REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS:

• Women age 40+
• No mammogram in the past 12 months as of September 12, 2024.
• Must be a resident of Fulton or DeKalb County
• Insurance is NOT required but accepted
• Reserve your spot today and a representative will call you back to confirm the details.
• Don’t miss out on this opportunity to prioritize your well-being.
• Free to attend and gift bags will be provided to all mammogram registrants!

Register Now!

The post Early Detection of Breast Cancer Saves Lives at the Harlem Summit appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Her mother, Diann Ash, wrote, “We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved daughter, sister, and friend, Erica Chantal Ash (1977-2024). After a long and courageous battle with cancer, she transitioned peacefully, surrounded by her loved ones. Erica was an amazing woman and talented entertainer who touched countless lives with her sharp wit,  humor, and genuine zest life. Her memory will live eternally in our hearts.”

When she appeared as a guest on Jemele Hill’s Unbothered Podcast ep 88, “The Year of No F**Ks,” in 2020, Ash talked candidly about battling breast cancer. “I’ve beaten cancer twice. The first time was 2b, the second time was stage 4, and I was trying to decide if I would talk about this…because I haven’t before. But I feel like I should because Black women don’t talk about it, and we need to share our journeys. It was probably the toughest journey for me, but it made me realize the depth of my power. I don’t even know the depth of my power.”

Ash was first diagnosed with breast cancer at the same time she was cast on MAD TV and underwent treatment while doing the show. And didn’t tell any of her friends. It returned for the second time a decade later. Ash’s diagnosis at that time was stage 4 cancer. The cancer also ate away 70% of her spine, requiring her to get screws installed. As a result, she decided to live boldly. And she did things like jump off cliffs in Mexico. “I am going to test the limits of my Black girl magic,” she told Hill in the interview. “I told three girlfriends and my parents.” Everyone else found out listening to Hill’s show. She was shooting “In Contempt” during her stage 4 diagnosis and treatment.

Ash believed that one should listen to one’s body and ask questions of medical professionals until one is satisfied with the answers. She told Hill she wasn’t afraid to fire her doctors, and she did so more than once.

Ash was beloved by her colleagues, friends, and all who knew her. May she rest in peace. The family asks that any donations be made to the Susan G. Komen Cancer Foundation.

The post Actress Erica Ash Has Died After A Battle With Cancer appeared first on Black Health Matters.

REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS:

• Women age 40+
• No mammogram in the past 12 months as of September 12, 2024.
• Must be a resident of Fulton or DeKalb County
• Insurance is NOT required but accepted
• Reserve your spot today and a representative will call you back to confirm the details.
• Don’t miss out on this opportunity to prioritize your well-being.
• Free to attend and gift bags will be provided to all mammogram registrants!

Register Now!

The post Early Detection of Breast Cancer Saves Lives appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Sydney became an advocate to dispel the stigma that lung cancer is a smoker’s disease. She wants to increase awareness about the need for more lung cancer research, get rid of the stigma, and obtain research funding on the same level as breast, ovarian and other women’s cancers to educate others that lung cancer kills more people than those cancers combined.

Dr. Barned is a lung cancer survivor turned advocate. Her story from diagnosis to advocacy is one of honesty and unwavering hope. Through her personal experiences and powerful insights, she sheds light on the challenges and triumphs she faced throughout her lung cancer journey.

Black Health Matters: First, tell us a bit about how you were diagnosed with lung cancer and what that experience was like for you.

Dr. Barned: So, in February 2016, I realized that I was having some shortness of breath with my exercise routines. I have always been very active in various activities, so when I noticed that my exercise tolerance was diminished and I was struggling during my 5K runs, I knew something was wrong. I went and got an x-ray and was initially diagnosed with walking pneumonia.

I later started experiencing a chronic cough, so I decided to see a lung specialist (pulmonologist). The x-ray was repeated, and it had improved but was still abnormal. I was then diagnosed with hyperactive airway disease and prescribed a steroid. My symptoms continued to worsen so I saw a different pulmonologist. I completed another x-ray and requested a CT scan which showed a mass that was compressing my airway.

After doing biopsies, bronchoscopies, and various other tests, I was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. As a physician who was active, had never smoked, and was pretty obnoxious about telling people to stop smoking because of the risk of lung cancer, the irony was shocking.

Black Health Matters: Can you share more about your advocacy work?

Dr. Barned: I have dedicated myself to educating others on the fact that anyone with lungs can get lung cancer, and that if you have certain risk factors to request screening for lung cancer. Understanding the criteria is something that we need to encourage the public to do and to make sure that if they have certain risk factors or present with certain symptoms that they need to insist that they get the test necessary to make sure that lung cancer is not caught in its later stages.

Black Health Matters: What’s one piece of advice you would share with someone who is considering requesting additional testing?

Dr. Barned: Early detection is very curative. The earlier the cancer is detected, the earlier you can begin treatment.

Black Health Matters: Thank you for sharing your story. Any final thoughts?

Dr. Barned: Though lung cancer survival rates are much lower at later stages, getting diagnosed at stage 4 is one of the reasons why lung cancer advocacy is so important to me. I’m so happy to be a source of education and to tell my story.

Want to learn more about non-small cell lung cancer clinical trials? Visit here to learn more.

The post Championing Change: Physician and Lung Cancer Advocate Shares Personal Story appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Finding Out What is Relevant For Us.

