Improving our understanding of risk factors for breast cancer sub-types

TheoryLab

According to American Cancer Society researchers, in the United States in 2021, there will be an estimated 281,550 new cases of invasive breast cancer diagnosed in women.* Finding breast cancer early and getting state-of-the-art cancer treatment are the most important strategies to prevent deaths from breast cancer. Breast cancer that’s found early, when it’s small and has not spread, is easier to treat successfully. Getting regular screening tests is the most reliable way to find breast cancer early. The American Cancer Society has screening guidelines for women at average risk of breast cancer, and for those at high risk for breast cancer: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/screening-tests-and-early-detection/american-cancer-society-recommendations-for-the-early-detection-of-breast-cancer.html. Two breast cancer researchers joined the podcast to discuss screening for the early detection of breast cancer. Anne Marie McCarthy, PhD is a cancer epidemiologist and assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Medicine. She is the recipient of an American Cancer Society Research Scholar Grant to fund her research into “A Precision Medicine Approach to Breast Cancer Early Detection.” Lauren Teras, PhD, is a senior scientific director of epidemiology research in the Population Science team at the American Cancer Society. 7:43 – Important things to know about breast cancer risk 9:55 – Why mammography is recommended for all women - “Any woman that has breasts should think about screening for breast cancer with mammography on a regular basis” 12:50 – But mammography screening isn’t necessarily enough for all women 18:26 – On the challenges of mammography screening and aggressive cancers 23:21 – On the association of breast density with cancer risk 26:48 – Women who could benefit from more intensive screening 29:46 – On being the best advocate for yourself (What do recommendations and high-risk categories mean for an individual?) 34:45 – A message for breast cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers 35:56 – The impact of American Cancer Society funding on Dr. McCarthy’s research * https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/annual-cancer-facts-and-figures/2021/cancer-facts-and-figures-2021.pdf