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BY DEBU TRIPATHY | OCTOBER 11, 2011
This month, I have seen more pink on the football fields across the country that I have ever seen before. I know that many wonder whether the "pinkification" campaign is really working and whether it is a fair way to raise awareness. Does this simply go to running the operations of organizations that raise money, or does it really trickle down to help those with breast cancer?
As I pass my 20-year anniversary as a breast cancer clinician and researcher, it is clear that the basic science and clinical trial output is at an all-time high. Whether or not this is due to increased awareness or to fundamental breakthroughs in science cannot be clear discerned, but in the last two decades, breast cancer specific journals and general journals have increased their publication quantity and quality exponentially. The impact of these findings on earlier detection, less invasive options for surgery, better assays to make medical decisions and newer life-saving treatments are very tangible.
However, we are stuck in some areas without progress:
> Advanced metastatic disease is no more curable than it was 20 years ago. Although these patients are living longer and better lives, the improvements are not very dramatic.
> Disparities in outcome based on ethnicity and income continue, while narrowed in some areas.
> We are still overtreating some patients and undertreating others - new assays are just starting to get implemented, but we have a long way to go in our quest to "personalize" medicine.
> Medical prevention, while effective, has side effects. Because of this, we tend not to prescribe these drugs to those at risk, and also do not know how to estimate risk very well.
So at this point, the progress report is mixed, but mostly positive. After all, breast cancer awareness is not only moving the field forward, it is about demystifying and destigmatizing breast cancer.
While research is not moving fast enough, the public has a much better understanding about breast cancer - the importance of research funding, clinical trial participation, supporting a recently diagnosed employee, modifying their risks and getting objective information to help guide treatment should they be diagnosed.
Whether you are a fan of structured awareness and pink ribbons or not, there is no mistake that our society, as it so often does, is becoming fluent in the subject matter of the month.
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While I am sure that not all fundraisers using pink legitimately get money to help breast cancer patients, from personal experience I do know some of this money trickles down to breast cancer patients. When I was diagnosed 3 years ago I was unable to work for a while following surgeries and treatments. In my position I do not get sick time or any other benefits and I make more than half our family's income. Several breast cancer and cancer agencies helped us with some of our bills during this trying time. I don't know how we would have gotten through it without their help. I also remember back in the mid-70's when my godmother (who was not a relative) was diagnosed with breast cancer and how it was not something to be discussed and even seemed shameful. I believe the pink campaigns have helped in stopping stigma of breast cancer as well as other cancers. I am participating in a clinical trial and I do encourage others to see if they are eligible for any. I do this not for me, but for my children and future generations. I am an RN and I try to teach about cancer and cancer prevention to my patients; family; friends; and coworkers whenever I can.
- Posted by Cathy Walsh, RN, BSN, MSHS 10/12/11 3:41 PM
Thanks for pointing out the lack of progress in mBC. I wonder if we should start a new movement in metastatic cancer in general- and make it a black ribbon. There is nothing pink, pretty or stylish about metastatic breast cancer. I wonder if appealing to the Komen or other foundations would help. As we all know, no one dies from stage I-II breast cancer, it is all related to metastatic disease. Personally as a mBC warrior, I don't like being treated like a lost cause- I am not hopeless. Why do people with stage I-III get more attention ($$$) than we do? We are actually the ones who have the most to loose.
- Posted by Kristin 10/13/11 8:19 AM
I was diagnosed in 1991, I join National Breast Cancer Coalition and became an activist.
It was not easy then to bring attention to Breast Cancer, not enough money. We were very agressive and worked very hard, we paid our on way to go to D.C. to lobby.
Along the way many of this first advocates died,when I see pink, I remember how we decided, how some husbands told us we will wear a pink ribbon, I remember that when we took thousands of signatures from each State, we told to Congress, "We will march without our tops off , if needed".
We are far ahead since 1991, before NBCC, it was hidden under the rug.
- Posted by DREAMER 11/9/11 7:21 PM