June 2011

Is it true? Have researchers finally found a way to prevent breast cancer? The results of a study presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2011 Annual Meeting look promising for exemestane. Exemestane (also known as Aromasin) is an aromatase inhibitor approved by the FDA in 2005 for the treatment of estrogen receptor positive, early stage breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Previous studies have shown that aromatase inhibitors prevent the recurrence of cancer after a breast tumor is removed. Now, it is being reported that a daily dose of exemestane reduced the development of invasive breast cancers by 65% in a placebo-controlled chemoprevention trial that involved 4,560 postmenopausal women considered at increased risk of the disease. Of course, it is never that simple. There are side effects, the study only followed participants for 3 years and Pfizer, maker of Aromasin, paid for the study. But I am really hopeful that the medical research community is on the right track. You can be sure I will be asking my oncologist about exemestane and I will make sure I keep you all informed.

The ladies of Team Ped A Cure are trying to prevent breast cancer too. They are training hard for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure taking place in Minneapolis and St. Paul on August 19-21, 2011. These ladies are some of my personal heroes! If they are willing to spend months training and give up 3 days of their busy lives to walk 60 miles to raise money to find a cure for a disease I have been diagnosed with, the least I can do is spread the word that they would love your support. Please visit http://www.the3day.org/site/TR/2011/TwinCitiesEvent2011?team_id=188758&pg=team&fr_id=1626 for more information.

Make sure you make the time to be good to you. When you take care of yourself you have more to give to others.

Good Health!

Terry

"Women are like teabags; you never know how strong they are until they're put in hot water."
~Eleanor Roosevelt