RECURRENCE EXPLAINED- POSTOP SCANNING

Click to play video CANCER RECURRENCE IN THE MOST RARE CASES: "LIGHTING STRUCK TWICE WITH MALE BREAST CANCER!"-- “I contracted Male Breast Cancer TWICE, just when I thought it was gone the first time. I learned that cancer doesn't give up - so neither should you! Stay smart, be proactive and follow a RECURRENCE PREVENTION plan to KEEP CANCER AWAY.” MARC FUTTERWEIT- Survivor/Senior Ambassador for Male Breast Cancer Coalition Doctors will never guarantee that your cancer is gone forever, even after the remission period. The American Medical Community suggests that all survivors of cancer should subscribe to proper health and nutritional standards to support continued prevention. Take the right steps to OUTSMART CANCER TODAY by learning how recurrence works. Start by managing a healthy (and organic) lifestyle, support a regular fitness regimen and schedule an annual monitoring program with an advanced imaging professional or physician specializing in cancer diagnostics to maintain regular screening protocols for early detection or to help prevent cancer recurrence.

RECURRENCE IN REVIEW
Transcript by Dr. Roberta Kline

There is a constant debate in the cancer community about the term "CANCER FREE". Cancer recurrence continues to be a major concern as reported in annual medical reports- identifying its tendency to “return with a vengeance". [1, 2]

Medical research has identified the major reasons why cancer recurs.  A widely reported cause for this is attributed to a deficiency in treatment performance. [2] This means the therapy induced did not successfully remove or kill all of the cancer cells, possibly due to the patient's level of drug resistance.  During treatment, Cancer cells can enter a dormant state to protect themselves from treatment and other stimuli. Over time, these dormant cells can reactivate. The cause of this may be a spike in chronic stress or the release of toxins from oxidative stress from environmental factors like smoking or repeat exposure to reactive chemicals. [3]

Inflammation has also been linked to the activation of immune cells called neutrophils. [4] Cancer cells that have spread to other areas of the body after successful treatment of the original tumor can remain dormant for years or decades before recurring as metastatic cancer. Further activators of these dormant cells have also been linked to one's personal Epigenetics. [5] This determines how your environment and lifestyle affects your cell function- including the dormancy state of your cancer cells. 

Another known cause for recurrence are Cancer stem cells or CSC's.  These are a small group of cells in tumors that have the ability to self-renew, differentiate, and give rise to all cell types in a tumor. [6] Most stages of tumor progression, including tumorigenesis, promotion, progression, and recurrence are accompanied by epigenetic alterations, some of which can be reversed by epigenetic drugs. [6]

DETECTION MONITORING: After cancer surgery, there are many preventive measures to support a safe and healthy recovery and to reduce the risk of recurrence.  A logical and preventive strategy as part of postop maintenance is called RECURRENCE PREVENTION SCANS. Through the use of affordable, real-time medical imaging such as the 3D Doppler Ultrasound, post-cancer surgery patients can subscribe to a personal monitoring regimen to scan for any potential lesions and micro-tumors that may have fallen under the radar.  Proactive monitoring can also address complications such as post-surgical Infections, recurring pain, swelling, neuropathy from nerve damage, scarring, fluid buildup or blood clots. In less than 20 minutes per visit, you earn peace of mind from a comprehensive scan by seasoned specialists trained to support postop patient management.

DR. ROBERTA KLINE is an ObGyn physician, an award-winning author, an educational advocate, and an inspirational speaker for the professional and women’s communities. She holds a combined mission to upgrade how we approach health and deliver healthcare for women through education, globalized communication, research, and advocacy.  Dr. Kline develops and teaches CME programs, consults on gene expression project designs, and leads collaborative projects designed to advance the direction of women’s health. She is also a clinical advisor in integrative medicine and functional genomics to many health organizations including the Integrative Health Research Center.  In addition to her mentorship programs for women physicians, Dr. Kline is Director of Educational Programs for the Women's Health Collaborative, Editor of the Women’s Health Digest, and on faculty at the University of Western States. 

(1.) Butow P, Sharpe L, Thewes B, et al. Fear of Cancer Recurrence: A Practical Guide for Clinicians. Oncology (Williston Park). 2018 Jan 15;32(1):32-8.   (2.) Mahvi DA, Liu R, Grinstaff MW, et al. (2018). Local Cancer Recurrence: The Realities, Challenges, and Opportunities for New Therapies. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 68(6), 488. https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21498 (3.) Payne KK. Cellular stress responses and metabolic reprogramming in cancer progression and dormancy. Seminars in cancer biology 2022 Jan Vol. 78, pp. 45-48. (4.) He X-Y, Gao Y, Ng D et al. Chronic stress increases metastasis via neutrophil-mediated changes to the microenvironment. Cancer Cell 2024:42(3);474-486. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccell.2024.01.013  (5.) Costa S, Alves Sales SL, Pinheiro DP, et al. (2023). Epigenetic reprogramming in cancer: From diagnosis to treatment. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2023.1116805 (6.) Yu X, Zhao H, Wang R, et al. (2024). Cancer epigenetics: From laboratory studies and clinical trials to precision medicine. Cell Death Discovery, 10(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41420-024-01803-z

---

WHAT'S NEXT AFTER CANCER?

