Breast Health Blog

Surgical treatment of breast cancer can be pretty confusing, especially when you’re not privy to the details. I’ll bet we all know someone who has or has had breast cancer, and not all women receive the same treatment. How often do you hear about a woman who “just” needed a lumpectomy, while another has a lumpectomy and radiation, and yet another removes both of her breasts as the ultimate life-saving radical surgical treatment. What makes the treatment so different? Is there some different standard that doctors apply to different patients? What are the treatment decisions based on? How much of what happens is a matter of patient choice? Why would a woman CHOOSE to have both of her breasts removed?

Long Term Survival Rates

Let’s start by acknowledging that treatment is very dependent on the patient, her cancer and her personal and family history of breast cancer. That’s why it’s so hard to understand why one woman’s treatment is so different than another’s —you probably just don’t know the pertinent details. Continue reading →

Compared to breast cancer in women, male breast cancer (MBC) is extremely rare, accounting for less than 1 percent of all breast cancers. The American Cancer Society estimates approximately 2,140 men in the U.S. will be diagnosed in 2011 compared to 230,480 women.

MBC symptoms are often similar to those noted in women, such as a painless lump, breast tissue thickening, skin changes and/or new nipple discharge.

As with breast cancer in females, the cause of male breast cancer has not been fully characterized, but both environmental influences and genetic (inherited) factors likely play a role in its development.

Continue reading →

This article by Dr. Kristi Harrington was published in the September/October 2011 issue of 425 Magazine.

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk, 2010

Let’s talk about breast cancer prevention and reducing your risk. For most women with breast cancer, there is no one identifiable event or reason why they developed cancer. Cancer is a complex disease, and probably develops due to the interplay between environment, genetics and just plain luck.

But there are known risk factors for breast cancer, and they are generally thought of in two groups—factors that you can’t change and those you can. Continue reading →

We all know October is breast cancer awareness month, and we all see pink products for sale and lots of pink awareness….but it’s about more than just pink. This month is a time for all women to pause and think about their breast health and reflect on what they can do to REDUCE their risk of breast cancer.

Join one of our breast surgeons and a breast radiologist, along with our women’s cancer patient navigator, for insightful information based on the latest research that can help you or a loved one reduce their risk of breast cancer. This is part of Overlake’s commitment to prevention and community education. Attend one of three FREE sessions:

• Wednesday, October 5, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. – Mercer Island Community Center, 8536 SE 24th St, Mercer Island, WA 98040
• Wednesday, October 12, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. – North Kirkland Community Center, 12421 103rd Ave NE,Kirkland, WA 98034
• Wednesday, October 19, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. – Overlake Medical Center Issaquah, 5708 E. Lake Sammamish Parkway SE, Suite #103, Issaquah, WA 98029

Preregistration required for this free seminar, sign up online. For more information, call 425-688-5616 or send an e-mail to Amy McGann.

As a dietitian I strongly believe that dietary factors are important in the prevention of certain diseases, especially cancer.  Beliefs are beliefs, but what I really get excited about is having research to prove that what we eat is important.

A recent study shows that women with diets high in plant foods tend to have a lower risk of developing certain breast tumors.  These results were specific to estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast tumors.

Eating a diet high in plant foods doesn’t mean you have to become a vegetarian.  A general recommendation is for plant foods to cover 2/3 of your plate and the other 1/3 to be from fish, poultry, meat or dairy foods. Continue reading →