The Pink Ribbon Journey: The Companion Guide for Breast Cancer Patients

The Pink Ribbon Journey: The Companion Guide for Breast Cancer Patients

Copyright

Copyright © 2015 by Gilbert Newman, MD All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except in the case of a reviewer, who may quote brief passages embodied in critical articles or in a review. The information in this book is distributed on an as is basis, without warranty. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this work, neither the author nor the publisher shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book.

First Printing: 2015

ISBN 978-1-329-59478-4

Gilbert Newman, MD, LLC

Dedication

To my lovely wife and children.

Thank you. Without your support and patience, I would have never achieved my dream.

Contents

The Pink Ribbon Journey: The Companion Guide for Breast Cancer Patients

Copyright

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Preface

Introduction

All Women Should Be Aware of These Breast Cancer Facts

Chapter 1: The Risk Factors for Breast Cancer

Are You At Risk of Developing Breast Cancer?

Chapter 2: Breast Cancer Screening

Six Things you Need to Know About Breast Cancer Screening

Chapter 3: Symptoms of Breast Cancer

What Should You Be Looking Out For?

Chapter 4: Self-Breast Examination

Four Things You Should Know About Self-Breast Examination

Chapter 5: Diagnosis of Breast Cancer

What Tests Are Needed For A Suspicious Breast Lump or Changes?

How exactly is Breast Cancer Diagnosed?

Does Everybody Need Additional Imaging Study?

Chapter 6: More About your Mammogram

What Do You Need To Know About BI-RADS?

What do you need to know about your Breast Density?

Chapter 7: Physicians you are going to meet

You can build your Own Medical Team

Chapter 8: What should you ask your Physician

Ten Basic Questions to Ask Your Physician

Chapter 9: Staging of Breast Cancer

What Does Cancer Staging Mean To You?

Two Staging Systems Used In Breast Cancer

Definitions of TNM and AJCC stages

Chapter 10: What are your Treatment Options

Treatment Options by Breast Cancer Stage

Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS)

Lobular Carcinoma In Situ (LCIS)

Breast Cancer

Chapter 11: What are your Surgical Treatment Options

Breast Conserving Surgery (Lumpectomy)

Mastectomy

Different Kinds of Mastectomy

Prophylactic Mastectomy

Chapter 12: What to do with the Lymph Nodes?

What Is Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy?

What is Axillary Lymph Node Dissection?

Chapter 13: Should you Consider Breast Reconstruction?

Four Things to Think About with Breast Reconstruction

Chapter 14: Breast Reconstruction Options

Two Main Options for Breast Reconstruction

Breast Implants

Tissue Flap Reconstruction

Chapter 15: How can you prepare for your Breast Surgery

Things to do once you have decided for Surgery

Things to do a Day Before Breast Surgery

Chapter 16: The Day of Breast Surgery

What should you expect on The Day of Surgery?

What should you expect Immediately Around Surgery Time?

Chapter 17: What to Expect Recovering from Breast Surgery?

Recovery in The Hospital

Recovery outside The Hospital

Home Care: Additional Help if Needed

Chapter 18: Lymphedema

How to Prevent Lymphedema after Axillary Surgery?

Chapter 19: Genetic Testing for Breast Cancer

Two Forms of Genetic Testing are Available for Breast Cancer:

Chapter 20: Clinical Trial and Breast Cancer

Five Basic Facts you should know about Breast Cancer Clinical Trial

Chapter 21: Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer

What Are The Chemotherapy Options?

What are Some of The Side Effects of Chemotherapy?

Hair loss

Neutropenia (Low White Blood Count)

Nausea and Vomiting

Decreased Appetite

Heart Damage (Cardiomyopathy)

Bone Marrow Suppression (Myelotoxicity)

Mucositis or Stomatitis (Sore mouth)

Nephrotoxicity (Kidney injury)

Chapter 22: Radiation for Breast Cancer

What are Some of The Side Effects of Radiation?

Chapter 23: Future Breast Cancer Risk

Four Things to do to Minimize your Future Breast Cancer Risk

Six Simplified Recommendations for Breast Cancer Prevention

Chapter 24: Survivorship Follow Up

Follow-up upon Completion of your Breast Cancer Treatment

Breast Cancer Survivorship Surveillance

SUMMARY

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank my patients, my nurses, my colleagues and my multidisciplinary cancer care team without whose help this book would never have been completed.

Thank you for your patience and guidance.

Preface

If you are looking for an easy-to-understand, step by step yet comprehensive breast cancer guide, this book is for you. This guide is written for any woman and their loved ones with breast cancer, those who are worried about developing breast cancer, or for anybody who simply wants to learn more about breast cancer. The Pink Ribbon Journey will take you from the very beginning of a breast cancer journey, from what symptoms to look out for, through the practical aspects of breast cancer that affects you, to your best chance of staying cancer free. This is all explained in an easy-to-understand language, written by an oncologist who has seen and treated hundreds of patients with breast cancer. You will feel supported, and understand the disease better with this companion guide. Armed with this knowledge and confidence, you will feel empowered by each decision that you make and allow you to anticipate challenges positively to achieve your treatment goals and see you through your breast cancer journey.

Introduction

All Women should be aware of these Breast Cancer Facts

Why?  The reason is simple. Breast cancer is more common than you and I think.

Somebody that you know, maybe your family member, a friend, a neighbor, a colleague at work or someone in your community, probably has breast cancer or is at risk of developing breast cancer. In the Western world, one in eight women will have breast cancer in their lifetime. That is an astonishingly high number!

The incidence rate of breast cancer increases with age. Therefore, the older