BCA E-Alert August 2007

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Hello! It's time for another installment of Breast Cancer Action's monthly e-alert--a collection of news, notices, and action alerts for people concerned about the breast cancer epidemic. Welcome to any new e-alert members! If you think you've been added by mistake, please follow the directions at the bottom of the email to unsubscribe.

SPREAD THE WORD--if you like this e-alert, please help us by sharing it with your friends and family. Forward this message and let them know that they can subscribe at http://www.bcaction.org/Pages/GetInformed/AlertList.html

WE PUBLISH A SNAIL MAIL NEWSLETTER TOO--We just can't get enough of you...and hope that you can't get enough of us! If you're not already on our mailing list we'd love to send you our bimonthly print newsletter, the BCA Source,filled with information on treatment, diagnosis, politics, and true prevention updates. Check out the archives and subscribe online at http://www.bcaction.org/Pages/GetInformed/Newsletters.html

INVEST IN BCA'S WORK--With your investment, we will continue to reach ambitious goals and to effect changes that others consider impossible. Individuals like you fund more than half of BCA's annual budget and 80 percent of every dollar raised goes to our programs. Help us end the breast cancer epidemic. Donate today through Network for Good at https://www.networkforgood.org/donate/MakeDonation2.aspx?ORGID2=943138992

In this issue...

NEW AT BCA
-New Issue of BCA Source Now Online
-2006 Annual Report Now Online
-Check out BCA's What's New Page
-BCA on Myspace and Facebook

IN THE NEWS
-Study Finds Diet Does Not Play a Major Role in Breast Cancer
-Research Questions Effectiveness of Chemotherapy

TAKE ACTION
-Tell the FDA to Say No to Pills for Prevention
-Become an Advocate Reviewer for the Cochrane Breast Cancer Group

SAVE THE DATE
-ASCO Breast Cancer Symposium, September 7-8, San Francisco, CA (#ASCO)
-California Breast Cancer Research Symposium, September 7-9, Los Angeles,CA

FAQ OF THE MONTH
-What is Adriamycin?

NEW AT BCA

Hot Off the Virtual Presses: August BCA Source Now Online

The August issue of the BCA Source is now online and includes a personal account of one woman's experience in a clinical trial, a news clipping on the approval of Tykerb, a review of a book on the hazards of common household products, and a preview of BCA's fall campaigns.

2006 Annual Report Online

BCA's 2006 Annual Report, entitled Telling the Truth, Inspiring Change, is now available online. The annual report highlights BCA's programs and campaigns in 2006 and honors the many individuals and organizations that support our work. If you would like to receive a print copy of the report, please contact info [at] bcaction.org. You can find the report at http://www.bcaction.org/Pages/LearnAboutUs/AnnualReports.html

Check Out BCA's What's New Page

We're updating our What's New page more regularly these days, so please check it out to view responses to new studies and articles, find out about special events, and to hear the latest podcast. Visit http://www.bcaction.org/Pages/LearnAboutUs/WhatsNew.html

BCA on Myspace and Facebook

BCA now has pages on both Myspace and Facebook. Both of these sites provide great ways to get connected to BCA, spread the word about the organization, and take action on our many campaigns. Check out our pages and add us as a friend!

For Myspace, visit http://www.myspace.com/breastcanceraction
If you are already a Facebook member, you can join the BCA group at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2558775795

IN THE NEWS

Study Finds Diet Does Not Play a Major Role in Breast Cancer

BCA wasn't surprised by a recent National Cancer Institute study that found a diet high in vegetables,fruit, and fiber, and low in fat had no effect on whether women with breast cancer will have a recurrence.

The seven-year study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, studied more than three thousand women, all of whom had been treated for early stage breast cancer. Half of the group ate a diet high in vegetables, fruit and fiber and low in fat, the other half was assigned to get educational materials about the importance of eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. The study found there was no difference in the number of recurrences of breast cancer or deaths from the disease between the two groups.

In a news release issued the day the study was published, BCA Executive Director Barbara Brenner said, "It's past time to let women know that they are not to blame if they get breast cancer, or a recurrence."

Although this study did not find that eating additional fruits and vegetables reduced the risk of a breast cancer recurrence, these foods do provide many other health benefits and should remain part of a balanced diet.

