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Tag: Breast cancer

  • Missing the first mammogram linked to increased risk of breast cancer death, new study suggests

    (CNN) — Women who miss their first screening appointment for breast cancer could have a 40% higher long-term risk of dying from the disease, according to a new study.

    I wanted to understand more about the importance of screening and the results of this large study — especially since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The research, published September 24 in the journal The BMJ, involved more than 400,000 women in Sweden who were monitored for up to 25 years.

    When should women begin screening for breast cancer, and why could delayed initial screening result in a higher longer-term risk of cancer death? In addition to mammograms, are there other tests that women should ask for? What about breast self-exams? And what are steps women can take to reduce their risk of developing breast cancer?

    To guide us through these questions, I spoke with CNN wellness expert Dr. Leana Wen. Wen is an emergency physician and adjunct associate professor at George Washington University. She previously served as Baltimore’s health commissioner.

    CNN: How common is breast cancer?

    Dr. Leana Wen: In the United States, breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women and the second leading cause of cancer death among women, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2022, more than 279,000 new breast cancer cases in female patients were reported in the US; in 2023, more than 42,000 women died from the disease.

    A report published in February found that globally, 1 in 20 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. At this rate, researchers estimate that by 2050, there will be 3.2 million new breast cancer cases and 1.1 million breast cancer-related deaths per year.

    Early screening is crucial because the best prognosis is when breast cancer is diagnosed and treated in its earliest stages. When breast cancer is diagnosed in its localized stages — before it has spread — the five-year survival rate is more than 99%, according to the American Cancer Society. When the cancer is detected after it has spread to other organs, the survival rate drops to about 32%.

    CNN: When should women begin screening for breast cancer?

    Wen: Last year, the US Preventive Services Task Force lowered the recommended age for most women to start receiving mammograms to age 40. The guidance is that women should receive a mammogram every other year until age 74. For those 75 and above, the decision to continue screenings is a personal one to make with one’s primary care provider.

    This recommendation covers people with an average risk of breast cancer. Those with a higher risk are encouraged to speak with their health care provider to discuss whether they should begin screenings sooner and at a higher frequency than every other year. Elements that increase risk include a history of radiation to the chest, certain genetic mutations, and having a first-degree relative (like a mother or sister) with breast cancer.

    CNN: What does this new study show?

    Wen: This study tracked outcomes from 432,775 women in Sweden for up to 25 years. Among women invited to their first mammogram screening, nearly one-third did not participate. The nonparticipants continued to be less likely to participate in subsequent mammograms and more likely to have breast cancer diagnosed in advanced stages, the researchers found.

    Notably, the odds of these initial nonparticipants being diagnosed with stage 3 cancer was 1.5 times greater, and 3.6 times greater for stage 4 cancer, compared with those who did participate in a first screening. Breast cancer deaths after 25 years for this group were significantly higher compared with those who followed through on a first mammogram.

    These results are notable because of the large population that the study team monitored over a substantial period of time. Researchers point out that findings may not generalize to all populations that have different health care systems from Sweden’s, though I think that the concept of perpetually missed screenings leading to higher cancer rates probably is the case around the world. An accompanying editorial in the same journal highlighted that the decision to attend the first mammography screening is not just a short-term health check-up — it’s a long-term investment that has implications for future health and survival.

    CNN: Why does delayed initial screening result in a higher longer-term risk of cancer death in this study?

    Wen: I think the key is that the initial nonparticipants were also more likely to persistently miss subsequent follow-up screening exams. The reasons for this are likely complicated and could be a combination of factors, including lack of awareness, barriers to access and fear of finding out the result. Cultural factors may also be at play. The result is that these individuals were more likely to have their cancers diagnosed at a later stage, when survival rates are lower, and therefore tragically ended up having more deaths from their cancers.

    CNN: In addition to mammograms, are there other tests that women should ask for?

    Wen: Mammograms, which are essentially an X-ray of the breast, are the standard screening test for most women at average risk of breast cancer. Those with higher risk of breast cancer may be recommended for additional tests, such as genetic testing, breast MRI or ultrasound. Women with dense breast tissue may also wish to ask their provider if additional tests are recommended, since the mammogram is less sensitive in detecting breast cancer in these individuals.

    CNN: What about breast self-exams?

    Wen: Breast self-exams are not routinely recommended as a screening test and should not replace the mammogram. However, women should know how their breasts look and feel and be on the lookout for any concerning changes.

    It is important to separate out screening from diagnosis. The mammogram is a screening test that is done when someone has no symptoms. But if someone detects a new mass or lump, they need to get it evaluated to see whether it could be cancer.

    Other potentially concerning changes including nipple discharge, pain or swelling in their breast, changes in the color of the nipple or breast, the nipple turning inward, painful or enlarged lymph nodes in the armpits or near the collarbone, or redness or flaky skin on the breast. People who notice these changes should not wait to make an appointment to see their health care provider.

    CNN: For women who are concerned about their risk of breast cancer, are there steps they can take to reduce their risk?

    Wen: Yes. Risk factors for developing breast cancer include smoking, heavy alcohol use, overweight and obesity. Quitting smoking, reducing alcohol consumption and keeping a healthy weight will help to reduce the risk of breast cancer. Being physically active and eating a nutritious diet can also reduce cancer risk, as well as improve health overall.

    Katia Hetter and CNN

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  • Nuance needed on birth control research study results

     

    As misinformation about women’s health spreads faster than ever, doctors say new research on the risks of hormonal birth control underscores the challenge of communicating nuance in the social media age.

    The massive study, which was conducted in Sweden and tracked more than 2 million teenage girls and women under age 50 for more than a decade, found that hormonal contraception remains safe overall, but also found small differences in breast cancer risk based on the hormones used in the formulation. In addition, the researchers observed a small, short-term rise in breast cancer diagnoses among current or recent users. Those findings are consistent with prior large studies, including a 2017 Danish registry analysis and a 2023 meta-analysis.

    It was published online Oct. 30 in JAMA Oncology.

    Doctors say these study results won’t change how they advise patients and that women should not stop using their birth control.

    Still, TikTok is flooded with factually incomplete warnings that contraceptives cause cancer and are as dangerous as smoking. Reproductive health advocates warn that studies like this can easily be taken out of context online and be reduced to a single alarming number.

    Case in point: The study reported that women who had used hormonal birth control had about a 24% higher rate of breast cancer than women who hadn’t. But because breast cancer is still uncommon in younger women, that works out to an increase from roughly 54 to 67 breast cancer cases per 100,000 women per year — about 13 extra cases per 100,000 women, or about one extra case per 7,800 users of hormonal contraceptives per year.

    Co-authors Åsa Johansson and Fatemeh Hadizadeh, epidemiologists at Uppsala University, said the rise is modest and short-term, with risk highest during current use and fading within five to 10 years after stopping.

    Rachel Fey — interim co-CEO of Power to Decide, a group whose mission is to provide accurate information on sexual health and contraceptive methods — said that kind of nuance is exactly what tends to disappear on social media. “I get really angry at this because it’s designed to scare people like me away from birth control, which has made my life so much better in so many ways,” she said. “It’s really frustrating … especially when it’s given without context. And then in this era of social media, it can just take off without anybody who knows what they’re talking about providing that context.”

    The researchers also found the risk was slightly higher with certain progestins such as desogestrel — found in combined oral contraceptives like Cyred EQ, Reclipsen, Azurette, and Pimtrea — but did not increase with others, such as medroxyprogesterone acetate injections, sold under the brand name Depo‑Provera.

    How to interpret the findings

    Some experts say the results should be viewed with care because the study counted both invasive breast cancers and early, noninvasive lesions known as in situ tumors, growths that may never become life-threatening. Including these precancerous cases could make the overall risk of clinically significant disease appear higher than it is.

    “A substantial proportion of the ‘cases’ would never have progressed to invasive breast cancer,” said Lina S. Mørch, a senior researcher and team leader at the Danish Cancer Institute. Mørch was not associated with the Swedish study. She added that experts should wait for more data separating early-stage and advanced cancers before making new rules or warnings about specific hormones.

    The doctor-patient conversation

    Even as scientists debate how to interpret the finer points of the data, physicians emphasize that for most patients, the study reinforces what they already discuss in the exam room: that hormonal birth control is broadly safe, and decisions should be tailored to each woman’s needs and values.

