Before Angelina: Portraits of Breast Cancer Previvors and Survivors in Time Magazine

Sandy Cohen, photo courtesy of Miller Mobley for TIME

In this series of stunning photos, Time Magazine features the many women who elected prophylactic double mastectomy long before the news of Angelina’s BRCA1 mutation and surgery broke in Spring 2013.

Penn Medicine’s Basser Research Center for BRCA works closely with many of the women featured, including Sandy Cohen, Karen Kramer, Lisa Schlager, and Diane Rose of Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered (FORCE) and Dr. Elizabeth Chabner Thompson of Best Friends for Life (BFFL Co).

See the photos and read the stories here.

The Basser Research Center for BRCA is dedicated to delivering cutting edge research in the basic and clinical sciences to advanced the care of individuals who carry BRCA mutations.

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Save the Date: 6th Focus On Lung Cancer Conference

The Abramson Cancer Center, in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Lung Cancer Partnership is pleased to present the 6th Focus On Lung Cancer and CANPrevent Lung Cancer Conferences, a day-long conference dedicated to lung cancer topics including prevention, diagnosis, treatment, genetics and living well after lung cancer treatment.

This conference was one of the first in the country to address the issues and concerns of breast and gynecologic cancer survivors and their families.

Whether at risk for lung cancer, newly diagnosed or a long term survivor, attendees receive up-to-date information including: the latest laboratory research, treatment advances, clinical trials, and survivorship issues.

There are two different tracts for the day including Focus On Lung Cancer Conference and CANPrevent Lung Cancer Conference.

Join Us for the 6th Focus On Lung Cancer Conference

Date: Friday, November 22, 2013
Time: 7:30 am to 3:30 pm
Location: Hilton Hotel, 4200 City Avenue, Philadelphia PA
Looking for information from medical professionals? Learn from expert panels about lung cancer prevention, risk, and quitting smoking.

Register for Focus on Lung Cancer Conference here

Join us for the 3rd CANPrevent Lung Cancer Conference

Date: Friday, November 22, 2013
Time: 8:30 am to 11:30 pm
Location: Hilton Hotel, 4200 City Avenue, Philadelphia PA
Are you or a loved one newly touched by lung cancer? Join us for risk assessment, new diagnostics and procedures, surgical advances, information on proton therapy and more.

Register for CANPrevent Lung Cancer Conference here.

Can’t Make the Conference? Want to watch it live?

Can’t make this year’s conference? Be sure to follow @PennCancer on Twitter with the hashtag #LungCancerACC to follow the day’s topics and discussions.

The Cure is Within the Abramson Cancer Center
Learn about the Lung Cancer screening and treatment options available today.

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Learn About the Basser Research Center Through ShareWik

Have you heard of the Basser Research Center?

Until recently, neither had Jan. Even as a seven-year cancer survivor, she continues to learn about the available resources.

Jan Jaben-Eilon discusses how a friend introduced her to Penn Medicine’s Basser Research Center for BRCA over lunch. She encourages you, too, to get acquainted with the Basser Center.

Read her post on ShareWik, a website aimed at using the power of personal storytelling to engage, educate and inspire others about decisions that impact their health.

Read Jan's blog here.

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The Cure is Within: Lauryn's Breast Cancer Story

My mother’s sister, my aunt, had breast cancer and I started mammograms early because of her diagnosis. I had my daughter at 41, and nursed her for almost two years – so I missed a few mammograms in between.

At 43, I had my first mammogram since having my daughter, and that’s when I learned I had cancer.

I’ll never forget the moment in September 2012 when I got the call from my gynecologist, Dr. Bernadette Wheeler. My 2 year old was running around and I walked to a quiet place in my home to listen closely.

Breast cancer. Surgery. Breast removal. Appointments. These are the words I heard.

I brought my daughter to my parents’ home, who have always been extremely supportive, so I could have some time to myself to reflect on this news I’d just received. Soon thereafter, I met with Dr. Wheeler who helped me make an appointment with Penn breast surgeon, Dahlia Sataloff, MD. I felt more comfortable getting all of my care at Penn Medicine, and now at Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center.

Surgery – And a Surprise

On October 24, I was scheduled to have my left breast removed. I was scared, but ready to have this cancer taken out, and start on my journey back to health.

As I was lying in the room, getting ready for surgery, I heard a familiar voice. The curtain opened and there was my best friend, Lynette. She’d driven all the way from Savannah, Georgia to be with me on this day. I was elated. Her visit, and knowing she came all the way up to support me, was the best thing about the day.