In approaching this study, researchers knew that persistent disparities exist when it comes to our health, particularly in cancer diagnosis and Black women. “In having a population of all Black women, we can understand what’s driving better outcomes for some Black women, less great outcomes for other black women. That way, as we partner with patient outreach and support and our local and national leaders, we can develop interventions that will be relevant for Black women,” Dr. McCullough says. “Often, when we think about disparities, we think about the reference or comparator group being white women. But by augmenting this population, we can better understand what works for us and what works for our health, and help drive interventions that will be relevant.”

This a 30 Year Study

The goal is to enroll over 100,000 women. This is not the most extensive study of Black women. But it will be the most extensive study to have Black women focused on cancer. To start, they are looking for Black women between the ages of 25-55 who have never been diagnosed with cancer (skin cancer is the only exception). Potential participants fill out a pretty comprehensive questionnaire, so they find out about your lived experience.

Dr. McCullough provides more details. “You will complete a short registration survey to get your demographic characteristics, name, address, phone number, and email. And that’s so we can keep up with you over the time you’re in the study for the next 30 years. That entire process takes about 10 or 15 minutes.,” she explains.

“After that, you would complete the first life and health histories survey, which takes about an hour, and some of the usual things you would expect in a health survey, previous medical conditions and family history; we’d also ask about lifestyle and behavior. Physical activity, diet environment, or food environment, we’d ask about your sleep. And then, there are several questions that we think are specific to this demographic group, including social support and caregiving, mental health, and experiences of racism and discrimination. And that survey, again, takes about an hour, and you’ll be fully enrolled in the study.” However, the health history is designed to be self-paced so participants can return to finish it when their schedules permit.

“Over time, we follow the population for all health outcomes, including cancer. So we’re able to understand then how all of these different things that someone may be exposed to, through their environment, their lifestyle, their job, their family, or medical, personal medical history, and so on, as well as other social and structural aspects, how all of these different factors may influence the risk of developing different types of health outcomes,” Dr. Patel explains, “Then we keep following the populations. So, for instance, if a woman is diagnosed with cancer, we don’t stop following her; we continue to follow the population for potentially the next 30 years, really to be able to understand how also to improve outcomes after a cancer or other disease diagnosis.”

You Don’t Have to Go Anywhere

You can participate in the Voices of Black Women study from the privacy of your home. You never have to go anywhere. “It is not a clinical trial. It is not an intervention,” Dr. McCullough says. “We just want to know about you, your experiences, your lifestyle, and then we can link that with various health outcomes that will emerge throughout the study.”

Dr. McCullough notes that over 30 years, the study researchers will reach out to participants twice a year to complete a 30-minute survey. And that’s it. “So an hour investment every year is what we’re looking for when we partner with Black women, and having this information on this number of women can help augment the research in health and cancer for Black women,” she says.

They Are Recruiting in 20 States

Recruitment is already underway, according to Dr. Patel.”We are recruiting right now across 20 states, including the District of Columbia. These 20 states and D.C. represent where over 90% of the Black population in the United States lives,” she says.

The States include Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

Researchers Want to Build a Bidirectional Relationship

Dr. Patel says that this study is building upon previous studies. “So, an important thing for us has been and will continue to be for voices of Black women to share what we learned from the study. The more our participants feel connected to the discoveries we’re making to inform their health and understand their impact on a much greater scale, the more important it is to us,” she says. “We plan to build a bidirectional relationship through that participant portal. This is not something that we want women who choose to participate to feel like they are doing for us. But this is something they are doing with us. We will share findings as we uncover them over the next 30 years with our study participants.”

What They Hope to Learn

Dr. McCullough says, “I think we hope to learn why Black women are getting more aggressive types of disease. Cancer relatively impacts Black and white women pretty equally. But we know Black women are more likely to be diagnosed with tumors that are harder to treat, as well as late-stage tumors,” she says. “Even though for breast cancer, for example, Black women are equally likely to get screened as their white counterparts. And so, trying to get more insights on why this is the way we can tailor our prevention messages would be another goal. And then, finally, why Black women tend to die more or less often than other counterparts. And again, that we’re focused on Black women. But I think we can glean nice insights from understanding which participants, you know, survive longer. Are there things that they’re doing differently? Are there different systems that they’re operating in that better attend to their social needs? But certainly, some early insights will hopefully begin to narrow those gaps and create optimal health for all Black women.”

To enroll in VOICES of Black Women, go here.

If you still have questions about the program, check out the FAQs here.

The post Everything You Need to Know About the VOICES of Black Women Study (Focused on Us and Cancer) appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to prioritize your well-being. Schedule your FREE mammogram screening today by dialing 1-877-628-9090 or using the scheduling link below. Insurance is not required, and if you haven’t had a mammogram in the past 12 months, this is your chance to take proactive steps toward your health.

Schedule today: https://bit.ly/3UDGcni

The post Get Screenedwith Mobile Digital Mammography appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Testicular cancer can occur at any age, but it is most common among males aged 20 to 44 years old, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2024, there will be 9,760 new cases of testicular cancer diagnoses and about 500 deaths from testicular cancer. Although testicular cancer is not common, 1 in every 250 males will develop it at some point in their lifetime.

What is Testicular Cancer?

According to the Mayo Clinic, testicular cancer is a growth of cells that start in the testicles. The testicles, which are also called testes, are in the scrotum. The scrotum is a loose bag of skin underneath the penis. The testicles are responsible for making sperm and the hormone testosterone.

