Coping and Healing After a Mastectomy
- British TV presenter Julia Bradbury, 53, has taken to social media to inspire others on the importance of cancer prevention in the wake of a new report from the World Health Organization.
- The WHO projects “over 35 million new cancer cases are predicted in 2050, a 77% increase from the estimated 20 million cases in 2022.”
- Bradbury previously underwent a double mastectomy and surgery to remove a 6cm tumor in her left breast after learning she had cancer. She’s now in remission.
- A mastectomy is the removal of the entire breast during surgery. There are several factors to weigh when considering a mastectomy, such as if breast-conserving surgery (or lumpectomy) is possible. Your doctor will evaluate the size and features of your tumor and your family history to make a recommendation.
- The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends women at average breast cancer risk begin screening for breast cancer at age 40. Women with the BRCA gene mutation, who have a family history of cancer or have dense breasts, are at higher risk and should talk with their doctor about when to screen which may be younger than 40.
Bradbury, who shares three children, a son named Zephyrus, 11, and twin girls, Zena and Xanthe, ages 7, with Irish property developer Gerard Cunningham, reminded her fans this week that it’s been two years since her “life saving mastectomy,” which is the removal of the entire breast during surgery.
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In an effort to promote the international day marked to promote cancer awareness, which was February 4, Bradbury continued, “Recent headlines have revealed: ‘global cancer cases are predicted to rise by more than 75% by 2050, according to the World Health Organization.
“We can all only do our best, and it’s tough when we live in such a toxic world: our food is heavily sprayed with chemicals, our drinking water is polluted, as our rivers, soils and the air we breathe, but this shocking prediction by WHO coupled with the information that the number of under-50s worldwide being diagnosed with cancer has risen by nearly 80% in three decades, means our approach to cancer has to change.”
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The mom of three, who is currently in remission and has previously revealed she’s “extremely grateful” following her cancer journey, concluded, “By increasing prevention awareness, early screening tools helped by AI, and a more Intergrative approach to treatment we can try to approach cancer diagnosis & care in a different way.
“The @wcrfuk World Cancer Research Fund has made these suggestions: ‘Be a healthy weight – Move more – Eat a better diet – Avoid high calorie foods – Limit consumption of red and processed meat – Limit consumption of sugar sweetened drinks – Don’t drink alcohol – Breastfeed for 6 months where possible- Don’t smoke – Take care in the sunshine.’ Love to all the thrivers out there & to all those we have lost to this disease.”
As for the “recent headlines” about a significant cancer surge across the globe by 2050, which Bradbury was referring to in her post, the news comes in the wake of a new report from the World Health Organization.
In regard to the “projected cancer burden increase in 2050,” the WHO explained, “Over 35 million new cancer cases are predicted in 2050, a 77% increase from the estimated 20 million cases in 2022.
“The rapidly growing global cancer burden reflects both population ageing and growth, as well as changes to people’s exposure to risk factors, several of which are associated with socioeconomic development. Tobacco, alcohol and obesity are key factors behind the increasing incidence of cancer, with air pollution still a key driver of environmental risk factors.”
The findings are based on an analysis of 185 countries
According to STAT, which recently spoke with oncologist Aparna Parikh, of the Global Cancer Care Center at the Mass General Cancer Center, the most shocking news from the report is “the disparities determined by income.” The findings revealed that women who reside in low-income countries are less likely to develop breast cancer than those living in a wealthier country. However, women living in poorer countries were more likely to experience cancer mortality than if they lived in a nation dubbed as a high-income economy.
Commenting on the disparities in the report, Parikh told STAT, “What was the most striking here is the kind of disproportionate impact on less developed countries, not only in terms of proportionality, but absolute burden as well. The mortality that we see in these countries is just stark. It’s our problem for all of us to think through together because these kinds of disparities, as we’re seeing with these numbers, are only getting worse.”
It’s great to see Bradbury continuing to raise awareness for a disease which has greatly impacted her life and inspired her to help others catch breast cancer at an early stage.
Julia Bradbury’s Breast Cancer Journey
Julia Bradbury’s diagnosis came after a couple mammograms to check on a lump she found in her breast during the summer of 2020, when she was 50 years old. She announced her breast cancer diagnosis in September 2021, but she told her husband and children before sharing the news with the world.
“Telling your children you have cancer is the hardest thing you’ll ever have to do in your life,” the BBC host previously said in an emotional interview. “You also don’t quite now how much to tell them to be realistic, and how much do you need to protect them as well. It is a very tricky balance. I don’t think any parent really knows exactly what to do.”
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Bradbury had a double mastectomy to treat her disease shortly after her diagnosis. A mastectomy is the full or partial removal of a breast and it’s used as a treatment for breast cancer. Other breast cancer treatments can include radiation, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy.
Following her mastectomy, she immediately underwent breast reconstruction.
As for where she’s at now, she does not technically have the all-clear yet. In a separate interview, she revealed that she has tiny fragments of cancerous cells in her breast tissue and a genetic predisposition to a higher-than-average risk of her cancer coming back. Even still, her attitude is positive.
Expert Mastectomy Resources
- To Reconstruct or Not: After Mastectomy, Two Women Take Very Different Paths
- Is a Preventative Mastectomy Right for Me?
- What Happens During a Double Mastectomy?
- For Breast Reconstruction After Mastectomy, Women May Choose ‘Now,’ ‘Later,’ or ‘Never’
- Should I Have a Lumpectomy or Mastectomy?
- The Last Frontier: The Promise of Restoring Sensation After Mastectomy
“I’m in the top five or six percent of women in the country in terms of the likelihood of recurrence,” she said. “That puts me in the ‘moderate risk’ category higher than the average woman but, look, it’s about percentages and perspectives.
