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Breast Cancer
INTRO HOST
When a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer her first thoughts are typically centered on a fear of dying. But if it's found and treated early, most women can go on to live healthy lives. Which is why early detection is vital, because it can literally save lives. And because all women are at risk, it's crucial that all women be aware of their bodies and are able to notice any physical changes in order to increase their chances of early detection.
HOST VO
Evelyn Morgen and her husband Chris live in a small hamlet on the Connecticut River. They've been married for ten years. She's a cancer survivor not once, but twice. More than fifteen years ago Evelyn was diagnosed with colon cancer, a cancer her mother did not survive.
Evelyn made it through surgery and chemotherapy, and had reached her five-year "cancer free" mark. Life was changing for the better. She was a newlywed, and had one more doctor's visit to go. But a new problem was on the horizon.
Evelyn Morgen
Patient
"It was my follow up visit from the colonoscopy. And he said; "Congratulations Evelyn this is wonderful news you don't need to worry". And I said; "ooh I was so relieved, but I found this lump and it doesn't feel right to me." And he felt it he said; "it doesn't feel right to me either."
HOST VO
Evelyn had found the lump during a self-exam, and just had a gut feeling.
Evelyn Morgen
Patient
"And there are times in your life when you just know that something is really wrong and I mean I didn't need anything else, I knew that this was not good."
HOST VO
Evelyn had been having her annual mammograms and been seen by doctors regularly throughout her battle with colon cancer. Though an earlier mammogram showed no signs of a lump, her self-exam done sometime later discovered a problem. Doctors took a biopsy of the lump. It was malignant. Evelyn had stage-three breast cancer.
Evelyn Morgen
Patient
"My husband was with me and we were told together. I thought I did this already its not fair we haven't been married that long and I don't want to have to go through this again I was just celebrating the fact that I was "free of cancer."
HOST VO
Evelyn's diagnosis was difficult to grasp at first. She and her husband were looking forward to doing the things they had put off because of her colon cancer. But now, she had become a patient all over again.
Evelyn Morgen
Patient
"So I felt scared but also hopeful, I had done it once and I would do it again."
HOST VO
Over the years, Evelyn and her doctors were persistent in following the recommended steps of screening for breast cancer:
NAT SOUND
Step right up against the machine.
HOST VO
Mammography, an x-ray of the breasts, and annual breast exams by a physician, along with breast self-examination.
At the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington, Connecticut, Dr. Kristen Zarfos is the Assistant Professor of Surgery.
Kristin Zarfos, MD
University of Connecticut Health Center
"Early detection is the key to improve survival for women with breast cancer. By educating women about the three components of early detection, we can give them the ability to improve the quality of their lives, to improve their health, and to improve their ability to survive if diagnosed with breast cancer."
NAT SOUND
"Put your left arm up onto this bar."
HOST VO
Along with new treatments, mammography has significantly increased life expectancy.
Kristin Zarfos, MD
University of Connecticut Health Center
"But because many women, particularly young women, will have dense breasts, the density of that tissue can obscure an abnormality, so that 7-10 % of breast cancers aren't apparent on a mammogram.
HOST VO
Most medical groups recommend women in they're 40's have mammograms every year, or every other year, and annual mammograms beginning in their 50's.
Evelyn's treatment was aggressive she had a mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The second time around, she made a decision on how to cope with her treatment.
Evelyn Morgen
Patient
"And it dawned on me, I've got to allow this chemo therapy to work and I did some imaging, it was very powerful I decided to imagine that this was an Army, I had invited into my body and that this Army was going to go through all of my cells, that it was going to find cancer cells wherever they were and that I had to encourage it and to allow it to find them and not tense against it."
HOST VO
Many women with breast cancer find ways of coping with the disease. At the University of Connecticut Health Center, Dr. Carolyn Runowicz is the Cancer Center Director. She's a twelve-year breast cancer survivor herself and wants women to know breast cancer is not necessarily an emergency situation.
Carolyn Runowicz, MD
Dir., Comprehensive Cancer Center
University of Connecticut
"When a woman is told that she has breast cancer her immediate reaction is, I have to have surgery I have to get this out and either the lump or the breast." The woman feels betrayed by her body and she's certain the cancers spreading as she speaks. But in fact, breast cancer takes somewhere around seven years from the time it starts as a little cell, to the time that a doctor or a healthcare provider can actually detect it or that a mammogram can detect it."
HOST VO
Making rational decisions is key for newly diagnosed women. There's not one right treatment strategy for every patient. Dr. Runowicz recalls her reaction to being diagnosed with breast cancer.
Carolyn Runowicz, MD
"And I stopped being a doctor and I became this emotional person that I was talking about before you're not reacting based on how a tumor evolves and it takes many years, you react, I have cancer I have to fix it yesterday and it happens to everyone."
"And that's made me more sensitive to the issue of telling patients, cancer's not an emergency although it feels like one. It's an emotional emergency but not a biologic emergency."
NAT SOUND
Hi Evelyn.
HOST VO
With the advancements in treatment today, patients are living longer and having a better quality of life. Throughout her treatment, Evelyn continued to work as a medical librarian, and has been active in helping other women with breast cancer.
Today, she's a ten-year breast cancer survivor and lives her life without changing much of her lifestyle. Along the way, she has also learned a thing or two about herself.
Evelyn Morgen
Patient
"I faced the worst fear of my life and looked it square in the eyes and said, ok, there's nothing worse that I have to worry about and I have faced it and I'm going to be alright. I think of disease as climbing a mountain. And people say, well what do you want to do now? And I'm like, ok I climbed this mountain, I want to enjoy the view."
HOST TAG
Research shows that the combination of early detection and advancements in treatment methods, have resulted in a 20 % decrease in the mortality rate of patients with breast cancer compared to twenty years ago. That's why breast self-exams, regular mammograms and regular doctor visits are so important.
HOST VO
Although not perfect, mammography is still the best method so far, for detecting breast cancer early. Women should begin getting regular mammograms in their 40's. In addition, all women should have an annual breast exam by a physician. Performing a monthly breast self-exam may also help in detecting problems.
HOST ON CAMERA
Well, that's all for this edition of The Art of Women's Health. Join us next time for more compelling stories about the vital health issues facing women today. Until then, I'm Juju Chang.
NARRATOR VO
The Art of Women's Health was brought to you by:
Every day more than half a million people look to Quest Diagnostics to tell their doctors whether they are healthy or ill. We take this responsibility very seriously. Quest Diagnostics, we strive to make finding answers easier every day.
This series is also supported by a grant from Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.
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