What Are the Symptoms?

The first sign of testicular cancer is often a bump or lump on a testicle. The Mayo Clinic has formulated a list of signs and symptoms of testicular cancer, which includes:

• A lump or swelling in either testicle.
• A feeling of heaviness in the scrotum.
• A dull ache in the lower belly or groin.
• Sudden swelling in the scrotum.
• Pain or discomfort in a testicle or the scrotum.
• Enlargement or tenderness of the breast tissue.
• Back pain.

If these symptoms last longer than two weeks, please see your healthcare provider; an early diagnosis is always best.

What Does Your Diagnosis Mean?

The Black community is used to taking the lead in many cancers, but in the case of testicular cancer, white people are at greater risk due to the genetic factors involved in the disease. According to Healthline, white people tend to be four to five times more likely to have testicular cancer than Black or Asian people.

If you are diagnosed with testicular cancer, it is important to know what type of testicular cancer you have. John Hopkins Medicine gave insight into the different types of testicular cancer, including:

* Seminomas.

* Nonseminomatous Germ Cell Tumors (NSGCT).

* Stromal Tumors.

Seminomas are tumors originating in male germ cells. They tend to grow and spread slowly, but some seminomas can grow rapidly. 95% of seminomas are classic, and then there are spermatocytic seminomas, which tend to occur in older men. Seminomas can secrete human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). Four main types of NSGCTs can appear alone but often appear mixed, meaning there is more than one type of NSGCT. This includes:

• Embryonal carcinoma is present in about 40 percent of tumors and is among the most rapidly growing and potentially aggressive tumor types. Embryonal carcinoma can secrete HCG or alpha-fetoprotein (AFP).
• Yolk sac carcinoma is the most common type of tumor in children; it responds well to chemotherapy in children and adults. Yolk sac tumors almost always secrete AFP.
• Choriocarcinoma is a very rare and very aggressive form of testis cancer. It can secrete HCG.
• Teratoma most often appears as a mixed NSGCT. They usually grow locally but can appear in retroperitoneal lymph nodes. Teratoma is chemotherapy- and radiation-resistant and best treated with surgical removal.

Then, there are stromal tumors, which develop from the supportive tissues around the germ cells in the testicle. These tumors are rare as they make up less than 5% of testis cancers, and they have an excellent prognosis if treated surgically. There are two types of stromal tumors including:

• Leydig cell tumors impact the Leydig cells responsible for making testosterone.
• Sertoli cell tumors impact Sertoli cells, which support and nourish the developing sperm.

Tests and Detection of Testicular Cancer

Testicular cancer is usually found because of symptoms that a person is having but it can also be found when tests are done for another condition, according to the American Cancer Society. When going to see a doctor regarding the concern of testicular cancer, the doctor may give you an exam to detect any swelling, lumps, or tenderness. The doctor may also examine your abdomen, lymph nodes, and other parts of your body to look for signs of cancer spread. To better assess your condition, you may also partake in the following procedures:

• Ultrasound of the testicles.
• Blood tests for tumor markers and the secretion of HCG and AFP can be found in the blood; this will signal your doctors to look further into the possibility of cancer.
• Biopsy is a rare method for testicular cancer.
• Scans and imaging tests, including x-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, and PET scans.

Treatment Options

Testicular cancer treatment often involves surgery and chemotherapy, according to the Mayo Clinic. Still, your treatment plan is unique to your specific needs, and only your healthcare team can provide you with the best plan.

Some common forms of treatment include:

* Surgery.

* Chemotherapy.

* Radiation therapy.

* Immunotherapy.

Surgery can be conducted to remove the testicle or nearby lymph nodes. Chemotherapy treatment uses strong medicines, either implemented orally or through intravenous injection (IV), to kill cancer cells; this can aid in treating cancer spread as well. Radiation therapy includes the use of special high-energy X-rays that can kill cancer cells and or alter their ability to multiply. Then, there is immunotherapy, a cancer treatment method that uses drugs and vaccines to aid white blood cells in identifying and attacking the cancerous cells. This is sometimes used in advanced testicular cancer cases.

It is essential for you to ask your medical team any questions that you have regarding treatment, as every approach has its risks, advantages, and disadvantages. Also, some doctors may suggest a mixture of treatments; be prepared for this, as your treatment plan will be personalized just for you.

Although there is cause for concern regarding testicular cancer, there is also room for optimism as studies have shown that the average five-year survival rate for Black males with testicular cancer is 88.8%, as reported by VeryWellHealth. So, stay informed, and good health is within reach with the right medical care.

Risk Factors

Genetics are heavily to blame for testicular cancer diagnoses as having a parent with the disease increases your risk by nearly 400%, and having a sibling with the disease increases your risk by more than 800%, according to VeryWellHealth.

There are a few risk factors beyond family genetics that can increase your risk for testicular cancer. These include:

•  Being between the ages of 20 and 34.
• Having an undescended testicle (known as cryptorchidism).
• Having had testicular cancer before.
• Having human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Your Medical Team

The type of medical team you have is based on the treatment options you need and the severity of your condition. The American Cancer Society reports that different types of doctors may be on your treatment team, including:

• Urologists: surgeons who specialize in treating diseases of the urinary system.
• Radiation oncologists: doctors who treat cancer by using radiation therapy.
• Medical oncologists: doctors who treat cancer with medicines like chemotherapy.

