Breast cancer is common: According to the National Cancer Institute, 13 percent of US women will acquire breast cancer. If you know more than eight women, you undoubtedly know someone who has had or will have breast cancer.
If you’re trying to understand your breast cancer risk or if you or a loved one has been diagnosed, you probably have questions for a doctor.
Virginia Kaklamani, MD, chief of the Breast Cancer Program at UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson Cancer Center, gave her suggestions for your list. Before writing questions, Dr. Kaklamani advises considering family history, lifestyle risk factors, and treatment choices.
Dr. Kaklamani regularly hears that breast cancer treatment usually entails chemotherapy and is hazardous. In response, she reminds people how far treatment options—and the skills to assess which therapy may work best for each individual—have progressed in the previous 20 years.
An example: Last year, a landmark study published in The New England Journal of Medicine showed that thanks to a genomic test called the Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score® test, even more patients with a common type of early-stage breast cancer may not need chemotherapy. That means more patient-specific treatment plans and less chance of overprescribing chemo to those who may not benefit.
What Role Does Race Play In Breast Cancer?
Age, family history, alcohol, obesity, and race increase breast cancer risk. Dr. Kaklamani says white women are more likely to have breast cancer, while Black women are 40 percent more likely to die from it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Dr. Kaklamani says studies suggest that Black women are more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage illness. “Instead of stage one or two breast cancer, they may have stage two, three, or four. It’s unclear. Most research shows that it’s tied to socioeconomic circumstances and the kind of breast cancer women receive (more triple negative, which is more aggressive and found later).”
Ask your doctor about race and breast cancer to better advocate for yourself and understand your risk factors.
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What Types Of Tests Are Available To Provide Insight Into A Breast Cancer Treatment Plan?
Dr. Kaklamani advises breast cancer patients to consult their doctors about their treatment choices, beginning with