To read an abstract of the study, visit http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/298/3/289

To read BCA's press release about the study, visit http://www.bcaction.org/Pages/GetInformed/PressReleases/PR071707.html

Research Questions Effectiveness of Chemotherapy

Emerging, as yet unpublished, research indicates that less than 10 percent of breast cancer patients benefit from the most commonly used chemotherapy regimen. This type of chemotherapy, using a class of drugs called anthracyclines, appears to only be effective on tumors that produce an excess of a protein called Topol II. An article about this research is available online at http://www.cancerdecisions.com/070107.html

At the present time, there is no available test for Topol II and,therefore, no way of identifying who will benefit from--and who is harmed by--this type of chemotherapy. BCA hopes and expects that such a test will be available soon so that many women can be spared this very aggressive treatment. We call for this type of research in our Answers Wanted campaign at http://www.bcaction.org/answerswanted

TAKE ACTION

Tell the FDA to Say No to Pills for Prevention

The FDA's Oncologic Drug Advisory Committee recently recommended that raloxifene (trade name Evista) be approved for healthy women at high risk of developing breast cancer to reduce their risk of developing the disease. BCA opposes this recommendation,
because of the risk of potentially fatal side effects posed by the drug, and serious limitations of the major trial in which the drug was evaluated for women without breast cancer.

BCA has a long-standing policy opposing the use of pills to prevent breast cancer. BCA board member Jane Zones testified before the FDA Oncologic Drug Advisory Committee (ODAC) opposing Eli Lilly's request for a new approved used for raloxifene, which is already approved for the treatment of osteoporosis. You can read Jane's testimony to the FDA at http://www.bcaction.org/Pages/GetInformed/FDA072407.html
Our press release regarding the ODAC recommendation is at http://www.bcaction.org/Pages/GetInformed/PressReleases/PR072407.html

To read our Policy on Pills for Prevention, visit http://www.bcaction.org/Pages/LearnAboutUs/PillsForPreventionPolicy.html

The final step in the raloxifene approval process is for the FDA Commissioner to approve or disapprove the ODAC recommendation. If you share BCA's concerns about the use of pills to prevent breast cancer, let the Commissioner of the FDA, Andrew Von Eschenbach, know. A sample letter that you can adapt is below. Please copy pojea [at] bcaction.org on your message so we'll know how many people have taken action.

Dr. Von Eschenbach's email is: andrew.voneschenbach [at] fda.hhs.gov

Dear Dr. Von Eschenbach:

As someone who, like you, is deeply committed to seeing breast cancer prevented, I urge you to overrule the Oncologic Drug Advisory Committee's recent recommendation regarding the labeling of raloxifene for use in high risk women to reduce their risk of breast cancer.

Any drug strong enough to "prevent" breast cancer will inevitably lead to disease substitution. Raloxifene, for example, increases the risk of deep vein thromboses and strokes. Don't jeopardize women's lives in the name of reducing the risk of breast cancer.

Please make the right decision for women's health by overruling the ODAC's recommendation.

Sincerely,
YOUR NAME

Become an Advocate Reviewer for the Cochrane Breast Cancer Group

The Cochrane Breast Cancer Group (CBCG)(http://e2ma.net/go/681628951/572379/19705267/goto:http://www.ctc.usyd.edu.au/cochrane/index.html) is a review group of the Cochrane Collaboration based at The University of Sydney. They conduct scientific reviews of research relating to the prevention, early detection, and treatment of breast cancer.

Currently, CBCG is seeking women with a personal experience of breast cancer who would be interested in working with CBCG and contributing to the protocols and reviews they produce. Ideally, they are looking for women who have participated in a scientific advocacy program, or those interested in learning about and contributing to the production of evidence about health care interventions for breast cancer. Participants are not required to live in Australia.

Having consumer input on all Cochrane reviews is vital to ensuring that the content is appropriate for all stakeholders. If you or someone you know is interested in this opportunity, CBCG can provide some mentoring with experienced consumers as a learning tool.

To learn more, visit the CBCG web site at http://www.cochrane.org/consumers/sysrev.htm or contact Sharon Parker at sparker [at] ctc.usyd.edu.au.