Although there is cause for concern regarding testicular cancer, there is also room for optimism as studies have shown that the average five-year survival rate for Black males with testicular cancer is 88.8%, as reported by VeryWellHealth. So, stay informed, and good health is within reach with the right medical care.

The post Understanding Testicular Cancer: From Diagnosis to Treatment appeared first on Black Health Matters.

According to The Cleveland Clinic, Class III Obesity used to be referred to as morbid obesity, “A complex chronic disease in which a person has a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher or a BMI of 35 or higher and is experiencing obesity-related health conditions.” Studies have reported that extreme obesity can decrease life expectancy by up to 14 years. Mandisa had been last known alive three weeks before her death, according to reports.

The singer also saw her share of triumphs and tears. Right after winning two Grammy awards for Overcomers, her best friend and backup singer, Kisha Mitchell, died of breast cancer while pregnant. Mandisa became depressed, gained 200 pounds, and became a recluse for a time, she told People. Then, she fought her way out of the darkness.

But although she is no longer on this physical plane, Mandisa has left us with six albums that give us the beauty of her voice that will live on.

The post Mandisa’s Cause of Death Has Been Revealed appeared first on Black Health Matters.

What is a Cancer Recurrence?

According to the American Cancer Society, in some cases, cancer can come back after treatment. When this happens, it is called cancer recurrence. The cancer can come back in the same place it started, or it may come back somewhere else in the body. When the cancer comes back in a new part of the body, it is still named after the part of the body where it originally started.

Where Does Cancer Recur?

Your cancer may recur in the same place it originally started, or it can move to various parts of your body. The American Cancer Society states that recurrence is divided into three categories, this includes:

• Local recurrence is when the cancer reappears in the same place it was found or is remarkably close by. The cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes or other body parts.
• Regional recurrence occurs in the lymph nodes and tissue near your original cancer. * Distant recurrence refers to cancer that has spread to areas farther away from where your cancer was first located. This is called metastatic cancer.

Let’s take a moment to learn more about metastatic cancer. If you happen to hear the word “metastasis” in conversation as your healthcare providers explain your condition, you may wonder what this word means and how it can impact your healing journey.

What is Metastatic Cancer?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, metastasis occurs when cancer spreads to other areas of your body beyond the place where it originally started. Nearly all cancers have the potential to metastasize, but the predictability of this occurrence heavily relies on factors such as the type, size, and location of the primary tumor. The Cleveland Clinic has provided a concise list of other names for metastatic cancer that you may hear.

This includes:

* Stage IV (4) cancer.

* Secondary cancer.

* Cancer with Mets or Mets cancer

How Does Cancer Spread?

As stated by the National Cancer Institute, cancer can spread in a few ways, including:

• Growing into, or invading, nearby normal tissue.
• Moving through the walls of nearby lymph nodes or blood vessels.
• Traveling through the lymphatic system and bloodstream to other body parts.
• Stopping in small blood vessels at a distant location invades the blood vessel walls and moves into the surrounding tissue.
• Growing in this tissue until a tiny tumor forms.
• This causes new blood vessels to grow, creating a blood supply that allows the metastatic tumor to grow.

Are Specific Cancers More Likely to Metastasize?

Cancer can spread to almost any part of the body, but different types of cancer are more likely to spread to certain areas than others. With the exclusion of lymph nodes, the National Cancer Institute has provided a list of cancers and areas prone to metastasis, this includes the following:

•  Bladder cancer is prone to spreading to the liver, bones, and lungs.
• Breast cancer is prone to spreading to the liver, brain, bones, and lungs.
• Colon cancer is prone to spreading to the liver, peritoneum, and lungs.
• Kidney cancer is prone to spreading to the liver, brain, adrenal gland, bones, and lungs.
• Lung cancer is prone to spreading to the liver, brain, adrenal gland, bones, and lungs.
• Melanoma cancer is prone to spreading to the liver, skin, muscle, liver, brain, lungs, and bones.
• Ovarian cancer is prone to spreading to the liver, peritoneum, and lungs.
• Pancreatic cancer is prone to spreading to the liver, peritoneum, and lungs.
• Prostate cancer is prone to spreading to the adrenal gland, liver, bones, and lungs.
•  Rectal cancer is prone to spreading to the liver, peritoneum, and lungs.
• Stomach cancer is prone to spreading to the liver, bones, and lungs.
•  Thyroid cancer is prone to spreading to the liver, bones, and lungs.
• Uterine cancer is prone to spreading to the liver, peritoneum, vagina, bones, and lungs.

According to this list, cancer cancer most often spreads to the liver, bones, and lungs.

Although the list seems repetitive, we urge you to take a look. You may recognize your diagnosis, which can better prepare you to manage your health.

What Are the Symptoms of Metastasis

Now that you know the areas where cancer is most likely to spread, you may be wondering how you can identify metastasis or if there are any symptoms to look out for. As stated by Healthline, metastatic cancer does not always present itself with symptoms, but when it does occur, you may experience a few things, including the following:

• Bone: pain, easily fractured bones
• Brain: headache, dizziness, vision problems, seizures
• Lung: shortness of breath, cough, chest pain
• Liver: jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), bloating, abdominal pain. ]

If your cancer comes back, you may also hear the word “advanced” used to describe your condition. If you are told that your cancer is advanced, it is important to find out exactly what your doctor means. Some healthcare providers use advanced to describe metastatic cancer, and others use it to describe other situations. Understanding what your doctor means is vital, as all metastatic cancers are not advanced.

