[Hopespringpcsg] FW: Canadian Cancer Survivor Network February 2014 Eletter

Thu Feb 27 16:14:18 EST 2014

Hi all:

FYI 

Take care,

Glen

From: Jackie Manthorne [mailto:jmanthorne=survivornet.ca at cmail2.com] On Behalf Of Jackie Manthorne
Sent: February 27, 2014 2:38 PM
To: Glen Tolhurst
Subject: Canadian Cancer Survivor Network February 2014 Eletter

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CCSN February 2014 Eletter

The Canadian Cancer Survivor Network (CCSN) is a national network of patients, families, survivors, friends, community partners, funders and sponsors who have come together to take action to promote the very best standards of care, whether it be early diagnosis, timely treatment and follow-up care, support for cancer patients, or issues related to survivorship or quality of end of life care.

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Is mammography in danger?

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Not all that long ago in Canada, the triad of early detection of breast cancer was breast self-examination (BSE), clinical breast exam, and mammography.  These three were the most widely used tools in the early detection of breast cancer.

However, in the late 1990 and early 2000s, breast self-examination came under attack, and even such organizations as the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation modified their recommendations from promoting BSE to promoting breast awareness “because there is insufficient or inconclusive scientific evidence of an effective BSE technique, or an effective way for health care providers to teach it to women, or that BSE reduces breast cancer mortality.” (1)

Although clinical breast exams (CBE) should be part of a regular check-up, many health care practitioners have either not been taught the correct way to perform CBE or do not have the time to include one in a patient’s annual check-up. In addition, the Ontario Breast Screening Program, which used to offer a clinical breast exam as well as a mammogram for women aged 59-70, no longer performs CBEs.

And increasingly, mammography has been under attack.

The latest in a fairly long line of studies that criticizes screening mammography is the Canadian National Breast Cancer Screening Study, “Too Much Mammography,” published on February 11, 2014 in The British Medical Journal (http://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g1403). This Canadian study followed approximately 90,000 women who were assigned to either receive regular mammograms or have no mammograms between the years 1980 and 1985. Researchers followed the participants for about another 25 years.

“During the screening period, approximately 660 invasive breast cancers were diagnosed in women who received mammograms, and about 520 cases were diagnosed in those who did not receive the screening. Among the women diagnosed through mammograms, 180 died of breast cancer, and 171 died from the group who were diagnosed without mammography.

“According to the findings, mammograms contributed to the over-diagnosis of breast cancer — meaning the screening detected a cancer that was not an actual threat to the woman’s health, but she still underwent chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation.” (2)

In her statement on the Canadian National Breast Screening Study, National Breast Cancer Coalition president Fran Visco says that the study “confirms NBCC’s long-held position that an enormous amount of resources and attention have been spent on mammography, despite the lack of strong evidence that screening significantly reduces mortality from breast cancer. The Canadian study found that 22% of women whose cancers were detected by mammograms were overdiagnosed and subjected to unnecessary treatment.” (3)

What’s a woman (or man) to do now?

Over 24,000 Canadians were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013 – 23,800 women and 200 men (4)  – so doing nothing is not an option, and early diagnosis is still important.

Already there are suggestions that we should take another look at breast self-exams and clinical breast exams. (5) Apparently one unexpected but positive outcome of the Canadian National Breast Cancer Screening Study was that “women who did not receive regular mammograms were instead monitored with physical breast exams that proved effective. All of the participants were taught to examine their own breasts once a month, and specially trained nurses examined women who were in their 50s. This low-tech approach, the researchers found, appeared to be as good as or better than regular mammograms at locating the serious cancers that needed treatment.”  (6) Researchers went on to say that they were reluctant to address this, since it had not been the purpose of the study.

Confusing? Yes. Important? Undoubtedly. Implications for screening for other cancers? Evidently so:  several recent studies have reported on and described overdiagnosis and overtreatment of not only breast but also prostate and thyroid cancers, and to a lesser degree renal and lung cancer.  (7)

But when it comes right down to it, existing breast cancer screening methods are still breast self-examination, clinical breast examination and mammography.