“The doctors have not found a huge spread of an aggressive cancer. I have lost my breast but been able to have an implant and keep my own nipple. I feel lucky and grateful every single day, and I have to learn to live with this risk, to accept the fragility of life, without it consuming me.”
When Should You Consider a Mastectomy?
She did not need chemotherapy or radiation to treat her breast cancer, but Bradbury has recently been considering the pros and cons of starting a regime of hormone therapies to reduce her likelihood of recurrence.
“They’re potentially life-saving drugs, but they come with significant side effects for some women joint pain, osteoporosis, trouble with your teeth, risk of uterine cancer and a running jump straight into menopause,” she explained. “I have young children to consider and it’s hard to know what’s best.”
Coping with Breast Cancer Surgery
It’s important to remember that deciding to get a mastectomy is a considerable step in your cancer journey that both you and your care team must carefully go over.
A mastectomy is the removal of the entire breast during surgery. There are several factors to weigh when considering a mastectomy, such as if breast-conserving surgery (or lumpectomy) is possible. Your doctor will evaluate the size and features of your tumor and your family history to make a recommendation.
In some cases, a double mastectomy is a viable treatment option. During this procedure, both breasts are removed to get rid of cancer. A double mastectomy may also be performed as a preventative measure for women who are at a very high risk of developing breast cancer.
WATCH: What Happens During a Double Mastectomy
How to Choose the Right Surgeon?
Surgical procedures such as a double mastectomy can be an emotional part of a woman’s breast cancer journey. Choosing the right surgeon is extremely important for such a heavy part of the process.
SurvivorNet doctors say women should trust their gut when choosing a surgeon.
“You shouldn’t just ask surgeons how many operations they’ve performed because volume is not necessarily the best indicator of the right surgeon for you. On the other hand, you don’t want a surgeon who is inexperienced,” urologic oncologist Dr. Jay Shah previously told SurvivorNet.
Above all, Dr. Shah says people faced with a choice of surgeons should go with someone they feel they can trust.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
- What can I do to prepare for a mastectomy?
- What happens before and after the procedure?
- What are the benefits of using implants over my own tissue and vice versa?
- What will recovery look like after the procedure?
Helpful Information About Breast Cancer Screening
The medical community has a consensus that women between 45 and 54 have annual mammograms. However, an independent panel of experts called the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is saying that women should start getting mammograms every other year at the age of 40, suggesting that this lowered the age for breast cancer screening could save 19% more lives. For women aged 55 and older, the American Cancer Society recommends getting a mammogram every other year. However, women in this age group who want added reassurance can still get annual mammograms.
Women with a strong family history of breast cancer, have dense breasts, have a genetic mutation known to increase the risk of breast cancer, such as a BRCA gene mutation, or a medical history, including chest radiation therapy before age 30, are considered at higher risk for breast cancer.
WATCH: Understanding the BRCA gene mutation
Experiencing menstruation at an early age (before 12) or having dense breasts can also put you into a high-risk category. If you are at a higher risk for developing breast cancer, you should begin screening earlier.
Breast density is determined through mammograms. However, women with dense breasts are at a higher risk for developing breast cancer because dense breast tissue can mask potential cancer during screening. 3D mammograms, breast ultrasound, breast MRI, and molecular breast imaging are options for women with dense breasts for a more precise screening. It is important to ask your doctor about your breast density and cancer risk.
RELATED: 3D Mammography Detects 34% More Breast Cancers Than Traditional Mammography
Family History & Breast Cancer Risk
Although breast cancer can happen to anyone, certain factors can increase a person’s risk of getting the disease. The known risk factors for breast cancer include:
- Older age
- Having a gene mutation such as the BRCA1 or BRCA2
- Added exposure to estrogen
- Having children after the age of 30
- Exposure to radiation early in life
- Family history of the disease
RELATED: Is Genetic Testing Right for You?
Different types of genetic testing can help people with a family history of cancer better ascertain their cancer risks. Your doctor will discuss your family history of cancer with you in the context of your type of tumor and your age at diagnosis. Hereditary genetic testing is usually done with a blood or saliva test.
WATCH: Understanding genetic testing for breast cancer.
About ten percent of breast cancers are hereditary, says Dr. Ophira Ginsburg, Director of the High-Risk Cancer Program at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center.
“We encourage only those with a family history to get [genetic testing],” Dr. Ginsburg previously told SurvivorNet. “I would say that if you have anyone in your family diagnosed with a rare cancer. Or if you have a strong family history of one or two kinds of cancer, particularly breast and ovarian, but also colon, rectal, uterine, and ovarian cancer, that goes together in another cancer syndrome called the Lynch Syndrome.
The second test involves the genetic sequencing of your tumor if you’ve been diagnosed with cancer by this point. These genetic changes can be inherited, but most arise during a person’s lifetime. This process usually involves examining a biopsy or surgical specimen of your tumor. This testing can lead to decisions on drugs that might work against your cancer.
“Digital mammography, it turns out, significantly improves the quality of the mammogram… It’s 3D or tomosynthesis mammography,” Dr. Lehman explains.
“This allows us to find more cancers and significantly reduce our false-positive rate. With digital mammography 3D tomosynthesis, we’re taking thin slices through that breast tissue, like slices of a loaf of bread. We can look at each slice independently rather than trying to see through the entire thickness of the entire loaf of bread. So those thin slices help us find things that were hidden in all the multiple layers,” Dr. Lehman adds.
Additional testing can be considered for dense breasts, depending on a woman’s personal history, preferences, and her physician’s guidance.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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