    Katharine White, chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Boston Medical Center, said this study won’t change how she talks to her patients.

    “When counseling patients about their contraceptive options, I focus on their past experiences with birth control, their medical history, and what’s important to them about their birth control method and pregnancy planning (if applicable),” White wrote in an email. “Side effects and risks of methods are already a key part of my counseling about both hormonal and non-hormonal methods.”

    Other doctors noted there are other contraceptive options.

    Eleanor Bimla Schwarz, chief of General Internal Medicine at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, said, “For those who prefer hormone-free contraception, the copper IUD offers safe, convenient, highly effective contraception for over a decade after placement, and is rapidly reversible when pregnancy is desired,” referring to a type of long-acting intrauterine device.

    Mary Rosser, director of Integrated Women’s Health at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, said this was a large, high-quality study that looked at many types of hormones over many years. But she added that doctors shouldn’t change their advice yet.

    Johansson and Hadizadeh stressed that the results should guide shared decision-making, not cause alarm. “It may be reasonable to consider formulations associated with lower observed risk in our data,” they said. They noted that products containing medroxyprogesterone acetate, drospirenone, or levonorgestrel were linked to lower risk, while long-term use of desogestrel-only contraceptives might be best avoided when other options fit.

    Keeping the risk in perspective

    Hormonal birth control provides many health benefits beyond pregnancy prevention. It can lighten heavy periods, ease pain from endometriosis, and lower the risk of ovarian and uterine cancers for years after stopping. Mørch noted that even small risks are worth discussing but said decisions should be guided by women’s “values and preferences.”

    White said it’s important to see the big picture. “The risk of an unintended pregnancy is 85% for people who do not use contraception—so any risks of birth control need to be weighed against the risk of an unexpected pregnancy,” she wrote.

    KFF Health News is a national newsroom that partners with PolitiFact and produces in-depth journalism about health issues.

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  • Olympian Chaunté Lowe lends her voice to raise awareness of Breast Cancer

    All photos courtesy of V Foundation/Chaunte Lowe

    Four-time Olympian and bronze medalist Chaunté Lowe is telling her story after being diagnosed in June 2019 with triple-negative invasive ductal carcinoma, which is an extremely aggressive form of breast cancer.

    Lowe says she was diagnosed with breast cancer early on at the age of 34. She started doing self-breast examinations because of a fellow Olympian who was also young, fit, and healthy, but was diagnosed with breast cancer between the ages of 34 and 35.

    While doing her self-evaluation at the age of 34, she felt a tiny, painless lump. When she went for a doctor’s visit, she was misdiagnosed, and it took her an entire year to be fully diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, invasive ductal carcinoma.

    “The doctors thought that it was a lymph node and told me to come back in six years because that’s when I would have been 40, and I would have been able to have my first mammogram,” she said. “I’m glad I didn’t, and that’s what attracted me to the V Foundation in the first place, because there’s something about the research that could identify these types of cancer and find ways to treat them.”

    Lowe also says she does not blame her original doctors for their lack of knowledge on the medical side.

    “The information the original doctors gave me was what they had, and I believed he was giving me the best course of care, but unfortunately, the information was wrong,” she said. “So, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I was shocked, but it was 11 months later, so the cancer obviously grew and progressed slightly.”

    Lowe says she is thankful for being vigilant and listening to her body.

    “When you’re an athlete, you know how to listen to your body and you don’t ignore warning signals,” she said. “A lot of times, we’re busy, we’re working, taking care of children, and trying to figure out our path and our way so much we don’t take the time to listen to our bodies.”

    Lowe (above) won a bronze medal in the high jump at the 2008 Summer Olympics and a silver medal in the high jump at the 2005 World Championships. All photos courtesy of V Foundation/Chaunte Lowe

    The Olympian

    Lowe is a former track and field athlete who stood for the United States in four Olympics (2004, 2008, 2012, 2016). She won a bronze medal in the high jump at the 2008 Summer Olympics and a silver medal at the 2005 World Championships in the same event.

    In 2012, she won a gold medal in the high jump at the World Indoor Championships. She is also the American record-holder in the women’s high jump.

    Lowe says there were two reasons she became an Olympian: First watching American track and field athlete Flo Jo at four years old when she fell in love with the Olympics, and watching Jackie Joyner Kersee in the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta as well.

    “I learned how powerful the Olympics are. I saw Jackie get injured in the hurdle race and during the heptathlon, and you’re thinking ‘that’s it, she’s carried off the track and she’s crying,’ but she’s back on stage a couple days later doing the long jump and wins the bronze medal,” she said. “That’s when I realized that’s what I want to do.”

    That dream turned reality saved Lowe from a home life with domestic violence, drug abuse, homelessness, and food insecurity. She said she saw the Olympics as a way for her to not only forge her own path, but to get her education as well.

    Becoming a four-time Olympian and a bronze medalist herself, she said she feels great reflecting over the last decade of her Olympian career.

    “I always think it was so serendipitous that it was the 1996 Olympics that taught me resilience because that was the time when I was at the height of all my turmoil at home,” she said. “I wasn’t aware my journey would lead me to Atlanta, going to Georgia Tech. Growing up in California, and when I moved to Atlanta, I knew I was home.”

    In 2016, Lowe reflected on her journey with the Olympics and accolades and considered retiring from competing. However, once diagnosed, she decided to fully devote her time to compete in the Tokyo Olympic Games.

    “I started becoming aware of how many people are diagnosed with breast cancer and any type of cancer within the United States, and I felt as I didn’t understand the risk, but once I did, I felt like going to the Olympics was my best way to spread that information far and wide about early detection, and I wanted to bring attention to funding research,” she said.

    “When you’re an athlete, you know how to listen to your body and you don’t ignore warning signals,” Lowe (right) said. All photos courtesy of V Foundation/Chaunte Lowe

    Lowe said being diagnosed was the first time in her entire life where she didn’t have a tangible, objectifiable goal in front of her, so she needed to have something that would get her up in the morning and get her through treatment.

    “My doctor told me to keep going, and those words resonated so deeply with me,” she said. “I no longer was training for the medals. My biggest goals were thinking about the moms, the children, the daughters, or anyone who would ever hear those words, ‘you have cancer,’ and fighting my fight in honor of them.”

    V Foundation

    When Lowe was going through her cancer journey and training for the Olympics, she said she saw a profound impact that media stories played and being able to distribute not only information, but galvanize a community that may have somebody they love that’s went through cancer and have everyone come together regardless of race, social economic status, background, or gender.

    “I saw people coming together and I noticed the media was carrying these stories. So, when the V Foundation reached out to me to be a part of their campaign, it was a no brainer. I love what the V Foundation does and stands for,” she said.

    When she began learning more about the V Foundation and how they take 100% of their donations and put it towards research, it made her realize what she was missing in her own journey was being addressed through the foundation.

    “I wanted to lend my voice to be able to amplify this message and be a part of it,” she said. “It was an honor.”

    With the PSA, Lowe says she wants people to have emotions when thinking about the times where they may have experienced walking through cancer with a loved one or a period of frustration.

    “I think the biggest message that comes through is we don’t give up, even with setbacks,” she said. “We can refrain and refine and try again, and giving 100% doesn’t necessarily mean getting exactly right the first time. When you don’t get it right the first time, you learn from that experience and allow it to catapult you forward into the future.”

    Resilience & aftermath

    With six years in remission, while speaking with Lowe, reflecting on her journey through breast cancer, you could catch something special: a bright smile and resilience pouring out of her.

    She says resilience is like a muscle, something you exercise day in and day out.

    “The more you exercise the muscle, the stronger it becomes, like finding the brightness in a dark world. When I think about my community and the people who supported me, part of being strong and resilient is not thinking you must have the full strength all on your own,” she said.

    Lowe says her husband was her solid rock, who was by her side every day, neighbors, and other patients who kept her fighting. She also said what kept her fighting was seeing another cancer patient who told her a cancer diagnosis is much different than it was 10 years ago.

    “The research has made it so much better, so that’s where the cheery and hopeful deposition comes from because I understand there are people and organizations like the V Foundation that are finding those researchers and getting solutions to the problem,” she said.

