Let Me Start a List...

It's almost October--breast cancer month for those in the world who haven't experienced the disease. For those of us who have, every month and usually some fraction of every day is given over to bc.

So what would I want the world to understand about breast cancer?

We need a cure--early detection is not the same thing and doesn't cut it as a goal.

Mammograms are not an effective screening tool for women with dense breasts. Many, many young women have dense breasts; as we age, breast density turns to fat so mammograms work well for older women (past menopause). Young women (premenopause) need sonograms and MRIs, but insurance companies won't pay for them. This needs to change, and not just for women who have a strong family history of the disease.

Which brings me to my next point, the majority of women who get breast cancer do not have a family history of the disease.

Cancer is more deadly when you get it young.

You're never cured of cancer. After going through treatment, you can be NED (no evidence of disease), but there's always the chance it can recur.

Once breast cancer spreads beyond the breast and underarm lymph nodes it is considered incurable.

Many bc treatments have potentially toxic side effects that can occur anytime after receiving treatment--including years and years later.

Having one type of cancer puts you at a higher risk for a second cancer.

There is no good way to detect a cancer recurrence.

Most young women discover their bc themselves; most women discover their recurrences themselves.

A year's worth of Herceptin, necessary for Her2Neu overexpressers like me, costs more than a boat. If Her2Neu cancer recurs, the woman will need Herceptin plus other expensive drugs for the rest of her life.

There is not one type of breast cancer; there are many types. We need a cure for ALL OF THEM! NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!