SAVE THE DATE

ASCO Breast Cancer Symposium, September 7-8, San Francisco, CA

The 2007 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Breast Cancer Symposium will present the latest research on breast cancer prevention, treatment, diagnosis, and care. The symposium offers an opportunity for the scientific community, health care
providers, and advocates to come together and discuss how research will impact treatment now and in the future. Learn more and register at http://tinyurl.com/ytltrn
Advocates that are interested in attending the symposium can contact patientadvocates [at] asco.org for information about the advocate program and rate.

California Breast Cancer Research Symposium, September 7-9, Los Angeles, CA

The California Breast Cancer Research Symposium will bring together people affected by breast cancer, health care providers, and researchers to discuss and reflect on current and future breast cancer research. Workshop topics will include basic breast cancer concepts, the role of estrogen in breast cancer, young women and breast cancer, breast cancer prevention strategies, and studies of complementary and alternative therapies. Late-breaking research results in the areas of breast cancer cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and community impact will be presented. Sandra Steingraber, ecologist, cancer survivor, and author of Living Downstream: An Ecologist Looks at Cancer and the Environment, will be the keynote speaker. Learn more and
register at http://www.cbcrp.org/symposium/index.php

FAQ OF THE MONTH

What is Adriamycin?

Adriamycin is one of the trade names for doxorubicin. (Rubex and Doxil are other trade names for doxorubicin. Doxorubicin is a chemotherapy drug that works by damaging the RNA or DNA in cells so that they do not continue to copy themselves and divide. Doxorubicin is an antitumor chemotherapy, and classified as an anthracycline. It is used in the treatment of many different kinds of cancer, including breast, bladder, liver, lung, some types of leukemia, ovarian, prostate, stomach, testicular, and uterine. When it works in breast cancer, it reduces the risk of metastasis, or spread of disease.

Doxorubicin is administered through a vein by an intravenous injection (IV). The dose is typically determined by the type of cancer, the patient's body mass, and the patient's health history.

As a chemotherapy drug, doxorubicin kills rapidly dividing cells. This means that normal, non-cancerous, rapidly dividing cells will also be affected during doxorubicin treatment. Non-cancerous cells that may be affected by doxorubicin treatment include the blood cells, cells in the mouth, stomach, and bowel, and the hair follicles. Because of this, some patients are likely to experience low blood counts, mouth sores, nausea, diarrhea, and/or hair loss. In most cases, these symptoms go away after treatment is finished. A more concerning, long term side effect is the risk of cardiac dysfunction. There is a lifetime limit on the dose of doxorubicin because of this risk. Another more rare, but serious side effect is an increased risk of leukemia.

Emerging research suggests that the majority of breast cancer patients who receive doxorubicin may not be benefiting from it. This is because doxorubicin is an anthracycline, and these kinds of drugs appear to only be effective on tumors that produce an excess of a protein called Topol II. Unfortunately, there is currently no test for Topol II. Until there is such a test, patients will have to weigh the potential benefits versus the risks of doxorubicin with the information currently available about this drug. We hope that one day there will better information for patients having to make this decision.

More information about doxorubicin:

MedlinePlus Doxorubicin Drug Information: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a682221.html
ChemoCare: http://www.chemocare.com/bio/adriamycin.asp

More information about emerging research questioning its effectiveness:

Cancer Decisions: http://www.cancerdecisions.com/070107.html

BCA's Answers Wanted campaign: http://www.bcaction.org/Pages/TakeAction/AnswersWanted.html

YOUR INPUT WANTED: Is there a question you want answered, or an issue that you want BCA's opinion on? Send it to info [at] bcaction.org and we'll try to answer it personally or feature it in a future e-alert!

That's it for this edition! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments about this e-alert.

Thanks for your continued support of BCA. Until next time,

Pauli Ojea
Community Organizer

Our members are the driving force behind our efforts to end the breast cancer epidemic. Because Breast Cancer Action does not accept funding from the government or the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, we need your support. You can donate online or call 415-243-9301, or toll-free at 877-2STOPBC. All gifts are deeply appreciated. Donate now through Network for Good at https://www.networkforgood.org/donate/MakeDonation2.aspx?ORGID2=943138992

Breast Cancer Action is funded in part by a grant from the California Wellness Foundation (TCWF). Created in 1992 as an independent, private foundation, TCWF's mission is to improve the health of the people of California by making grants for health promotion, wellness education, and disease prevention programs.


Breast Cancer Action
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San Francisco, CA 94105

Toll-free at 877-2STOPBC (278-6722)
http://www.bcaction.org
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