    Speaking of resilience, Lowe will be releasing her book, “The Boundless Resilience Playbook”, which serves as a practical guide born from her journey as an Olympian, breast cancer survivor, and mother. 

    The book will be out at the beginning of 2026, Lowe says. During the COVID-19 pandemic and her cancer journey, she began learning a lot of people were struggling mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

    “They were just having a hard time, and it didn’t matter if it was young kids all the way up to professionals and CEOs that were struggling,” she said. “So, I started sharing messages of inspiration online, and when I did that, organizations began inviting me in to come speak to their people and share my story.”

    Additionally, Lowe says she is done with the Olympics officially but this past summer she was a part of the presidential delegation where she was able to go to Paris to help support the next generation of athletes.

    “I’ll always be connected to sports and will always see how powerful athletics are because I have to stay in shape for the rest of my life, I can’t let myself completely go,” she said.

    As far as advice to people battling cancer, Lowe says taking time to listen and hear Jimmy V’s 1993 ESPY awards speech where he was giving words of encouragement to his own battle with cancer, will bring encouragement.

    “Taking the time to listen and hear that speech, it gave me hope and it gave me what I needed in the middle of a fight for my life,” she said. “In a time like that, it’s really hard to see the goodness in life when you’re scared, so focusing so much on fear and not living in that moment, you have to give yourself permission to live every day as well.”

    Lowe says just because you’re going through something like battling cancer in that moment, you don’t have to be downcast.

    “I could choose to live every day,” she said. “Find a medical group that you trust, let them do the hard stuff, give them the information they need, and they know what to do with it, but then the other side of that, care for your mind, care for your body, and for your environment.”

    Also, in the black community, especially black women, many often don’t trust their own doctors. Lowe says doing her research, she learned a lot of black women are more distrustful of going to the doctor.

    “If we see and feel something, we’re less likely to go and get it checked out because we don’t trust our doctor,” she said. “I realized you need to feel comfortable with whoever is on the other side of my booklet. So, if you don’t feel comfortable, then go to another one, then go to another one, and so on, be persistent and keep going until you do feel comfortable.”

    Lowe also says not to allow your discomfort to be a deterrent to caring for and loving your body. Instead, she says, find the practitioner who will help you, and you will find your community, whether it’s online on Instagram or by finding a Black Breast Cancer Care Organization online.

    “Your life is worth it, so no matter what, go find somebody you trust that can treat and help you,” she said.

    Isaiah Singleton

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  • Meet

    “The Pink Jet,” a nonprofit organization, is on a new mission to empower those battling breast cancer, promote screenings and raise money to find a cure. CBS News’ Natalie Morales has more.

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  • EmpowHer and Him organization aims to increase visibility of male breast cancer 

    After being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021, advocate Daphne Meyers decided to elevate her mission of creating safe spaces and encouraging early detection by launching EmpowHer and Him. The organization aims to empower those who have been diagnosed and increase the visibility of men in the breast cancer conversation.

    The Atlanta Voice talked with Meyers about the organization’s annual brunch, the importance of early detection, and what it means to be on the frontline of this fight. 

    Photo by Laura Nwogu/The Atlanta Voice

    The Atlanta Voice: EmpowHER and HIM recently held its annual breast cancer awareness brunch. What’s been the most important part of getting to see how much this organization and the people who support it have grown?

    Daphne Myers: “When we started, it was called the Tatas and Tutus. I was an advocate for breast cancer, but had never really thought much about the men. It wasn’t until the second year that I was like, ‘Well, men can get breast cancer, so why am I not getting men to come to this event?’ The first year, none. In the second year, we probably had four, and one of them was my son. So I said, ‘Okay, I’m getting interest. Men are buying the tickets, but they’re sending their wives or sisters or daughters; they’re not coming.’

    “I changed the name in the third year to Tatas, Tutus, and Ties. The most rewarding aspect of that is seeing how it has grown from year one to year five. We probably had at least 60 men this year, and that’s grown from having none, to a year of four, and then maybe double that the following year. And so now it seems as if we have just as many men in there.” 

    AV: “I love that. Let’s go back a little. EmpowHer and Him is about uplifting every fighter, men and women, going through this battle. Can you talk about how the organization began?

    DM: “I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021. Based on my diagnosis, I thought, ‘I’ve always been an advocate, so where do I go from here to raise more awareness among men and women?’ Being diagnosed with breast cancer, you’re all over the place. First, you have to accept it, and then second, you have to figure out how to navigate. You’ve got to decide whether to do treatment or not, and how it’s going to affect your livelihood. So the questions that were in my mind as someone with breast cancer at that particular time prompted me to say, ‘You know what? If I had those questions, there are millions of other people who have those same questions. And if I have the answer to it, then I need to open up my mouth and be able to give the gift of awareness. 

    “This is bigger than me. It’s bigger than the Tatas, Tutus, and Ties. It’s about bringing about awareness, not just for women, but also for men. In the past year, I found myself doing a lot of speaking engagements, and a lot of men, just like women, don’t know about breast cancer. That’s where EmpowHER and HIM came about. I had to use this mouthpiece to bring about awareness so that people know that early detection is key. If I tell one person, then that person tells someone else; it becomes a domino effect. Your work is not done, but it keeps going.” 

    AV: I think that’s so admirable that your fight became perspective, and it became this thing about you wanting to lend a helping hand and be a support system for other people who may be going through their own breast cancer journey or fight.

    When it comes to the aspect of men being diagnosed with breast cancer, why do you think there’s not a lot of visibility in their fight?

    DM: “There’s no talk about it. Even from the medical profession, there’s not a lot of talk about it. I did an interview, probably about two or three weeks ago, and I was talking to this man about breast cancer, and he said, ‘Yeah, you don’t think about men with breast cancer.’ I said, ‘But you have a chest.’ He says, ‘OK, well, let’s maybe say breast and chest cancer.’ 

    “People don’t understand that they have breast tissue; this is our breastplate. It’s not just prostate [cancer], and it’s not just colon. We have to come together and understand that yeah, it may be a small percentage, but it is there. When you see the Susan G. Komen’s or the American Cancer Society, you see women, and the men are in the background. With EmpowHer and Him, we’re both standing there side by side. So that’s why the ribbon is half pink and half blue. It’s about making it more relatable to them. Men don’t know that they can get a mammogram. When you go to fill out your paperwork, it says, when  was your last period? How many pregnancies? You’re putting on this pink robe to get your mammogram, all of that. Our medical society doesn’t even pay attention to it as much as we should.”

    AV: What do you think there needs to be more awareness about when it comes to breast cancer?

    DM: “Early detection. That’s the key to anything. I know it sounds cliché-ish, but we have to start with checking our breasts and our chest at an early age, and especially if you have a history of it in your family. Because I was diagnosed with breast cancer, it kind of moves the scale up for my children to be checked.

    “People of color, our breast tissue is more dense, so it goes undetected. On a regular mammogram mine was missed the first time. It wasn’t until I got the 3D that detected my breast cancer. Had I gone on and thought it was clear, I may not have been sitting here talking to you today.”

    AV: For those that are looking for resources or someone to talk to, what can EmpowHer and Him be for that person?

    DM: “I’m frontline, and what better person to be frontline than the person who’s actually going through it? I get calls every week of a new diagnosis, and I have to put a lot of hats on. I have to speak, because the one thing people want to know is, ‘What’s your suggestion?’ Do what’s gonna be best for you. Don’t just run with the first thing and then say, this is what I’m gonna do without checking deeper into it. The other thing is for resources. When you’re going through treatment, you’re not gonna feel good. I had to go through 18 rounds. You’re tired, you’re sad, you go into depression. So you have to battle with all of those things. There are several support groups that are out there, including with us. 

    “I found myself telling people to just start journaling. Do what makes you feel good to get you through that. Ask for help. It’s not a death sentence. Just because we’re diagnosed with breast cancer doesn’t mean that that’s our end. It’s actually a beginning. And it was a beginning for me, because I was on one side of the Richter scale as an advocate, to now I’m a surviving advocate, and my goal is to put this out there as much as possible and really  help bring about this awareness with me.”

    AV: What does it mean for you to be on the front line and to see what the organization has grown into?