The Importance of Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle and Monitoring

Written by: Dr. Leslie Valle-Montoya 

Cancer recurrence can occur months or even years after initial treatment, and it’s important to be aware that cancer can return in different tissues, not just where it was originally diagnosed. While this is a challenging possibility, there are proactive steps you can take to reduce the risk and protect your health.

Staying vigilant with regular check-ups, lifestyle adjustments, and continued screenings is essential. Early detection of any signs of recurrence greatly increases the chances of successful treatment. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle after being declared “cancer-free” is not always easy, but it’s vital. We are constantly exposed to environmental toxins in our food, water, and surroundings, so addressing the root causes of disease and making healthier choices is crucial. A nutritious diet, physical activity, and stress management all support overall wellness and strengthen the immune system. I often guide patients in addressing lingering dental infections and maintaining a healthy internal environment, whether by enhancing the microbiome or reducing bodily acidity, which cancer thrives on.

Avoiding smoking, limiting alcohol, and maintaining a healthy weight are also key to lowering the risk of recurrence. By focusing on what you can control—your health and regular monitoring—you empower yourself to stay well and ensure long-term health.

CONTRIBUTOR:

LESLIE VALLE-MONTOYA, MD is the Founder of Biomed Life and the Santa Barbara Longevity Center. After medical school, Dr. Valle focused on managing chronic disease starting with its links to poor nutrition and then introducing them into the world of energy frequencies.  She explores and includes non-invasive modalities such as: frequency therapies (including biofeedback), PEMF, proper detoxification, nutritional guidance and binaural beats as needed. - visit: www.biomedlifesb.com

Announcing the TSCCC (TriState Cancer Care Community)- a professional  network comprised of community leaders, legislators, health specialists & educators. We are backed by the AngioInstitute (501c3) and are aligned by cancer foundations centralized in the NY, NJ and CT. We assemble the latest information, current news events, research reports, technologies and success stories about the battle against cancer and the luminaries who wage them.

9/10/2024- A NEW TOUCHDOWN IN THE FIGHT AGAINST BREAST CANCER- DENSE BREAST DISCLOSURE LAW CONFIRMED

9/10/2024- The Dense Breast Disclosure Law was officially confirmed at the Legislative Building in the CT State Capitol, hosted by the ‘Are You Dense Advocacy’ organization.  The conference was emceed by Mr. Joe Cappello, co-founder and executive director, establishing both a celebration and an historical landmark for the 20+ year crusade for a national legislation.  The law affirms the vision of the late Dr. Nancy Cappello for a public educational advocacy to protect women from misinformation about their breast health.  This initiative enacted national support for legislative action to enforce patient disclosure about tissue density.   (See full report)

AT LAST! "ARE YOU DENSE ADVOCACY" LANDS 20-YEAR TOUCHDOWN:
Congresswoman DeLauro Celebrates National Support for Women’s Health 

Click to see Sen DeLauro's Video

Room #5100 of the Legislative Office Building was filled with supporters from many areas of the 20+ year dense breast advocacy crusade 'raised the roof' of this national movement in support of women's health.  The lineup included Mr. Anthony D'Amelio (former CT House Rep), Dr. William Pizzuto, Sandy Cassenelli (founder of Breast Friends Fund & Metastatic Breast Cancer Survivor) and Mary Deming (President of Seymour Pink) are among the list of supportive speakers. The audience was also filled with an array of executive directors from the national breast cancer community including the American Breast Cancer Foundation.  - See areyoudense.org for complete list of speakers and their transcripts.

A powerful voice in national Women's Health advocacy resonated from the back of the room, where a familiar face from the big-screen took center stage. The highly-beloved CT Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro transmitted a compelling video message from Washington and received a rousing applause with many tears of loving support.  “Today we celebrate the launch of the Food and Drug Administration's Breast Density Notification Rule. I am a 35 year cancer survivor. I'm alive today thanks to the grace of God, the care of hardworking medical professionals, the power of biomedical research and early detection. In 2009, this law was championed by my dear friend Dr. Nancy Capello, who passed away several years ago due to breast cancer...Had Nancy been notified of her status earlier, she may have been here today to celebrate with us. Nancy's husband (Joe) carried on her fight and their story inspired me. I want to thank you again for inviting me to join you today. I urge you to keep up the fight.” 

Thanks to the power of web-streaming technology, an unconfirmed count of breast cancer orgs nationwide (and their respective members) accessed the live feed of the Are You Dense? event.  Donna Johnson, president of ‘Are You Dense?’ mentioned about an upcoming virtual (seminar-style) event which will launch sometime in mid-October- bringing in some of the top names in public advocacy as well as leaders from the medical community.  

