Although breast cancer brings with it some sobering statistics, the treatments to combat it are continually evolving and improving. (Photo provided by the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine.)
Breast cancer remains the most common cancer diagnosed among U.S. women and the second leading cause of death from cancer among women after lung cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. It’s also the most common cancer in the world.
Although the disease brings with it some sobering statistics, the treatments to combat it are continually evolving and improving.
“Our goal is to improve the diagnosis and multidisciplinary treatment of patients through innovative clinical research, care, and education,” said Dr. Craig Shriver, retired Army colonel and director of the Murtha Cancer Center (MCC) at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
That goal is backed by the wherewithal to achieve it. MCC is the only DoD Cancer Center of Excellence within the Military Health System. The Breast Care Center at MCC has received full accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers.
The facility provides treatment that is both comprehensive and highly focused. When a person is first diagnosed with breast cancer, they meet with the Murtha breast cancer team to determine the biology of the patient’s tumors in order to find the optimal course of treatment. A surgeon, medical/radiation oncologist, pathologist, geneticist, and nursing caregivers then work together on a treatment plan.
“Breast cancer treatment is stressful for patients on many levels, and our ongoing research is driven by compassion,” said Shriver, who noted that MCC’s multidisciplinary approach to breast disease integrates five key areas: prevention, screening, early diagnosis, treatment, and continuing care.
Immunotherapy is an important part of treatment and brings it a unique promise because “it trains your body to fight cancer by using your own immune system,” explained Marie Borsellino, RN, the survivorship coordinator for the Uniformed Services University’s Murtha Cancer Center Research Program at MCC, which was established to manage cancer care for the DoD.
“We have newer treatment options that target the subtypes of cancer beyond hormone therapy such as targeted treatments, which block certain proteins that control how cancer cells grow, multiply, and spread,” she said. “Targeted treatments for HER2-positive cancer have improved survival over the last 10 years.”
The ultimate success of any clinical care starts with the prevention and awareness of a person’s personal risk. Early detection is critical. Women who are at average risk of breast cancer are advised to have screening mammograms each year starting at age 40.
In an effort to raise awareness of breast cancer research and the work that MCC is doing, the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine will once again partner with Leonardo DRS on their “Stick It 2 Cancer” fundraiser during the 2024 AUSA Annual Meeting & Exposition, which runs from Oct. 14 through 16 at the Washington, D.C. convention center. Donations can be made at the Leonardo DRS booth on the show floor.
Donations will support the MCC and continuing education.