    DM: “I’m proud of myself. And a lot of times people say, ‘Oh, you shouldn’t brag.’ No, I am. I’m proud of myself, I’m proud of my friends, I’m proud of my family, because while I was a survivor of the disease, they were survivors of me, because they were there with me. I’m proud when that person comes to me and says, ‘Man, that event that you had opened up some doors. I’m gonna get tested.’ ‘I didn’t know that, because I’m a male…’ or ‘I didn’t know that just by changing your diet to this, that and the third could help…’ ‘I didn’t know how to do an exam.’ 

    “My first scare, believe it or not, was when I was eight years old, so by the time I was diagnosed, that was my fifth surgery. So it’s here. Unfortunately they say that there’s no cure, but there are some things that we can change. We just have to take care of ourselves, love one another, keep down the stress, and survive this game.”

    Laura Nwogu

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  • A Peabody teacher’s hopeful future after early breast cancer diagnosis

    DANVERS — Getting an annual mammogram is critical for women over 40. Peabody teacher and Georgetown resident Pam Davies knows that better than most.

    Davies, a first-grade teacher of 31 years at the Captain Samuel Brown Elementary School, was diagnosed with stage-zero breast cancer three days before school let out in June.


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    By Caroline Enos | Staff Writer

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  • Federal shutdown leaves Maryland family struggling amid cancer battle – WTOP News

    One Maryland woman, whose name WTOP agreed not to use, shared how the shutdown has collided with her personal health crisis.

    As the federal government shutdown continues, families across the D.C. region are feeling the strain from missed paychecks and stalled work.

    One Maryland woman, whose name WTOP agreed not to use, shared how the shutdown has collided with her personal health crisis. Her husband, a longtime federal employee, is currently furloughed while she battles breast cancer for the second time.

    “All of the people who have been making these decisions have no respect nor any education about the value of the employees that they have betrayed,” she said.

    She explained that the return of her breast cancer earlier this year came just as her husband began facing uncertainty at work. Now, with the shutdown in effect, he is not receiving paychecks, and the couple is struggling to cover rising medical expenses.

    “We’re not really sure what’s going to happen after next month. Our 18th wedding anniversary is on Nov. 11, and we know we’re not going to even be able to go out to dinner to celebrate,” she said.

    The woman said the shutdown has made it difficult to remain hopeful.

    “Now, there’s the shutdown, and there is no end in sight,” she said through sobs. “I’m looking around at everything that’s going on, and it’s like the worst feeling to not have any hope.”

    Lawmakers still collecting paychecks

    Despite the challenges, the woman said she is trying to focus on what she can.

    “I’m trying to appreciate the smallest things that I have right now … because if I didn’t have that, I don’t think there’s anything else there,” she said.

    She urged lawmakers to take action and end the shutdown.

    “Congressional officials … are still collecting their paychecks … but they’re not the ones who are suffering. Their constituents are,” she said.

    She also called for an end to what she called a continued “assault on federal workers.”

    “Their decisions are to punish federal workers for simply doing their jobs. Their goal is to punish American citizens,” she said.

    Through it all, the woman said she and her husband have leaned on each other for support.

    “My greatest fear is if I don’t make it, there is no one there for him. And that’s not OK. None of this is OK,” she said.

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Mike Murillo

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  • NUMC receives $1M gift for 3D mammography, bone scans | Long Island Business News

    THE BLUEPRINT:

    • NUMC receives $1M anonymous donation to advance women’s health.

    • Funding will upgrade 3D mammography and bone density scanning systems.

    • New tech improves breast cancer detection and reduces unnecessary biopsies.

    East Meadow-based Nassau University Medical Center (NUMC) received an anonymous $1 million donation to advance women’s health.

    The gift, which was secured by NUMC Board of Directors Chair Stuart Rabinowitz, will fund 3D mammography and bone density scanning systems to enhance the hospital’s ability to diagnose breast cancer and bone health.

    “This extraordinary act of generosity will help us detect breast cancer and osteoporosis earlier, treat them more effectively, and save countless lives,” Dr. Richard Becker, NUMC Interim CEO, said in a news release about the gift.

    “This is an investment in every woman who entrusts her care to NUMC,” Becker added

    “The new technology funded by the generosity of an anonymous donor has strengthened NUMC’s ability to provide the highest quality care to our patients,” Rabinowitz said in the news release.

    “We are deeply committed to ensuring accessible care for every member of our community, and this investment will help us deliver on that promise for generations to come,” Rabinowitz added.

    The donation comes at a critical moment for NUMC, which works to provide equitable, high-quality healthcare to women across Long Island, particularly those in underserved communities. Its current mammography equipment, purchased in 2010, has reached the end of its operational lifespan.

    On Long Island, about one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, with even higher rates seen among underserved communities that turn to NUMC for care, according to the hospital. Early detection can make a life-saving difference, leading to less invasive treatment and far better outcomes, medical experts say.

    The donation will fund new Hologic 3D mammography systems with biopsy capability to streamline diagnosis and speed care. The systems produce high-resolution 3D images that help improve cancer detection accuracy, reduce unnecessary biopsies and cut “anxiety-inducing” callback rates by nearly 50 percent, hospital officials said. The systems also feature self-controlled compression for greater patient comfort and allow screening and biopsy on the same platform.

    NUMC’s Mobile Mammography Unit (also known as the “Mammo Van”) already brings Hologic 3D technology directly into the community, expanding access to breast cancer screening for patients who may otherwise face barriers to care. The new in-hospital systems will build on these results, supporting NUMC’s mission of early detection and health equity.

    Early detection of bone loss and osteoporosis is key to maintaining women’s long-term health. Bone density screening is standard care, especially for postmenopausal women, because it helps guide treatment for chronic conditions and improves quality of life.

    The donation will also fund a new Hologic Horizon Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) System, replacing an outdated model. The Horizon DXA uses low-dose X-rays to accurately measure bone mineral density, evaluate fracture risk and assess body composition, including fat and lean mass. The system’s high-resolution imaging and fast output is designed for precise, efficient and preventive diagnostic care, hospital officials said.

     


    Adina Genn

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  • Gloucester students rally for breast cancer patients

    The hallways were filled teachers, staff and students wearing T-shirts in shades of pink and emblazoned with white ribbons and the words “GHS Thinks Pink” at Gloucester High School on Friday — all in the name of breast cancer research.

    October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and a group of students sold those T-shirts to support cancer-related causes.


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  • Woman diagnosed with breast cancer at 27 after almost ignoring warning sign:

    Marissa Coreno was embracing a new life in 2021. She had just moved out of her parents’ house and was spending more time in the gym. She liked her job at a hospital in Ohio. Everything seemed to be going great — until she found a lump in her armpit. 

    Coreno wasn’t particularly concerned at first. She was 27 and had no family history of cancer. But her colleagues thought she shouldn’t ignore it. An ultrasound found “questionable characteristics.” That was followed by a mammogram, then a biopsy. 

    Three days later, Coreno was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer that had spread to her lymph nodes. She said she felt like her world had been turned upside down. 

    “It was devastating. It took a while to process. I knew it was positive, and I knew I had breast cancer but in my head, it was like ‘No way,’” Coreno said. “You hear about these cases and you see them on TV but it was hard to believe that this was now my life.” 

    Marissa Coreno.

    Marissa Coreno


    An increase in young diagnoses 

    Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in U.S. women aged 20 to 49, and the incidence rate of breast cancer in women under 50 has risen faster than in women over 50, according to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. 

    “I’ve been a physician for over 25 years. When I first started practicing, we saw women in their 40s and now we’re seeing the late 20s and early 30s more commonly,” said Dr. Mary Gemignani, the director of the Women’s Early Onset Cancer Program and chief of the Division of Breast Surgery at NYU Langone, who was not involved in Coreno’s care. 

    Still, breast cancer diagnoses in women as young as Coreno are rare. The American Cancer Society estimates that only about 1 in 1,344 women will develop breast cancer in their 20s. Younger patients are unlikely to have regular screenings, Gemignani said, since most women do not receive mammograms until they are 40. Younger women also tend to have “more aggressive” tumors or be diagnosed with rarer disease subtypes, Gemignani said. There is no proven reason for the increase, she said. 