What is advanced cancer?

According to the American Cancer Society, the term ‘advanced cancer’ is commonly used to describe cancers that cannot be cured. These cancers do not completely disappear and remain present despite treatment efforts. However, certain types of advanced cancer can be managed over an extended period and are thought of as ongoing or chronic illnesses.

Advanced cancer can be locally advanced or metastatic.

Locally advanced means that the cancer has grown outside of the body part it started in but has not yet spread to other parts of the body, according to the American Cancer Society. On the other hand, metastatic cancers are characterized by their ability to spread from where they started, but they are often only considered advanced when they cannot be cured or controlled with treatment.

If you are told that your cancer is advanced, you are faced with many decisions about your health, including the route that you would like to take regarding your medical team and care.

The post What if Your Cancer Comes Back? What You Should Know About Advanced Cancer & Metastasis appeared first on Black Health Matters.

According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), alcohol use has been shown to have links to head, mouth and throat, esophagus, liver, colorectal, and stomach cancers. It has also been shown to increase the risk of breast cancer in women. There is also evidence that drinking alcohol increases the risk of prostate and pancreatic cancer.

They estimate that 5.5 percent of new cancer diagnoses and 5.8 percent of cancer deaths worldwide are attributable to alcohol consumption. While data suggests that Caucasians consume more alcoholic beverages than any other racial and ethnic group in the US, Black Americans have a greater rate of alcohol-related cancers.

Jennifer Edwards Johnson, DO, MPH, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine, says, “We have known for a while that moderate alcohol consumption has been linked to cancer.” According to Dr. Edwards Johnson, the more drinks consumed seem to have more impact on risks than the type of liquor you drink. The NCI data suggests that all alcoholic beverages, including red and white wine, beer, and liquor, are linked with cancer. Their studies show that just one drink a day can raise your risks. Data from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) shows that nearly 5.5 percent of all new cancer diagnoses and 5.8 percent of all deaths from cancer can be attributed to alcohol consumption.

How Much is Too Much?

Dr. Edwards Johnson says the standard consumption for women is one drink per day. Two drinks per day is considered standard consumption for men. “Nothing is risk-free,” she adds. Dr. Edwards Johnson says that the risks are less associated with the kind of alcohol consumed and more tied to the amount and frequency over time.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, a standard alcoholic drink in the United States contains 14.0 grams (0.6 ounces) of pure alcohol. Generally, this amount of pure alcohol is found in:

• 12 ounces of beer
• 8–10 ounces of malt liquor
• 5 ounces of wine
• 1.5 ounces, or a “shot,” of 80-proof distilled spirits (liquor)

However, the level of consumption and frequency can raise a woman’s risk. According to the  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), if a man and woman drink the same amount of alcohol, the woman will usually have a higher blood alcohol level. And not only do women typically experience the immediate effects of alcohol more quickly than men.

But stopping cold turkey won’t necessarily stop your cancer risks—at least not right away. Most studies found that stopping alcohol consumption is not a guarantee of immediate reductions in cancer risk. It may take years for the risks of cancer to return to those of never-drinkers.

If you want to reduce your risks, Dr. Edwards Johnson says,” the best thing is to avoid alcohol consumption altogether.” And if that doesn’t suit your lifestyle, she suggests that you “uncouple your drinking from your habits and rituals.” And she says it is essential to look at why you are drinking.

“Some people report that they drink because it helps them relax. For others, it is a part of their culture and socialization,” she says. “You must weigh out the risks versus the benefits of drinking. Dr. Edwards Johnson says that if you can break the habit of moderate to high alcohol consumption, not only will you reduce your cancer risks, “you will also reduce the liquid calories you take in and reduce your risk for diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and stroke as well. “

The post Does That Glass of Wine Raise Your Cancer Risks? appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Dr. Fakorede notes that in Southern rural areas, there is a high incidence of diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and, in some cases, tobacco smoking that leads to plaque buildup. “80% of the patients I see are Black,” he explains. “These elderly folks started dipping and chewing tobacco when they were eight or nine. Back then, they were told it would keep the worms away.”

There are many health disparities in the Delta, including education, economic, transportation, and housing. The crisis heightens when you also layer in healthcare issues, including underinsurance, lack of insurance, and communication issues. “So the risk factors include sugar, the pressure, and it’s not well-managed, and we wait for them to end up in the ER with a gangrene foot. And that doctor looks at them and says, ‘Well. Chop, chop, that’s the treatment. There has been a lack of awareness, not only on the patient side but also on providers; we need to have a conversation.”

Dr. Fakorede notes that if you use cancer as an analogy, where we catch it early in stage in stage four. The mortality rates of this disease and its advanced ages are worse than most cancers,” he explains. “60% of patients will die within five years from critical limb ischemia, which is an advanced stage of PD. Compared to breast cancer, that is double at that stage.”

This crisis is not just happening in Mississippi. It is also in rural areas of Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas—even the urban cities of Philadelphia and Chicago. Our communities are on fire, and we didn’t even know it.

