News
CBS New York. Birth Control Pills Might Raise a Woman’s Risk of Breast Cancer, Study Says
December 7, 2017
Researchers found that women who took hormonal contraceptives, including pills, patches and implantable devices, had a 20 percent increased risk of breast cancer, and the risk was higher the longer the contraceptives were used. Twenty percent sounds like a lot, but Dr. Elisa Port, the director of the Dubin Breast Center at Mount Sinai, says “really the overall numerical increase is quite marginal.” The study was also the first to look at breast cancer risk in woman who used the newer, low-dose pills. But experts say even if there is a small increase in breast cancer risk, the pill actually protects against other cancers. “Ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, and perhaps colon cancer. And some of these cancers – particularly ovarian – are far more lethal than breast cancer,” Port said.
Elisa Port, MD, FACS, Associate Professor, Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Chief, Breast Surgery, Director, Dubin Breast Center, The Mount Sinai Hospital
US News & World Report. Report: Industry Hid Decades-Old Study Showing Sugar’s Unhealthy Effects
November 21, 2017
More than four decades ago, a study in rats funded by the sugar industry found evidence linking the sweetener to heart disease and bladder cancer, the paper trail investigation reports. The results of that study were never made public. Although these revelations might produce a media furor, they're unlikely to change the recommendations coming from dietitians, said Kelly Hogan, clinical nutrition and wellness manager at the Mount Sinai Dubin Breast Center in New York City. That's because subsequent research has revealed the effect that diets high in sugar can have on long-term health. People need to follow a balanced diet if they want to eat healthy, and that doesn't mean just focusing on added sugars, she said. "You can't point out one single thing and blame that on any sort of health crisis, either now or 40 years ago," Hogan said.
Kelly Hogan, MS, RD, CDN, Clinical Nutrition and Wellness Manager, Dubin Breast Center at the Mount Sinai Hospital
CBS News. Overweight women may need more frequent mammograms
November 20, 2017
The study found that a BMI above 25 and having denser breast tissue were linked to higher odds of a large tumor when diagnosed with breast cancer during a screening. Only BMI was associated with having a large tumor for interval cancers. Dr. Laurie Margolies, chief of breast imaging at Mount Sinai Health System in New York City, said the study adds "another piece of evidence that might end the confusion about when to get a mammogram. Women should be screened every year." Both experts noted that the findings need to be replicated. And Margolies said she'd like to see the study done with a U.S. population.
Laurie Margolies, MD, Professor, Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Director of Breast Imaging, Dubin Breast Center of The Mount Sinai Hospital
WABC News - "Breast Cancer: Encouraging New Options" - Diana Williams
NEW YORK, NY – October 30, 2017
Judy Fallon, a breast cancer survivor, has seen close family members hit by four different kinds of cancer. She was often the caregiver, and she knew to be diligent about her own checkups, so she was shocked when she found a lump under her arm. “Even though I knew it was in my family, I was a caretaker to the others, I never thought it would happen to me,” said Judy Fallon. “The interesting thing about Judy’s case is that initially her breast cancer first showed up as an enlarged lymph node under her arm. In the initial diagnostic phase, we couldn’t actually find the cancer in the breast, so it was a very unusual situation, about one percent of breast cancers start out this way,” said Elisa Port, MD, FACS, associate professor of surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, chief of breast surgery and co-director of the Dubin Breast Center at The Mount Sinai Hospital. “Judy has stage two breast cancer; it is hormone receptor positive,” said Amy Tiersten, MD, professor of medicine, hematology and medical oncology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and an oncologist at the Dubin Breast Center at the Mount Sinai Hospital. “She underwent an aggressive chemotherapy regimen, which is a standard regimen. She worked full time throughout treatment, she’s a trooper,” added Dr. Tiersten. Judy was offered to participate in a brand new clinical trial. The treatment is very targeted and is a great alternative to chemotherapy.