    Gemignani said younger women tend to have unique needs, including fertility concerns, which make it important for them and their doctors to develop a personalized treatment plan. Coreno said she found few research studies that looked at outcomes for her age group but spoke candidly with Dr. Baidehi Maiti, a medical oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic, about her best options. 

    “Being so young and not having a lot of research or studies or proof out there, every option I had along the way, I chose the most,” Coreno said. “I was very protective.” 

    Connection amid “exhausting” chemotherapy 

    Coreno’s treatment started with four months of “exhausting” chemotherapy to stop her cancer from spreading any further. Her mom moved in to help take care of her, while her dad drove her to every appointment. Coreno said she lost her hair and could barely leave the house. 

    “Going from such an active life — I was in my prime, I was working out on the regular, I was so proud of what I had accomplished — to not even having enough energy to get off the couch was hard,” Coreno said. 

    img-7118-original-1.jpg

    Marissa Coreno in the hospital.

    Marissa Coreno


    There was one bright spot: One night, Coreno decided to “eat (her) feelings” and ordered Crumbl cookies. She posted a picture of the delivery on Instagram. She received a message about the sweet treat from Anthony, a former classmate. The two struck up a conversation and “just never stopped talking.” 

    “It was so nice to talk to somebody, have somebody listen to me, have a new friend that I could confide in,” Coreno said.

    Eventually, the two went on a date. Coreno dreaded leaving the house and was self-conscious about wearing a wig but enjoyed herself. 

    “He didn’t even mention the wig. We just had a great time,” Coreno said. “It just felt so natural.” 

    img-7993-original-1.jpg

    Marissa Coreno in the hospital.

    Marissa Coreno


    After chemotherapy, Coreno underwent a double mastectomy, followed by a reconstruction surgery and 25 days of radiation therapy, Maiti said. Coreno started hormone therapy in March 2022 and will continue it until 2032. She also has regular scans. The treatment stops her body from creating estrogen to limit the chance of the cancer returning. Coreno is currently cancer-free, Maiti said. 

    “She has not let cancer define her life,” Maiti said. “She’s thriving as a breast cancer survivor and living her life to the fullest.” 

    “Life is beautiful” 

    The hormone therapy sent Coreno into menopause at 28. Working out is harder now, she said, and she grapples with hot flashes and has trouble sleeping. It has taken years for her to get used to the new normal. 

    “I thought this would be the easy part,” Coreno, now 31, said. “After treatment was over is when what I went through hit me the most.” 

    Amid the difficult adjustment, her relationship with Anthony turned more serious. They were married in August 2024 and spent their honeymoon in Italy. Over the summer, they celebrated their anniversary in Cancún, Mexico. 

    coreno1517-original-1.jpg

    Marissa and Anthony Coreno on their wedding day. 

    Arlee Reust/Azkalynn Photography


    Coreno also hopes that sharing her story encourages others to investigate any warning signs they experience. 

    “I just want everyone to realize that it seems like it will never be you, it seems like it’s always going to be someone else, it seems like it’s going to be a person on the TV, but it can happen to you,” Coreno said. “If you feel uncertain about anything, you need to speak up and get checked out. If, for some reason, you don’t get the best news, there is light at the end of the tunnel. It might not seem like it. It might seem like it’s a very long tunnel. But life is beautiful afterwards.” 

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  • Woman diagnosed with breast cancer at 27 after almost ignoring warning sign



    Woman diagnosed with breast cancer at 27 after almost ignoring warning sign – CBS News










































    Watch CBS News



    Marissa Coreno thought the bump in her armpit was nothing, but colleagues encouraged her to check it out. Tests found Stage II breast cancer. Coreno underwent aggressive treatment — and found love along the way.

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  • Program aims to eliminate this ‘significant barrier’ for women battling breast cancer – WTOP News

    Andrea Sweetney, of D.C., is one of the thousands of women who have benefited from the Wheels for Women initiative, which through Lyft, offers free rides to and from breast cancer screenings.

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    Program aims to eliminate this ‘significant barrier’ for women battling breast cancer

    Almost a year ago, Andrea Sweetney, of D.C., was frozen with fear. Who would give her rides to and from her appointments for breast cancer treatments?

    Sweetney, who lives in Southeast, was diagnosed with breast cancer last October. She was nervous and started looking for things to give away, and she worried about the impact of the diagnosis on her family and friends.

    Then someone pointed her to the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Prevention, a partner of the Wheels for Women program. Some of her stress was alleviated when she learned she wouldn’t have to rely on her family for rides to and from appointments.

    With a quick phone call, Sweetney has been able to arrange to be picked up from her home and taken to MedStar Washington Hospital Center. Another call when the appointment is finished arranges her transportation home.

    Sweetney is one of the thousands of women who have benefited from the Wheels for Women initiative, which through Lyft, offers free rides to and from breast cancer screenings or other related appointments. And now, the Brem Foundation to Defeat Breast Cancer has partnered with D.C.’s Department of Health, expanding its reach.

    “I just hope and pray that everybody can get the help that I was able to get, and get the transportation back and forth,” Sweetney said.

    For Sweetney, the free rides meant her daughter didn’t have to rearrange her schedule or take time off from work. It also meant her other daughter, who lives in Atlanta, didn’t have to fly to D.C. to get her to appointments.

    Since 2019, the Brem Foundation has provided more than 4,800 free rides to patients, according to CEO Clare Dougherty. So far this year, it’s provided almost 1,400, surpassing the organization’s goal for the year.

    “Transportation, unfortunately for many women, is a significant barrier to accessing their breast cancer screening,” Dougherty said.

    The group has 18 partners in the D.C. region and in Baltimore, and it works with health care providers “that have skilled patient navigators who can help us identify the women most at risk in their practices for potentially missing a screening appointment due to transportation limitations,” Dougherty said.

    The Brem Foundation provides grants to cover the rides and collects data on who is taking them. Dougherty said 70% of riders are “Latina women who often just are struggling with limited insurance and limited health care.”

    Ride costs have fluctuated, and Dougherty said it’s $27 on average one way, and $35 roundtrip.

    “But if you have to go for several appointments, for some women, that truly can be the difference between, ‘am I going to get groceries this week or cover the cost of dinner tonight for my family, or go for my screening appointment?’” Dougherty said. “We feel very strongly that women should not have to make such tradeoffs.”

    The new partnership with D.C. Health enables the organization to cover the cost of the rides for patients using them, so the local health agency doesn’t have to pay, Dougherty said,

    D.C. Health has seen a rising need for transit services to screening appointments, she said.

    Sweetney, meanwhile, is hoping to pay it forward.

    “There are some women scared to go to the hospital, scared to reach out, because they have nobody there for them,” Sweetney said. “I’m willing to help you. I really am because it was a scary situation for me.”

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Scott Gelman

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  • How Workplace Leaders Can Support Employees Through Difficult Diagnoses

    A breast cancer diagnosis has the power to shake worlds, not just for the patient but for all those around them as well. This is something I know well. Four years ago this month, I sat in my doctor’s office and tried to absorb the words one in eight American women will someday hear: “You have breast cancer.” 

    About 2.3 percent—or 1 in 43—of those with the disease succumb to it. I ended up being one of the lucky 42 who pulled through. My doctors caught the cancer early, and its impact on my daily life was minimal. The psychological impact, on the other hand, was significant. 

    It wasn’t just the fear of medical treatments or the potentially grim prognosis that occupied my mind in those days. Just as present and pressing was the feeling that my very being had turned on me. I am an athlete, a leader, a mother, and it was my own body that now threatened to stop me in my tracks. In that moment, I felt unmoored and profoundly alone. 

    Healing with help 

    The truth is I wasn’t. I was surrounded by people who cared about and for me, and I enjoyed and still enjoy a life of relative professional and financial stability. I had insurance, a supportive family, and an employer that put my well-being first. That’s a luxury most people facing a difficult diagnosis do not get.  

    As hard as this time was, I weathered it from a place of privilege. Even so, I was unable to free myself from the stress of “what ifs.” I can’t imagine what it’s like for patients without those comforts. I vowed that, when I returned to work, I would do what I could to extend that privilege to others. This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I invite workplace leaders and executives to join me in that mission by acting to support employees affected by difficult diagnoses. 