 Four Organizations Come Together to Form The Pulse Alliance to Raise Awareness About PAD

Dr. Fakorede is a member of the Association of Black Cardiologists, one of four organizations that have come together to spread the word about the amputation epidemic. Other organizations, including the Society of Interventional Radiologists, the Society for Vascular Surgery, and the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Intervention, sound the alarm about this issue.

• In a survey conducted by the Pulse Alliance,  70% had never heard of Peripheral Artery Disease.
• Nearly 80% of Black and Hispanic adults reported never having a doctor or healthcare provider discuss PAD with them.
• There was a disconnect between the risk factors (diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking) and their personal perceived risk. People with diabetes have 3xs the risks for PAD, while 80% of patients with PAD are smokers.
• We are twice as likely to get a PAD diagnosis and four times as likely to have an amputation.
• Over half (53%) of respondents would wait more than a week with ongoing leg pain before calling their doctor.

Amputation Isn’t the Only Option

According to Dr. Goke Akinwande, MD, Medical Director, Vascular and Endovascular Specialist, and an interventional radiologist who practices in St. Louis, this epidemic is not our community’s fault. “It’s the physician’s fault; we don’t educate people correctly,” he explains.”So we call it the sugar, but are your legs being cut off because of the sugar? That is usually the conversation. However, diabetes is challenging on the small vessels in the leg. Your arteries get smaller as they go down to the foot. When you don’t have enough blood flow to the foot, it causes sores, which become infected.” Dr. Akinwande says to think of it as having a hose tied to a faucet. When you smoke, on the other hand, it impacts the faucet itself and the distal vessels leading to the feet.

“If you have foot pain that doesn’t go away, or it gets worse when you walk or asleep, get it checked out, ” Dr. Akinwande says. “Most primary doctors blame it on neuropathy. Do you know how many patients come to me on drugs for neuropathy? Patients may need an imaging study to see what is going on. So the foot doctor or vascular specialist is your friend.”

“So I’m an interventional radiologist and in St. Louis, a specialist for a more severe form of peripheral arterial disease called critical limb ischemia,” Dr. Akinwande says. “At this point, there you have pain all the time, and the artery is blocked. So, have figured out a way to get through the blockage, get a balloon up, and get a stent in.” When he started his practice, Dr. Akinwande thought many surgeons and interventional cardiologists were also doing this procedure, but they weren’t, and since then, through word of mouth, it has consumed his practice.

Educating the Community

While they were raised on the East Coast, both Drs Fakorede and Akinwande are committed to connecting by using methods of education that help them understand how to improve their health. When Dr. Akinwande was on the faculty of a teaching hospital in St. Louis, he drove to the north side of town where the Black folks live to observe the community; he met a Black female podiatrist there. They began doing health fairs together, and she still refers patients to him today. He talks to patients about ways to change their diets, then asks them to send photos of their Thanksgiving meals, with details like what kind of meat they put in the greens.

“I believe in the direct-to-consumer approach; you’ve got to meet people where they are. That has been my successful model here. People have to realize that most people don’t walk into the doctor’s office to have these conversations,” Dr. Fakorede says. “They go to the streets, churches, civic organizations, sororities, fraternities, The Chamber of Commerce. My approach has been to disrupt in a positive way, and they can see that you care.” He says it opens the doors to conversations for concerned family members, those with personal questions who wouldn’t otherwise inquire.

“I talk honestly to my patients in a language they understand. “Hey, listen, that sweet tea you drink is why your sugar levels, hemoglobin, and A1C number, which is a factor in trend in why your plaque buildup is higher, and that leads to no blood flow and your circulation shutdown,” Dr. Fakorede says. “If we can get your sugar controlled, or you can quit that sweet tea, half of those carbs, that will improve your sugar and give you a fighting chance to say, ‘Hey, give me another go at this.’ That’s what’s missing in the conversations with our patients down here.”

In his office, Dr. Fakorede found a solution for patients who got lost in physician-speak. “One thing I’ve noticed is when we doctors walk into rooms with white coats, there’s reverence sometimes that patients get lost in thought. When the doctor asks, ‘Do you have any questions for me?’ Many are intimated,” he says. “So when the doctor walks out, they get upset and ask the nurse, ‘Can you please repeat what s/he told me?’ So now, I bring in visual aids to explain whatever I am talking about; I speak at a fifth-grade level, use analogies, and ask the patient to repeat the information so I know they understand it.”

Prevention and Screening Recommendations

We have reached a crisis level because our providers haven’t been screening us, and we haven’t known about the tests to ask for. So here is what we need to know about who needs to be screened and when for PAD:

• If you are over age 50, have a history of diabetes, or have used tobacco, dipped or chewed tobacco
• If you have a heart attack, coronary artery disease, have a stent in your heart, or have a stroke.
• If you have had diabetes for over ten years, and sometimes your legs hurt (or feel cold at times)
• If you have a family history of amputation
• When you go to Sam’s Club and can’t get through the entire place, you must rest because your leg hurts. Then it happens all the time, even when you are asleep. If you have a sore, blame a mosquito or spider bite, and it isn’t improving.
• Your foot looks funny. It’s dry, scaly, and always ashy, and no amount of lotion seems to help.

The post The Amputation Epidemic We Need To Talk About (And Preventions Strategies) appeared first on Black Health Matters.

We decided to dive into the topic of whole-body deodorants and get professional guidance to help you determine if it is worth trying. We turned to a board-certified dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon, Dr. Brooke A. Jackson, for insight into whole-body deodorants.

