lessons
4 Items
Survival Stories
Here are a variety of survival stories from women with varying stages and types of breast cancer.
[2.1] How Abigail Healed Stage 4 Cancer
[2.2] A Breast Cancer Survival Story Video: Tammi C. Walker
[2.3] Living with Metastatic Breast Cancer - Erin's Story #ThisisMBC
[2.4] Amy Robach Reflects on Breast Cancer Diagnosis One Year Later
Disclaimer:
StC Consulting wants to help anyone who might be dealing with breast cancer or anyone who knows someone else who is. But we’re not medical professionals. The information in this pathway is not intended to be and should not be construed as a diagnosis, recommended treatment plan, or any other form of medical advice. If you or anyone you know is experiencing any adverse or questionable health symptoms of any type, we urge you to contact a qualified medical professional and to seek treatment immediately.