    Committing to flexible work arrangements

    Being sick is scary, but it’s also inconvenient. When the fear subsides, patients often find themselves staring down a calendar filled with checkups, treatments, and tests. Making flexible hours and in-office or work-from-home options standard within your operations can help workers get the care they need without worrying about the repercussions of stepping away for the afternoon. 

    Investing in employee assistance programs (EAPs)

    While it may not be appropriate for managers or co-workers to inquire about employees’ private affairs, there are ways to offer more substantial support without prying. EAPs provide a wide range of services and resources, like short-term counseling and referrals, to workers without requiring them to disclose their circumstances to their employer. Providing access to an EAP can ensure that employees have a trusted first stop when dealing with difficult news. 

    Championing employee resource groups (ERGs) 

    Along similar lines, ERGs can help provide in-office support to workers who may be feeling alienated and isolated after learning of a medical issue. Establishing a strong network of employee-led groups encourages workers to find and open up to like-minded peers, which can help them feel like they have allies should they face a serious illness. 

    Modeling balance  

    The way leadership acts and talks inform how employees view themselves within the company, how comfortable they are in their roles, and how they prioritize their work and home lives. Demonstrating that the company understands that work comes second to health can help foster a sense of confidence that care needs won’t impact their growth or standing within the organization. 

    Communicating proactively and openly

    Cancer and other diagnoses tend to come with an overwhelming number of unknowns. Don’t add to them. Something as simple as clearly outlining leave policies, accommodation request processes, and available resources to all workers can make all the difference when someone has just gotten difficult news. 

    Resources for resilience 

    It’d be easy to attribute my perseverance in the face of my diagnosis to the internal resilience I’ve come to view as a lifeline. However, the truth is that my strength came as much from the support of others as it did from within. Convincing myself that there were other people who could share the load was the first step to healing.

    My friends and family rallied around, committed to doing what they could to ease the path forward. The same happened in my workplace, with co-workers and leadership offering to help in any way they could. They assured me that my health was what mattered. The work would be there when I was ready.  

    For that, I am lucky. Not everyone has a village in place that’s ready to rally around them, and stability amid medical challenges is not the norm for far too many. Together we can change that, one workplace at a time. 

    The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

    Louise K. Allen

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  • Mom, 37, diagnosed with cancer after push for early screening:

    Michaela Del Barrio had always known that her family history of breast cancer meant she had a higher risk than most of being diagnosed with the disease.

    In her 20s, doctors had told her she was too young to dwell on those concerns. However, after the birth of her second child, she began to worry more about her odds. 

    One day, during a standard doctor’s appointment, Del Barrio asked her doctor if there were any options for her to start receiving mammograms early. Her physician directed her to Northwestern University’s high-risk breast clinic. After a risk assessment, she had her first mammogram at 36 years old. The exam was clear but the clinic’s assessment also allowed her to undergo a breast MRI. 

    “A week later, I got a call saying they had seen two suspicious masses in my left breast,” Del Barrio said. “I was just stunned. I just didn’t even know how to process that.” 

    Michaela Del Barrio and her family at a wedding in 2025. 

    Michaela Del Barrio


    Del Barrio had an ultrasound and a biopsy. In mid-February, she was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. She had never had any symptoms or felt a lump. Del Barrio said she still thinks “all the time” about what could have happened if she had not pushed to receive early screenings. 

    “You’re doing all the steps to take care of your health and prioritize yourself. You don’t expect to receive a call that you have cancer,” Del Barrio said. “But now I think ‘Thank goodness I did speak up for myself. Thank goodness I did it when I did it, and that I didn’t wait.'”

    “Throwing everything at it” 

    Del Barrio was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma, a form of breast cancer that grows in the breast’s milk ducts. It’s the most common type of breast cancer, making up about 80% of breast cancer diagnoses, according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.  

    Del Barrio’s treatment started with surgery. Because the cancer had been caught early, it had not spread beyond her left breast, said her oncologist, Dr. Annabelle Veerapaneni. Del Barrio decided to undergo a bilateral mastectomy to limit her odds of the cancer returning in the future. After the surgery was complete, an analysis of Del Barrio’s tumors determined that she would likely benefit from chemotherapy. 

    4-16-just-finished-my-double-mastectomy-surgery-at-northshore.jpg

    Michaela Del Barrio after undergoing a double mastectomy.

    Michaela Del Barrio


    “I was like, ‘I’m young. I want to make sure I’m doing everything and throwing everything at it for it to not come back,'” Del Barrio said. 

    The mother of two started chemotherapy in the summer of 2025. She was supposed to receive four rounds of treatment but had to stop after three because she experienced a delayed allergic reaction that caused her to break out in hives. 

    “I know that she was very anxious about not receiving that final fourth cycle of treatment but I told her that the risk of exposure to that particular chemotherapy agent was too high based upon the clinical benefit,” Veerapaneni said. “So we had a very long heart-to-heart about everything, and I gave her reassurance that she finished the majority of the planned chemotherapy, and she’s recovered very, very well.”

    photo-aug-06-2025-9-39-29-am.jpg

    Michaela Del Barrio receives chemotherapy.

    Michaela Del Barrio


    Diagnosing breast cancer early

    Women with an average risk of breast cancer are recommended to start receiving mammograms when they turn 40. Still, those at higher risk should start earlier, said Dr. Arif Kamal, an oncologist and the American Cancer Society’s chief patient officer. Breast cancer is on the rise in women under 50, CBS News previously reported. 

    Kamal said patients need to be aware of their personal risk of cancer. That includes being aware of any family history of cancer and undergoing appropriate screenings. 

    “One in 10 women are not at average risk, and for them, they need a different plan,” Kamal said.

    That might mean early mammograms or breast MRIs, like it did for Del Barrio, or more frequent exams. It could also include genetic testing, Kamal said. Kamal recommended women begin speaking to their doctors in their mid-20s, and flag any family history of cancer to develop the best course of action. 

    Veerapaneni said she “shudders to think” how much worse Del Barrio’s case could have been. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, early-stage invasive ductal carcinoma has a five-year survival rate of 99%, but that number falls as the disease spreads. The most advanced stage of the cancer has a five-year survival rate of just 32%.  

    “I really give Michaela a lot of credit for being self-aware and self-advocating,” Veerapaneni said. 

    “One day at a time” 

    Del Barrio is currently undergoing an extended endocrine therapy treatment that involves a monthly injection and a daily pill that eliminates estrogen production in her body, Veerapaneni said. Del Barrio will stay on the regimen for 10 years because of how young she was when her cancer was diagnosed. The treatment will “significantly reduce” the risk of her cancer returning, Veerapaneni said. 

    Del Barrio will also undergo regular scans and long-term follow-up with Veerapaneni. She said she will also have reconstructive breast surgery at the end of the year. 

    8-2-family-photo-halfway-done-with-chemo-and-still-have-hair.jpg

    Michaela Del Barrio and her family in August.

    Michaela Del Barrio


    “I always say, ‘This part is not so bad.’ I can be a good patient, and I can follow all the instructions, the medicine, and focus on the task at hand,” Del Barrio said. “I just focus on it one day at a time.” 

    Del Barrio said that hopefully life will become “more routine” after her reconstruction, and allow her space to process what she has been through in the past year. 

    “It’s overwhelming. You get this life-changing diagnosis, but also, life just is completely normal at the same time,” Del Barrio said. “I feel like I’m just managing another project in my life, which is cancer.” 

    Kerry Breen

    Kerry Breen is a news editor at CBSNews.com. A graduate of New York University’s Arthur L. Carter School of Journalism, she previously worked at NBC News’ TODAY Digital. She covers current events, breaking news and issues including substance use.

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  • Mom’s push for early mammogram leads to cancer diagnosis: “Thank goodness I did speak up”



    Mom’s push for early mammogram leads to cancer diagnosis: “Thank goodness I did speak up” – CBS News










































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    Michaela Del Barrio knew she had a higher risk of breast cancer than most and pushed to get screened for the disease at a younger age than most. It may have saved her life.

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  • Atlantic City Casinos Unite to Support Breast Cancer Awareness

    Posted on: October 3, 2025, 03:14h. 

    Last updated on: October 2, 2025, 01:15h.