BHM: On a molecular level, how do whole-body deodorants work?

Dr. Jackson: Let’s discuss deodorant versus antiperspirant. Deodorants minimize odor through antibacterial properties and fragrance of some sort. Antiperspirants reduce sweat and odor. Often, chemicals such as aluminum are used to minimize sweat. Aluminum salts dissolve on your skin, blocking your pores from secreting sweat.

Over the past few years there has been some concern over the use of aluminum in antiperspirants as a potential link to cancer.

Because aluminum prevents you from sweating, some proponents of aluminum-free products believe that the action of aluminum-containing products that prevent you from sweating out toxins could eventually lead to cancer. Scientific evidence to support this claim is lacking.

According to the American Cancer Society, no clear link between antiperspirants and breast cancer has been established, and breast cancer tissue has not been proven to contain higher concentrations of aluminum. Toxins are excreted from the body through the liver and the kidneys, not through sweat.

BHM: Are whole-body deodorants safe?

Dr. Jackson: Generally, yes, let’s drill down on that. Most whole-body deodorants do not contain aluminum. However, they contain potential irritants such as fragrance, alcohol, and astringents, which change the skin’s pH, making it less hospitable to odor-causing bacteria. Patients who have eczema or sensitive skin may find these products problematic. While aluminum absorption is minimal, the effect of whole-body aluminum-containing products has not been studied.

BHM: Can whole-body deodorant be used everywhere?

Dr. Jackson: Theoretically, yes, but practically, why would you need to? These products are not intended to be body lotions. The use should be limited to those areas on your body prone to odor or excessive sweat. These products are for external use only.

BHM: Are there any potential side effects of whole-body deodorants? If so, how can people reduce them?

Dr. Jackson: Alcohol, astringents, and fragrance can be issues. Approach with caution if you have sensitive skin

BHM: In your experience, are natural whole-body deodorants safer or more effective than their counterparts?

Dr. Jackson: natural deodorants often contain botanicals and fragrances, which can also be irritating.

BHM: Do you have any product recommendations for whole-body deodorants?

Dr. Jackson: Wear breathable wicking fabrics such as Coolmax, dri-fit, and Under Armor. Try going commando at night and maintain a healthy weight, as moisture, sweat, and bacteria tend to be more of an issue in those who are overweight.

If you are considering trying this new hygiene trend, look into our list of the top 3 whole-body deodorants.

1. Dove is our first choice as it promises freshness for up to 72 hours and prioritizes odor control and skin health. This whole-body deodorant can go beyond your underarms and even alleviate chafing. Infused with shea butter and vitamins B3 and E and coming in at $11 -$13 1Dove’s unscented whole-body deodorant could be perfect for you.

2. Lume is another versatile product for odor control, as it also guarantees 72 hours of protection. Depending on the type of formula, it can be found for $20 or below; we suggest the unscented formula as it is free from essential oils and fragrance oils and fully embraces the aspects of its natural ingredients.

3. Next up, we have Native. This brand is quite famous for bringing natural alternatives to the deodorant aisles, but now, they have also joined the whole-body deodorant market. According to their website, their unscented whole-body deodorant is clinically proven to provide 72 hours of protection. It is also made without aluminum, parabens, baking soda, or talc. For $13, you can give Native a try.

The post Are Whole Body Deodorants Worth Trying? appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Presented By JaBaris D. Swain, Medical Executive, Health Systems Integration

The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson

Dr. Shelina Ramnarine, Director Of Our Race To Health Equity Community Engagement at Johnson Johnson

Dr. JaBaris D. Swain and Dr. Shelina Ramnarine highlighted how inclusive medical illustrations can aid confidence and trust in healthcare professionals at the Black Health Matters Spring Summit.

They began by asking the audience how often they have encountered medical imagery that reflects them. The response was predictably underwhelming. “Imagine how challenging it must be when you go into the doctor to get care and you’re not even represented in that setting,” said Dr. Ramnarine.

“Forty-seven percent of dermatologists and dermatological residents in the U.S. thought their training was inadequate for preparing them to identify and treat conditions on dark skin. That’s a high percentage. That’s almost half,” she continued. “We have another statistic that says 64.6 percent of medical respondents note that access to inclusive medical illustrations would significantly help them diagnose and treat patients of color.”

She stressed the value of a proper education. “We need to ensure that all medical professionals that we see can treat Black and Hispanic patients.”

Dr. Ramnarine noted that increasing the rate of professionals entering the field with this knowledge would also be useful. “Patients of color, we know, are more likely to seek help from practitioners that look like them because they can understand and relate. They know what things look like on that skin, so we do a lot of work diversifying the pipeline of healthcare professionals.”

She explained how Johnson & Johnson is helping to change the materials available to educate doctors and students. “Illustrate Change is an initiative to build the largest medical library of medical illustrations. So, it started with 25 illustrations and some research we were doing on maternal mortality in Atlanta. We were trying to understand why the rates of maternal mortality are higher in Black women. One of the things that came out of the market research was that patients didn’t feel seen when they went to the doctor’s office because no imagery represented them,” said Dr. Ramnarine.

She shared that these resources are free and accessible. “These illustrations are available on the website free of use. For those of you who may work at a health center or individuals who are patient-facing, advocate organizations, the illustrations are available to download and use in whatever setting you like.”