The surgery lasted about six hours. I had reconstruction of the breast done at the same time, and everything went according to plan. I was healing well, and the nursing staff was excellent in preparing me for what to expect at home.

Next Steps - Chemotherapy

Because I had positive lymph nodes, I needed both radiation treatment and chemotherapy after surgery, but chemotherapy was first. Again, I felt most comfortable coming to Penn’s Abramson Cancer Center for all of my treatment, so for 16 weeks, I was a “frequent flyer” at Penn getting my chemotherapy.

It was a tough road. Treatments left me nauseous and tired. I’d taken some time off of work, which was helpful, and of course, my parents were there to support me and help me with my daughter. Robin Herzog, a clinical nurse practitioner at the Abramson Cancer Center, was a great source of support for me too. She encouraged me to never give up and really understood what I was going through emotionally.

Around this time, I also had genetic testing to see if I carried the BRCA gene mutation. It was important for me to know because I have a daughter, but thankfully, I did not carry the gene mutation.

The End in Sight

Once my chemotherapy treatments were over, radiation was next. I was able to have my radiation treatments at the Abramson Cancer Center located at Penn Medicine Valley Forge. It was convenient for me, and knowing that I was still being cared for by Penn Medicine I never had to worry about one doctor not talking to another, everyone was on the same team - my team.

Dr. Nagda was my radiation specialist, and after 23 weeks of radiation treatment, I am now, cancer free.

You know, at two, my daughter didn’t really “get” that I had cancer. We talked about how I was sick, and how I had a “boo boo” but I wanted her to guide the way and let her actions and questions tell me how much I needed to tell her.

But even at two, she was always there for me. Throughout my treatment, I wrote her letters – letters that told her how much she helped me, what it was like to go through treatment for breast cancer, and how one day she, too, will have the strength to fight anything life throws her way.

Penn Medicine's Abramson Cancer Center is leading the way in breakthrough cancer treatment. If you or someone you know has been touched by cancer, the power to find the Cure is Within.
Hear our stories and find out more today.

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Hope and Support From a Young Widow

Jessica Bemis is a full-time, working mom of two who lost her husband to testicular cancer in November 2011. Since then, Jessica has been sharing her story on her blog, Hope for Young Widows and working to bring awareness and hope to women and men who have lost their spouses to cancer. In this blog, she discusses her life with her husband before and after his diagnosis, kids, marriage, 4jim5k , resources and creating a new normal.

Read Jessica's blog, and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter. 

The Diagnosis…

Jim was diagnosed with a rare form of testicular cancer on July 1, 2010. He was 38 years old.

Jim had a great sense of humor and whenever he would have to confront a tough situation, especially at work, he would take a deep breath grin and say, “It’s a journey!” instead of getting exasperated. And he faced cancer the same way.

On June 30, 2010, Jim came home from work and decided to go for what was supposed to be a five- mile run. But after about three miles, he didn’t feel right; he was experiencing shortness of breath. When he came home, his neck was swollen, he felt dizzy and his face looked really red. I took him to my local hospital's ER and after many tests the doctor came into the room and told us there was a grapefruit-size tumor in his chest.

The Journey

On July 1, 2010, the doctors confirmed that Jim had a rare form of testicular cancer, a nonseminoma germ cell tumor and they mapped out his treatment regimen. He would receive four rounds of chemo to shrink the tumor so that doctors could perform surgery to remove it. Following surgery, he would receive an additional round of chemo to ensure all cancer cells were gone. After this first round of chemo and surgery, Jim was disease free for approximately four weeks. Unfortunately, the disease returned and Jim’s doctor suggested he meet with doctors in Indianapolis, Indiana who specialize in this type of testicular cancer. Another surgery was performed, and he endured more chemo. Following this round of treatment and surgery, he was disease free for about three months.

The cancer showed up again near Jim’s chest area in May 2011. This time he was not a candidate for surgery. Jim’s last hope for a cure was going through chemo with stem cell treatment. Upon completion in October 2011, the cancer was in check, but he was not cured. Over the course of his 17- month treatment, the disease had spread near his heart, lungs, and neck. At this point, we all knew Jim would not be cured and our focus shifted to controlling the disease so that he could live his life with a sense of quality. Since Jim was not a candidate for major surgery to remove the disease, the doctor’s suggested a less invasive procedure to kill the cancer cells.