For more info. on this press release, contact ‘Are You Dense Alliance’ (multimedia dist.) / Alexandra Fiederlein: editor.prevention101@gmail.com or call 516-522-0777

---

Click to see Den. Anwar's Videos

SEN. SAUD ANWAR
CONNECTICUT STATE SENATE ADVOCATES FOR UNDERSERVED WOMEN

7/13/2024 ‐ The  Women's  Health  Collaborative  proudly celebrates the dedicated commitment and support of STATE SENATOR SAUD ANWAR (D‐South Windsor) of District 3 for his legislative work in health initiatives for women. A pulmonary physician  by  profession,  Sen.  Anwar  joined  public  office  in 2013 as mayor  of South Windsor,  CT  (until 2015, and 2017‐2019).  Senator  Anwar  is  involved  in  humanitarian  and  peace initiatives  nationally  and  internationally.  He  is  frequently invited  to  consult  for  our  government  and  has  organized medical  missions  for  disaster  relief.  His  efforts  have  been recognized  at  the  state  and  federal  levels  and  by  several  professional  organizations.  He  has  received  numerous citations for his service to the State and is an expert on international affairs.[1] 

WOMEN’S HEALTH COLLABORATIVE GOES TO ALBANY

May 21, 2024, leading members of the NY Cancer Resource Alliance (NYCRA) held a special meeting with State Senator Patricia Canzoneri‐Fitzpatrick (of Senate District 9) to discuss critical issues associated with women's cancers. This initial meeting of the minds offered cancer updates from the field, including statistics, diagnostic trends and the continuing battle with restrictive insurance coverage.

TRIBUTE TO A GLOBAL CRUSADER (Play Video-L) The NY Cancer Resource Alliance gives loving tribute to Dr. Nancy Cappello, co-founder of "Are You Dense" and chief crusader of the mission to bring change to the protocols and standards of Early Detection.   Her organization embarked in a global advocacy project to win legislation for dense breast scanning and to bring awareness to the need for better technologies and imaging interpretation. Today, her loving husband Joe continues her unending fight to save more lives through awareness, advocacy and her crusade for change.

---

ADVOCACY & JOINING HANDS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
By: Geri Barish -  Hewlett House (Cancer Resource)

When I first met Joe Cappello, I admitted that I knew about his wife Nancy for years prior. Nancy Cappello was a force of nature and an inspiration to anyone willing to advocate for change in the breast cancer movement. I myself have been a 3x breast cancer survivor and a staunch supporter of public screening with the Women's Health Collaborative and the "Ultrasound Coalition" - but joining with Joe’s organization truly added so much validity to national research and public connectivity. Dr. Robert Bard (our lead radiologist) spoke about Are You Dense? as champions that pushed for government intervention to mandate the disclose of patients’ tissue density.  This is a landmark achievement that I reference in my own presentations about women’s health at the NY State Senate and the Dept. of Health in support of early detection and prevention programs. To date, Joe and Are You Dense? has become a permanent part of our coalition to battle breast cancer.  His work reflects on the healing factor of public awareness, forging a more powerful presence to educate and promote clinical testing.

EXTRA: 2024 UPDATES ON DENSE BREAST RESEARCH

3/2024- Dr. Noelle Cutter of Molloy University and an associate of Bard Diagnostics/Are You Dense? partnerships conducted an observational study exploring the functional phenotypic differences that make dense breast tissue. Because it is widely noted that women with dense breasts have a greater likelihood of developing cancer, understanding the  pathways and changes in gene expression may offer the first avenue for the enzymes enrolled and drug targets for personalized medicine in pursuit of developing better treatment options. “The proposed role of senescence in dense breast tissue metastasis involves creating a tumor-promoting microenvironment, facilitating immune evasion, and promoting angiogenesis, all of which contribute to the progression and spread of cancer cells.”- For full report, visit: www.pinksmartnews.com

---

 

The 2024 Women's Health Resource Network Launches Ultrasound Screening Initiative for Underserved Communities

Density under mammograms conceal tumors & cysts. Ultrasound is the suggested screening complement

In support of the underserved and underdiagnosed women, the WHC was originally founded to bring early detection and public education about the many women’s health disorders that many find to be lacking in access and information. This doctrine united women’s health advocates like Geri Barish (Hewlett House), Joe Cappello (co-founder of the Are You Dense? Foundation), Dr. Robert Bard (IHRC / Integrative Health Research Center), Dr. Noelle Cutter (Molloy University Research on Ovarian and Breast Cancer research programs) and Nancy Novack (of nancyslist.org). “It’s time we wake up lawmakers and the medical community to re-evaluate the existing gold standards (like mammography),” stated Mr. Cappello during a Key to the City speech honored by Waterbury mayor Neil O’Leary. “We are finally picking up great steam in our national push to have all clinicians adopt the advanced results of ultrasound technology… as a sustainable and affordable solution for ALL women!”