And in fact, in a February 14, 2014 media release, Dr. Jacques Lévesque, President of the Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR), the national association representing radiologists in Canada, stated that, “Women should continue to seek breast cancer screening using mammography, a form of x‐ray of the breast.” The CAR went on to say that they are very concerned that women will feel there is no need to pursue breast cancer screening, when in fact, several other breast cancer screening reports indicate the opposite.

The CAR joined the American College of Radiology and the Society of Breast Imaging, who also have concerns that the report is “incredibly misleading analysis based on the deeply flawed and widely discredited Canadian National Breast Screening Study (CNBSS). The results of this BMJ study, and others resulting from the CNBSS trial, should not be used to create breast cancer screening policy as this would place a great many women at increased risk of dying unnecessarily from breast cancer.” (8)

The recently released CAR Practice Guidelines and Technical Standards for Breast Imaging and Intervention, as well as referral guidelines for medical imaging for physicians, encourage women to speak with their physician about the right time to begin mammography exams.

The Canadian Cancer Survivor Network will continue to address issues in cancer screening as they arise. We encourage patients, survivors and caregivers to share their thoughts and opinions about cancer screening by writing to jmanthorne at ccsn.ca .

References

1. Look and feel  <http://ccsn.cmail2.com/t/r-l-pdkflk-tiliitlrdd-h/> 
2. Doctors critical of mammography study <http://ccsn.cmail2.com/t/r-l-pdkflk-tiliitlrdd-k/> , February 24, 2014
3. National Breast Cancer Coalition Statement on The Canadian National Breast Screening Study <http://ccsn.cmail2.com/t/r-l-pdkflk-tiliitlrdd-u/>  
4. Canadian Cancer Statistics 2013 <http://ccsn.cmail2.com/t/r-l-pdkflk-tiliitlrdd-o/>  
5. A fresh case for breast exams <http://ccsn.cmail2.com/t/r-l-pdkflk-tiliitlrdd-b/>  by Roni Caryn Rabin,  The New York Times 
6. Ibid
7. PubMe <http://ccsn.cmail2.com/t/r-l-pdkflk-tiliitlrdd-n/> d
8. http://www.acr.org/News‐Publications/News/News‐Articles/2014/ACR/BMJ‐Article‐on‐Breast‐Cancer‐Screening‐Effectiveness‐Incredibly‐Flawed‐and‐Misleading

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Canadian Cancer Survivor Network Open House Coffee party for recognition and awareness of World Cancer Day February 4, 2014

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Helene Hurchings, Founder of www.AnalCancer-ABumRap.com <http://ccsn.cmail2.com/t/r-l-pdkflk-tiliitlrdd-p/>  & www.HairDonationOttawa.com <http://ccsn.cmail2.com/t/r-l-pdkflk-tiliitlrdd-x/> 

Bill Dolan, Prostate Cancer Canada Network Ottawa <http://ccsn.cmail2.com/t/r-l-pdkflk-tiliitlrdd-m/>  and

Lianne Dogen, BRCA Chat Ottawa <http://ccsn.cmail2.com/t/r-l-pdkflk-tiliitlrdd-c/>  at CCSN's World Cancer Day Open House

Dozens of group representatives and individuals met to recognize World Cancer Day at the Canadian Cancer Survivor Network on February 4. The Canadian Lung Association,  Prostate Cancer Canada Network Ottawa, BRCA Chat Support Group, A Bum Rap-Anal Cancer Support Group Canada, At Home Hospice, Hair Donation Ottawa, Ican College; representatives of other groups and companies located at 1750 Courtwood, including  Douglas Associations Landscape Architects, RV Anderson Associates Consulting Engineers, Arkalumen – LED light experts, Drs. L & R. Borovay, Psychologists;  CCSN Board of Directors members,  cancer patients and survivors, supporters of CCSN and of cancer survivors and other companies, including Perfico Communications and  Brenda Nelson and Karen Synder of Liquid Gym, who brought a video and talked about their unique new underwater gym.

Posters of the following four myths about cancer related to stigma were prominently displayed:  We don’t need to talk about cancer; there are no signs or symptoms of cancer; There is nothing I can do about cancer, I don’t have the right to cancer care. Click here <http://ccsn.cmail2.com/t/r-l-pdkflk-tiliitlrdd-q/>  for the evidence-based fact sheets on debunking these myths.