Elisa Port, MD, FACS, Associate Professor, Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Chief, Breast Surgery, Co-Director, Dubin Breast Center, The Mount Sinai Hospital
Amy Tiersten, MD, Professor, Medicine, Hematology and Medical Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Oncologist, Breast Cancer Medical Oncology Program, Dubin Breast Center, The Mount Sinai Hospital
Cure Today - "Using Hypnosis To Treat Cancer’s Side Effects" - Katherine Malmo
NEW YORK, NY – October 28, 2017
Hypnosis isn’t what most people think it is. People who undergo it aren’t helpless or having an out-of-body experience. They’re not losing control of themselves. Some describe it as a state of inner absorption, concentration or highly focused attention. Guy Montgomery, PhD, associate professor of oncological sciences, psychiatry, director of integrative behavioral medicine program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and director of psychological services at the Dubin Breast Center at The Mount Sinai Hospital, prefers to use hypnosis in his patients before moving on to meditation and relaxation. Hypnosis has been shown to be safe and effective, and can help patients with all types of cancer and for many different purposes, and there’s evidence of its value and efficacy. “In some ways, hypnosis is the multi-purpose tool, or the Swiss army knife, of psychologists,” Dr. Montgomery said. “You can apply it to a lot of different things and adapt it to benefit patients in a way that provides real symptom control and improvement in their quality of life.”
Guy Montgomery, PhD, Associate Professor, Oncological Sciences, Psychiatry, Director, Integrative Behavioral Medicine Program , Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Director, Psychological Services, The Dubin Breast Center, The Mount Sinai Hospital
Shape Magazine - "Why Every Woman Should Know Her Breast Density" - Cassie Shortsleeve
NEW YORK, NY – October 20, 2017
When you think about breast cancer screening, one word usually comes to mind: mammogram. But for about half of the women in this country, this traditional measure of testing might not be enough. That's because roughly 50 percent of women in the U.S. have what's called dense breasts, a description that refers to the amount of fibroglandular tissue versus fat in the breast—a factor that impacts both cancer risk and detection, explained Laurie Margolies, MD, professor of radiology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and director of breast imaging at the Dubin Breast Center of The Mount Sinai Hospital. Women with the densest breasts are five to six times more likely to develop breast cancer than women with the lowest breast density, Dr. Margolies said. Fatty breast tissue is ideal for a mammogram. "The cancer shows as a white spot and it's easy to see in a gray background. As we hit menopause, fatty tissue increases and fibroglandular tissue decreases," added Dr. Margolies.
Laurie Margolies, MD, Professor, Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Director of Breast Imaging, Dubin Breast Center of The Mount Sinai Hospital
Healthline - "Breast Cancer Vaccine Trial May Blaze Trail To Stopping Cancer"
NEW YORK, NY – October 17, 2017
Researchers are hoping that they’ll soon break ground in a new medical frontier - vaccines that can stop cancer. Currently, the only vaccine designed to prevent cancer is the HPV vaccine. However, that shot protects against the human papillomavirus that leads to cervical cancer, not the cancer itself. But a new study taking place at sites across the United States, including The Mount Sinai Hospital, is researching if a vaccine can be used to prime the immune system to fight cancer cells from developing into a tumor. In this trial, researchers are studying if a vaccine can help women who have already undergone treatment for nonmetastatic stage 4 breast cancer and are in remission. The trial is currently in the phase II stage. In this stage, researchers look for signs of the vaccine’s effectiveness. The team is focused on targeting a specific protein called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). The lead investigator, Amy Tiersten, MD, professor of medicine, hematology and medical oncology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and oncologist for the Breast Cancer Medical Oncology Program at the Dubin Breast Center at The Mount Sinai Hospital, said they hope to find a way to help more women by combining Herceptin treatment and a vaccine derived from part of the HER2 protein. “There are many, many vaccine trials going on, it’s part of the revolution of immunotherapy,” she said. Now with the vaccine trial, Dr. Tiersten and her patients hope to prove that manipulating the immune system to fight cancer with a vaccine will save lives.
Amy Tiersten, MD, Professor, Medicine, Hematology and Medical Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Oncologist, Breast Cancer Medical Oncology Program, Dubin Breast Center, The mount Sinai Hospital