    • October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
    • Atlantic City casinos are recognizing the initiative in various ways

    October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and the nine casinos in Atlantic City are uniting in support of the annual initiative that supports research and the early detection of the disease.

    Atlantic City Breast Cancer Awareness Month
    Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City is lit pink to recognize October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Most casinos in town are also recognizing the month that raises awareness and support for breast cancer. (Image: Casino Reinvestment Development Authority)

    Since its founding in 1985 through a partnership between the American Cancer Society and the pharmaceutical division of Imperial Chemical Industries, today AstraZeneca, October has served as the national month to raise awareness regarding breast cancer. Atlantic City casinos are once again recognizing the month through a series of initiatives.

    Breast cancer impacts families in every community, but thanks to advances in detection and treatment, survival rates continue to rise. Each October during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Atlantic City casinos stand united with our employees, guests, and the greater community to raise awareness and shine a light on this important cause,” said Mark Giannantonio, president of the Casino Association of New Jersey (CANJ) and Resorts Casino Hotel.

    “Atlantic City casinos remain committed to supporting groundbreaking research, promoting early detection, and ensuring care for all those impacted by this disease,” Giannantonio added.

    Pink Lights

    Throughout the month, Atlantic City casinos will display pink lights atop their hotel towers and on their facades.

    The color pink is associated with breast cancer awareness. In 1991, the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure began distributing pink ribbons to participants. Pink is also seen as a feminine and compassionate color.

    Borgata, Caesars Entertainment’s three properties (Caesars, Harrah’s, and Tropicana), Ocean, Hard Rock, and Resorts all plan to light up their properties pink. At Golden Nugget, male staffers will wear pink and compete with one another to raise the most money for breast cancer research.

    Hard Rock is selling a pink-colored cocktail all month long, with a portion of the drink’s proceeds supporting breast cancer. Caesars is running a similar pink cocktail special and has committed $1 of every drink sold to the American Cancer Society’s Men Wear Pink campaign. Resorts is also offering a pink cosmopolitan, with proceeds benefitting the American Cancer Society.

    Golden Nugget says donated gaming vouchers will be given to Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. Resorts is donating its voucher buckets to the Men Wear Pink initiative of Greater Philadelphia.

    Borgata and Caesars properties are additionally offering free on-site mammogram screenings for team members.

    For a complete list of all Atlantic City casino breast cancer awareness activities, click here.

    Breast Cancer Statistics

    Among the most funded cancers, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States, except for skin cancers. Breast cancer accounts for about 30% of all new female cancers each year, the American Cancer Society says.

    The organization says there are more than four million breast cancer survivors in the US, inclusive of current patients and those who have completed treatment.

    The five-year survival rate for localized breast cancer, the lowest grade on the SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) scale, is better than 99%. However, the five-year survival rate for a Distant SEER diagnosis, meaning the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body such as the lungs, liver, or bones, is just 32%.

    Devin O’Connor

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  • Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Redemption Song: Erika Weathers

    Weathers (above, center in pink) is an author and wrote a book about her breast cancer survival and journey, “Free Me 2 Be Me.” The book, which was self-published in 2021, is available on Amazon. Photo courtesy of Weathers

    Erika Weathers was on a roll when she learned that she had breast cancer in 2004. Then, at 33, Weathers was living in Vinings, and working as a flight attendant for a local airline. She loves to travel, work out, and act, and those jobs and activities allowed the Middletown, New York native, to see the country, meet people from around the world, and entertain others. On that day, however, traveling, Zumba classes, and reading scripts were the last things on her mind. 

    “I was in the prime of my life,” said Weathers by phone from her home in Atlanta. 

    There is no history of breast cancer in Weathers’ family. She was the chosen one, and she still doesn’t know why she was chosen to go through what she went through.

    “I’m the first one. It was like, ‘Why me? What’s going on in my body?” she said.  

    About getting the news that her life was going to change, she said, “That was devastating.” 

    Weathers, 56, is far from alone. Breast cancer will affect millions of Americans this year. Whether you are male or female, adult or child, the odds that you know someone who has had breast cancer inject itself into their life is high, according to data from the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. (NBCF).

    1 in 8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Weathers (above) was first diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 33. “Early diagnosis is key. Early detection, get it out of you, and get on with your life,” Weathers said. Photo courtesy of Weathers

    1 in 8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer, according to the organization’s data. This year, there will be an estimated 316,000-plus women and nearly 3,000 men diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. One of those women was once Weathers.

    Along with skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in this country. But there has been a significant decrease in breast cancer deaths since 1989, according to the American Cancer Society data. Early detection and awareness are reasons for thousands of lives being saved.

    “Early diagnosis is key. Early detection, get it out of you, and get on with your life,” Weathers said. 

    The early detection of the cancer, Weathers’ positive attitude, and willingness to fight can all be listed as reasons she survived her first diagnosis. Along with being a flight attendant, Weathers is a realtor for HomeSmart, an Arizona-based brokerage firm, and an actress. Weathers has had roles in several Lifetime projects and routinely goes out on auditions. She also volunteers as a poll worker during local elections, and don’t forget those Zumba classes. She has also been an instructor in the past. 

    “I always have a positive mindset. You can only do what you can do, but it’s always better to have a positive mindset when you do it,” she said. “I just have to make everything work.” 

    That positive mindset came in handy when Weathers was challenged again. She was re-diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 and again in late 2024. She had just finished celebrating 16 years of being cancer-free before this. Both times, she faced facts and approached hormone therapy treatments and radiation treatments with faith and a positive attitude. But it wasn’t easy. It never is, she said.

    Erika Weathers (above) rang the bell at Emory University Hospital Midtown on May 9, 2025, and celebrated with family and friends. Photo courtesy of Weathers

    Following surgery on her left breast, the right had been removed years earlier. Weathers got the chance to go through a national rite of passage for cancer patients. During her first battles, she never got the chance, but she did this time around. 

    On May 9, 2025, she rang the bell at Emory University Hospital Midtown. That day, she was surrounded by family and friends. 

    Weathers is also an author. She wrote a book about her breast cancer survival and journey, “Free Me 2 Be Me,” which was self-published in 2021, after she was laid off during the COVID pandemic. The time off work as a flight attendant allowed Weathers to focus on telling her story. 

    “I took advantage of that time. I used to always say I wanted to write a book about my life,” said Weathers, who added that she wrote the book about her entire life and not just the cancer part of the story. 

    In the book, she also discusses her relationship with her father, Ronald Weathers, who, along with her mother, Jackie Zoldan, twin brother Chris, other brother Erik, and stepmother Carol Weathers, has impacted her life.

    Asked if she has any advice for breast cancer patients going through what she went through, Weathers simply said they have to keep on keeping on.

    “Get on with your life,” she said. “It just depends on how you are. I’m always looking for the next best thing to do in my life.” 

    Weathers is working on a second book, preparing for more real estate training, and working the polls for the upcoming November elections.

    Along with her career as a flight attendant, Weathers (above) is a working actress. Photo courtesy of Weathers

    October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and for the past 40 years, it has been the national month of observance in the United States. Weathers enjoys speaking to groups and individuals as an advocate for breast cancer patients and survivors. She remembers needing to talk to someone who understood what she was going through

    “Sometimes it’s easier to talk to someone who has been through it,” she said.

    Erika Weathers has been through it and back. 

    “I just like to know that I can get to the finish line and to know that I can do anything I can set my mind to,” Weathers said.

    Donnell Suggs

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  • Northwell opens a $14M women’s cancer center in New Hyde Park | Long Island Business News

    New Hyde Park is now home to a $14 million, 21,000-square-foot cancer center for women.

    Northwell Cancer Institute’s Center for Women’s Cancer at the R.J. Zuckerberg Cancer Center offers comprehensive breast and gynecological cancer services. The new facility is designed to provide specialized, integrated care through all stages of treatment and long-term follow-up, and in one location, easing logistical travel burdens.

    The center aims to close a gap in cancer care for women by aligning breast and gynecologic oncology services to incorporate shared genetic and clinical characteristics, particularly in patients with BRCA gene variants and other hereditary cancers.

    “This new center represents our commitment to precision oncology and the recognition that women’s cancers require specialized, coordinated care,” Dr. Richard Barakat, physician-in-chief and executive director of the Northwell Cancer Institute, said in a news release about the center.