Jim went in for surgery on November 15, 2011, but he didn’t wake up. He lost a lot of blood and had a stroke. He was in a coma for five days before passing away peacefully.

Living With Loss

Today, I am learning to create a new normal for me and my boys, which means we are learning to embrace new routines, and start new traditions.

By sharing my experiences with other widows and widowers, I hope we can create a community of hope and support for each other.

Please join me here, as I contribute more articles for young widows and widowers, or visit my website www.hopeforyoungwidows.com.

Also, I invite you to share your own experience with me so we can learn to navigate the new normal together.

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Prostate Cancer and Proton Therapy at Penn Medicine

When Frank McKee was diagnosed with prostate cancer, he wanted to find the best possible treatment to fight his disease. Frank did extensive research about prostate cancer treatments and learned about proton therapy for prostate cancer, the world’s most advanced form of radiation therapy.

"For me, I wanted to treat the cancer. I wanted to be done with it," Frank said. "And, I wanted to be done with it in a way that had a minimum amount of side effects and affect my life the least."

"That’s why I picked proton therapy."

In this video, Frank discusses his diagnosis, and why he chose proton therapy at Penn Medicine.

Learn More About Prostate Cancer Treatment at Penn

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with prostate cancer or an abnormal PSA, you're probably wondering what to do next. Look to Penn's Abramson Cancer Center for the most advanced cancer program in the region - for full insight on all your options - including getting a second opinion for your prostate cancer treatment. Our team will:

• Help you understand your PSA levels and guide you towards the next steps you should take
• Ensure you have the most accurate diagnosis using advanced diagnostics
• Offer you the most advanced surgical and radiation treatment options – all in one place
• Answer your questions about the potential side effects of all your options
• Provide an unbiased opinion on your best treatment option

Call 800-789-PENN (7366) to schedule a consultation with a Penn prostate cancer specialist. Or, learn more about prostate cancer treatment, side effects of prostate cancer, and other prostate cancer information by watching a five-part video series about prostate cancer.

Penn Medicine's Abramson Cancer Center is leading the way in breakthrough cancer treatment. If you or someone you know has been touched by cancer, the power to find the Cure is Within. Hear our stories and find out more today.

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Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Study Information from ASCO 2013

Christine Wilson, cancer survivor, shares her experiences from the The American Society of Clinical Oncologists (ASCO) national conference in 2013. Every year, over 30,000 cancer specialists and researchers from around the world gather to present their latest findings on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of science. At a recent continuing medical education meeting, experts from the Abramson Cancer Center summarized some of the most important research from ASCO 2013 for a packed room of over 300 local oncologists. 

In this article, Chris discusses a presentation about studies for non-small cell lung cancer from Penn Medicine's Director of Thoracic Oncology, Corey Langer, MD.

Locally Advanced Disease

• START Trial: MUC1 is often over expressed in lung cancer. In preclinical studies, a vaccine produced an increase in T-cells or an immunotherapy response. The START trial is a large phase III study for patients with stage III lung cancer with either stable disease or an objective response to chemo and radiation therapy. These patients received the MUC 1 vaccine for eight weeks. Although, overall, the trial did not extend overall survival, the group of patients who received their chemo and radiation at the same time did have a 10 month advantage in overall survival. The reasons for this are not entirely clear, but may result from a combination of factors.

Advanced Disease

• PROSE Trial: VeriStrat testing is a new way of profiling lung cancers based on a number of prognostic factors. The PROSE trial studied whether VeriStrat has any predictive value in determining the success of chemotherapy and targeted therapy. The results did not show any difference between the two arms for the VeriStrat Good patients, but the VeriStrat Poor patients receiving chemotherapy did better than those receiving the targeted therapy.
• Ganestespib is a novel agent that inhibits the Hsp-90 pathway which is over expressed in cancer cells. The GALAXY trial compared ganestespib alone with ganestespib and daclataxel. In patients with advanced lung cancer, earlier trials have shown that patients who did well on previous therapies are more likely to do better with this agent.
• Anti-PD-1. This trial uses nivolumab with advanced lung cancer patients who have been heavily pretreated. Response rates for both squamous and non-squamous cell patients have been in the 20 to 25% range. This is promising, and can be easily administered in an outpatient setting.

Penn Medicine's Abramson Cancer Center is leading the way in breakthrough cancer treatment. If you or someone you know has been touched by cancer, the power to find the Cure is Within.


Hear our stories and find out more today.

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