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Renowned breast cancer expert urges women to help her find a cure

By Meredith Moss, Staff Writer Updated 6:31 PM Friday, October 30, 2009

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This article is part of our month-long focus on breast cancer. To learn more or find ways to help, go to our Pink Edition Page

DAYTON — One of the world’s leading experts on breast cancer clarified confusing information about the screening and treatment for the disease and pleaded with audience members to join her Army of Women project at the Ninth Annual Ribbon of Hope luncheon on Thursday, Oct. 29.

Dr. Susan Love, author of the book that’s been dubbed the breast cancer bible (“Dr. Susan Love’s Breast Book”) confirmed much of the information that was initially reported in a New York Times cover story Oct. 21 but said it had not been reported in context.

“We are undoubtedly overtreating breast cancer but the problem is we’re not good enough yet to figure out who the people are we’re overtreating,” she stated. “And we do too much testing but we can’t stop it until we know more. It’s not that we should throw out mammography.”

Love, who informally addressed the pink-adorned crowd of 525 at Sinclair Community College with humor, likened the problem to the current regulations on airport screenings.

“We know it’s ridiculous to make everyone take off their shoes and turn in their liquids,” she said, “but we don’t yet have a better way to pick out the terrorists.”

In an interview before the luncheon, Love also said that “there is no direct association between either miscarriage or therapeutic abortion and breast cancer” and that no scientific studies have linked the pill to breast cancer.

“We know that the younger you are with your first pregnancy, the lower your risk of getting breast cancer,” she added.

Love said the good news is that researchers are beginning to understand the ways in which specific cancers can be matched to targeted treatments.

“Now we know that all breast cancers aren’t alike and there are at least five different kinds, some much more aggressive,” she said. “And now we know that a cancer cell doesn’t live in isolation, these cells live in community and their interaction is important. And we can change their neighborhood.”

A steady stream of attendees approached Love to express appreciation for a book that changed their lives.

“In 1997 I was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer which is very aggressive,” said Ruth Bryan of Spring Valley. “In 2008 it metastasizes and spread to my bone, my brain and my lymph nodes. I’m still here and I’m feeling great. Your book has been my inspiration, it kept me motivated.”

Love promised her Army of Women will seek and find a cure for the disease.

“It will change the way science is done and answer the questions we want answered,” she promised. “ If we have a million women, we can figure this out.”

The Ribbon of Hope luncheon raises funds for The Kettering Medical Center Foundation’s Women’s Wellness Fund which provides free mammograms and prostheses to those who are uninsured or medically under served.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2440 or MMoss@DaytonDailyNews.com.

Army of Women

What: Dr. Susan Love is seeking one million women willing to participate in research designed to eradicate breast cancer. Participation is free.

Who: Women of all ages, ethnicities, sizes and shapes are needed. The study needs women who have had breast cancer and those who have not.

How it will work: Participants will receive e-mails describing each new research study and can either decline or agree to participate at that time. No drugs are currently involved.

To Participate: Women may sign up online at www.armyofwomen.com

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I have been watching and reading these articles and I am shocked that Dr. Love is actually fighting and treating breast cancer patients. I think she has no idea what she is talking about. I was 38 year old when I was diagnosed with breast cancer and I am now 42. Thank goodness. I have a group of women who share the same disease that we all diagnosed under the age of 40 and some under the age of 30. I hope people stop listening to Dr. Love.

Fran
3:31 PM, 11/20/2009

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Let us see what Susan Love promises with research for IBC. I know that various cancer institutes have participated in IBC research, including MD Anderson in TX, but many other institutes have been doing research for this relatively rare and very aggressive cancer. Her original book gave IBC patients no hope, but her revised addition has given survivors, including me, an almost 8 year from diagnosis, room for hope and survival.

Julie
12:30 AM, 10/31/2009

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Renowned breast cancer expert urges women to help her find a cure

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