    “By unifying our expertise in breast and gynecologic malignancies, we’re not just enhancing convenience — we’re creating a new approach where genetic counseling, surgical intervention, medical therapy and psychosocial support come together seamlessly, ultimately improving survival rates and quality of life for our patients,” Barakat said.

    The center opens at a time when there are about 311,000 new invasive breast cancer cases and 117,000 new gynecologic cancer cases each year in the United States, according to estimates released in 2024 by the American Cancer Society.

    By integrating breast surgery, gynecologic oncology, medical oncology and comprehensive support services, the center aims to address the interconnected nature of women’s cancer risks, offering care tailored to women’s specific health needs.

    Designed by Boston-based E4H Architecture, the center features 26 exam rooms, 10 consultation rooms, two procedure rooms, an onsite laboratory and a therapeutic garden designed to promote relaxation and support wellness. Accessible services include infusion therapy, radiation medicine, plastic surgery, genetic counseling, genomic testing, imaging and clinical trials – all of which are steps away within the same building.

    The center links the Northwell Cancer Institute and the health system’s Katz Institute for Women’s Health. More than 20 physicians and multidisciplinary teams will collaborate daily, according to established clinical practices that enable real-time care planning and accelerated treatment protocols.

    “The center makes it easier for us to develop care plans with our colleagues and manage our patients as one team,” Dr. Veena John, system head for gynecologic medical oncology at the Northwell Cancer Institute and medical director for the Center for Women’s Cancer, said in the news release.

    “Whether it is a medical oncology trial, a radiation medicine trial or a surgical trial, they will all be available to patients in the same building, limiting the need to go to different sites to enroll,” John added. “Particularly for patients with recurrent disease, we have ongoing trials that offer unique therapies that are otherwise not available, and we expect that the number of trial opportunities will continue to grow.”

    Nurse navigators can coordinate care and guide patients through consultation, treatment and survivorship. Navigators collectively speak nine languages, including Armenian, Cantonese, Hindi and Spanish.


    Adina Genn

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  • Why a leading breast cancer surgeon sings to her patients

    Leading breast cancer surgeon, Dr. Laura Esserman, goes beyond expectations to make the operating room more comfortable for her patients. Elizabeth Cook has the story.

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  • How a young mom is

    Elissa Kalver was 34 when she found a lump in her breast. She had no family history of cancer and had just welcomed her first child. She assumed the lump was a cyst. But when she went to get it checked out, doctors found another lump in her armpit. Biopsies found that both lumps were malignant. 

    More tests found the situation was worse than she could have imagined: a PET scan found cancer in her lower spine and liver. She was diagnosed with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Diseases that have spread as far as Kalver’s are considered incurable, according to the Cleveland Clinic.  

    “I was told I wasn’t going to die tomorrow, but I was told that there was an 80% chance that I would die within five years,” Kalver said. “The first oncologist I had, to uplift me, was like, ‘Well, I have some patients who are six, seven years out.’ Hearing that, as a 34-year-old, that your hope is to live till 40, was crazy.” 

    The new mom had to quickly adjust to her new reality.

    Elissa Kalver and her daughter shortly after her diagnosis. 

    Elissa Kalver


    “In my head, I was like, I know other people who have gone through this, I’ll cut off my breasts, whatever we have to do to get rid of it,” Kalver, now 38, said. “And it was after the PET scan, I understood that I didn’t understand. It really shifted to trying to understand that I’m essentially a cancer patient for the rest of my life.” 

    What is HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer? 

    HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer is an aggressive and fast-growing form of breast cancer that is considered incurable but treatable. Patients with HER2-positive breast cancer have high levels of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, or HER2, a protein that manages how cells grow and divide, according to the Cleveland Clinic. 

    The prognosis and treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer vary depending on when it is diagnosed and the spread of the disease at the time. Patients who are diagnosed before the cancer spreads have a 97% five-year survival rate. For patients like Kalver, the five-year survival rate drops to 39%, according to the Cleveland Clinic. 

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    Elissa Kalver, her daughter and her husband shortly after her diagnosis.

    Elissa Kalver


    Medical advances are continually improving the prognosis, according to Dr. Shari Goldfarb, an oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center who leads the hospital’s Young Women with Breast Cancer center. 

    “Over the past 10 to 15 years, we’ve developed so many new medications that target the HER2 receptor, and that significantly improves the outcome of women diagnosed with HER2-positive disease. It used to be one of the worst and most aggressive subtypes of cancer,” Goldfarb said. “Many women are living years and even decades now with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer.” 

    Treating HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer

    Treating the disease requires constant surveillance, Goldfarb said. A patient like Kalver gets scans every three to four months. If their cancer is stable or improving, they will continue their current treatment. If the disease is progressing, the treatment would need to be changed, Goldfarb said. Doctors also need to consider a patient’s quality of life and treatment side effects. 

    “Generally, the principle is to give people the best quality of life possible for as long as possible,” Goldfarb said. 

    Kalver sought treatment at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. Her first treatment was an aggressive course of chemotherapy. Over the past four years, she has participated in multiple clinical trials and undergone several different forms of treatment, according to her oncologist, Dr. Marla Lipsyc-Sharf.

    Elissa Chemo

    Elissa Kalver undergoes chemotherapy. 

    Billye Brenneisen


    About a year after her diagnosis, doctors found the cancer had spread to Kalver’s brain. 

    “I always thought tumors in your brain, like, ‘That’s it,'” Kalver said.

    But a targeted chemotherapy that crossed the blood-brain barrier to attack the tumors. The masses were reduced by about 80%, Kalver said, and they have not grown in the past three years. 

    The treatments have taken their toll, Kalver said. One chemotherapy made her so nauseous that “it was hard to be awake,” Kalver said. Another caused her to lose her hair, which Kalver worried would alarm her then 1-year-old daughter. Sharf said other treatments caused Kalver to experience symptoms including bone pain, muscle pain and a bleeding rash. Each time the side effects have become too intense, Sharf works to recalibrate Kalver’s treatment. 

    Currently, Kalver is receiving chemotherapy infusions every three weeks and takes an oral medication twice a day. The treatment caused her to become “a bit anemic,” which recently required a blood transfusion, but otherwise, things are going well, she said. 

    “After being on chemo for four years, I’ve really learned that we have to prioritize living, not just surviving,” Kalver said. “I feel really grateful to still be on chemo treatments that work.” 

    216c-02-0180-epines-elissakalver-20240919.jpg

    Elissa Kalver in her “We Got This” home office. 

    Ethan Pines


    “Living like I’m alive”  

    Kalver may spend the rest of her life on chemotherapy or other treatments. She, and many other HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer patients, may never enter a remission or see no evidence of disease on their scans. She did ring the bell after finishing her first course of chemotherapy, taking part in a ritual many cancer patients use to mark the end of their treatment. 

    “I thought about it a lot going into it, because I was like, ‘I’m not done with treatment, but I’m done with this treatment. And this treatment was pretty hard, and I deserve to ring that bell,'” Kalver recalled. “I rang it so hard that I actually broke the bell.” 

    Since then, Kalver has developed other ways to mark important milestones. 

    Every year, she celebrates what she calls a “cancerversary,” honoring the day she was diagnosed. For her first “cancerversary,” Kalver launched “We Got This,” the first nonprofit gift registry for cancer patients. Since then, she has written a book, become a professional speaker and worked to educate other patients about the reality of participating in clinical trials. In July, Kalver will celebrate her fifth “cancerversary.” She’s still mulling over how to celebrate the “big milestone.” 

    img-9471.jpg

    Elissa Kalver poses with her book during a chemotherapy infusion.

    Elissa Kalver


    When she’s not busy with work and advocacy, she spends time with her daughter, now 4, and her husband. Living life to the fullest is a priority, she said. 

    “I want to live as long as I can with the best quality of life that I can, making the biggest impact that I can,” Kalver said. “I do all the things, and I really make an effort at living like I’m alive.” 

    Kerry Breen

    Kerry Breen is a news editor at CBSNews.com. A graduate of New York University’s Arthur L. Carter School of Journalism, she previously worked at NBC News’ TODAY Digital. She covers current events, breaking news and issues including substance use.

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