Guests at CCSN’s Open House enjoyed refreshments , including coffee donated by Tim Horton’s College Square,  socialized, networked, and made new contacts, and the video about Liquid Gym drew a great deal of interest.

About World Cancer Day 2014

A global event taking place every year on 4 February, World Cancer Day 2014 was an initiative of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), a leading international non-governmental organization that unites the cancer community to reduce the global cancer burden, to promote greater equity, and to integrate cancer control into the world health and development agenda. World Cancer Day unites the world’s population in the fight against cancer. It aims to save millions of preventable deaths each year by raising awareness and education about the disease, pressing governments and individuals across the world to take action.

World Cancer Day 2014 focused on Target 5 of the World Cancer Declaration, which is Reduce stigma and dispel myths about cancer, under the tagline “Debunk the myths.” There are still so many myths about the disease out there and this Day was the perfect opportunity for people to dispel them. Greater awareness and education about cancer can lead to positive change at an individual, community and policy level and across the continuum of cancer care.

About Canadian Cancer Survivor Network

CCSN works to connect patients, survivors and other stakeholder groups with decision makers and the wider community to engage in discussion and to act on evidence-based best practices to alleviate the medical, emotional, financial and social costs of cancer and encourage research on ways to overcome barriers to optimal cancer care and follow-up for survivors in Canada.

Click here <http://ccsn.cmail2.com/t/r-l-pdkflk-tiliitlrdd-a/>  for more about all the cancer myths and debunking them.

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CCSN Coffee Party with a Purpose!

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The courage and determination of cancer survivors is an inspiration to all.

On National Cancer Survivors Day during the first week of June we honour survivors who are living with and beyond cancer and will recognize those professionals who are helping to fight the battle against cancer. The Coffee Party with a Purpose event creates awareness and raises funds for CCSN’s mission of supporting and empowering cancer survivors.

CCSN’s first Coffee Party with a Purpose event took place in June of last year as part of the recognition of Cancer Survivor Day in Ottawa and was well received.

Parties with a Purpose were held in Ottawa with over 30 companies and organizations participating in holding a coffee party to raise funds and awareness. Jim Watson, the Mayor of Ottawa presented representatives of breast and prostate cancer survivors with a commemorative plaque to recognize Cancer Survivor Day.

This Coffee Party with a Purpose project for 2014 is to increase Ottawa companies’ participation and extend Coffee Parties with a Purpose to 10 major cities in Ontario.

Survivor Day is a CELEBRATION for those who have survived, an INSPIRATION for those recently diagnosed, a gathering of SUPPORT for families, and an OUTREACH to the community. Participants unite in a symbolic event to show the world that life after a cancer diagnosis can be meaningful, productive, and even inspiring.

CCSN is a member of the National Cancer Survivor Day Foundation, which started and leads this worldwide celebration of life and provides an annual theme and materials.

Last year Coffee Party with a Purpose groups had fun and raised funds by holding a cake sale with the coffee party, bringing in and selling jewelry, books sales, funny hat days (everyone pays an extra toonie to wear a funny hat at work all day), plant sales, and lots more. Our 2014 “inspirations” poster and coffee party kit will be ready shortly.

How can your office, organization, group of friends or club participate: send an email to mforrest at survivornet.ca and Mona will send you your Coffee Party with a Purpose start-up kit.

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Canadian Cancer Survivor Network
1750 Courtwood Crescent, Suite 210 (note new suite number)
Ottawa, ON K2C 2B5
Telephone: 613-898-1871
Email: info at survivornet.ca
Website: www.survivornet.ca

Twitter pages
@survivornet.ca
@bestbreastnews,  which concentrates on information on breast health and breast cancer
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@CanadaCINV, which is about chemo-induced nausea and vomiting
@prostatepost, which is provides information about prostate cancer

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http://www.facebook.com/CanadianSurvivorNet
Our second FB page is about asbestos and mesothelioma:  https://www.facebook.com/CanadianMeso

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Blog
Jackie Manthorne's Cancer Blog: http://jackiemanthornescancerblog.blogspot.com/
CCSN's asbestos and mesothelioma blog: http://canadianmeso.blogspot.ca/

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