The illustrations aid patients as well. “If you’re a patient and you’re trying to understand what something looks like for me, and we know that breast cancer, for example, is different in black women, they tend to get triple-negative breast cancer. You want illustrations that you can relate to and look like that on your skin,” she said. “When patients see themselves depicted in medical illustrations, they feel understood.”

Dr. Swain, who helped work on the site, demonstrated the need for the initiative by asking for audience participation. “I challenge everyone if to take a moment to Google psoriasis,” he said. “When you do it, all the images will be of White skin.”

“Think about when you go to a physician or a dermatologist, and you show them your hand or show them, pull up your shirt and show them a rash, you know, a lot of them will have to go to a medical resource, to try to identify what the rash is but the overwhelming majority of those resources are depicted on white skin,” he continued. He recounted a childhood story to drive home further his point. “This sounds crazy, but I remember when I was growing up, a young woman had a darker complexion on the back of her neck, and people were like, oh, they need to shower, and she’s not clean. She needs to wipe her neck. But that actually is an indication called acanthosis nigricans, and it’s an indication that the patient may have diabetes,” he said. “If that’s not depicted in an illustration or graphic, then that can be missed.”

Learn more about Ilustrate Change here.

The post IN LIVING COLOR: Building Trust Through Representation in Medical Illustrations appeared first on Black Health Matters.

But her perspective informed her story and made her an accomplished storyteller today. Having been diagnosed with lupus at 30, Alford has made adjustments, like learning to say no, but she can still define success on her terms.

Click to listen to our chat or read the transcript of our chat below:

00:00

Hi, everybody. I’m Corynne Corbett, editorial director of Black Health Matter, and I have the pleasure of chatting with an award-winning journalist, Natasha S. Alford, about her memoir, American Negra. Today, I want to focus on cultural issues, identity, hair, and health issues.

What were your challenges with cultural identity and growing up as a Puerto Rican/Black girl in Syracuse, New York.?

00:39

First, Corynne, thank you for having me on; I’m so honored to join you all. And you know, health is a part of this story, both from a cultural and identity perspective and just literally talking about physical health.

This story really highlights what it is like to grow up between two cultures. Growing up in a multicultural family, you’re often told you are both. In my case, I had very supportive parents. They’re like, you know, you are an African American Girl, you’re a Puerto Rican girl, nobody can take that away from you.

But I found that our society was not always accepting of the diversity within those cultures. And so there were a lot of people who sometimes questioned how I could be Latina. Some people asked me to sort of perform my identity; they wanted to know if I could speak Spanish or if I could cook certain foods.

And in all the African American side, although I was generally welcomed, right, most people saw me as a black girl, there were still questions about, you know, just what was my ethnic makeup? So I got a lot of questions of, you know, what are you, and people will look at my hair and be like, are you mixed? Are you something else?

So when you grow up with those questions constantly being thrown at you so early in life, you start to ask the question of yourself, what am I can I truly be 100% of both of these cultures. And so American Negra is the story of finding myself and my voice, but also finding my way as a young person, particularly regarding health and accepting what it means to live a healthy life.

2:19

Yeah, and that’s so important just finding yourself and I think everyone is finding yourself but when you also layer in health, culture and identity, that you know that’s a lot of things that add on to finding yourself right. So tell us how that played out in your hair story and how others saw you both in a Latina in the back cultures and how you saw yourself?

3:18

Hair is such a complex issue. It is an issue that can sometimes spark confidence, if you love the way you look you sort of move through the world in a different way. But if you lack confidence, that can also show up, you or question yourself, that can also show up when it comes to hair. Growing up as an African American and a Latina girl, what I found is that in one culture that my hair texture was celebrated. It was seen as exotic it was seen and long, curly, black hair, but when I was on the other side and looking at Spanish language media, I always saw straight hair. I always hair that was very, very long and Eurocentric, that was the standard of beauty. So in that culture, the texture of my hair, the African influence, the descendency, it would be more likely that me perming my hair would make me fit in.

4:33

So, looking back, what do you wish you could have told your younger self?

5:00

I see that I actually am most beautiful when I’m just myself. You know, I’m most comfortable, I’m able to move through the world with a freedom that I didn’t have before when I was trying to conform, whether it be with hair, or and just sort of presenting myself a certain way culturally.

And so yeah, I think it would be not to waste an ounce of time and that you know, there’s so many aspects of our society that want us to feel shame about our bodies about the way that we look. So we will spend money so we will we will change and there’s such power and taking back that narrative and saying I love myself the way I am.

5:41

So, I’ve got to tell you I was recently just last weekend at the National Black Writers Convention, no, National Black Writers Conference, and a woman, that was a vendor there, said, I want to give you a book recommendation American Negra, and she said, she loved it because she’s a Black woman married to a Panamanian man. And she has daughters. She said that she felt like this was something that she could see. She could give it to her daughters. As an example of, you know, this is a reflection of, you know, something that you can be proud of. This is how you can go up to live biculturally. And she was really, really excited about it. She was like this: this woman who wrote this book, she went to Harvard, you should read it. I said I’m reading, so she was, she’s issues, really excited about it. So you know, you are making an impact, and lots of different spaces.

So, let’s talk about your time at Harvard and how culture and identity evolved while you were there.

6:48

I am blown away, and I can’t believe that it is amazing.

07:10

Well, first, I have to acknowledge that the story is incredible. So thank you to that woman for being, you know, an ambassador for the book. That’s exactly why I wrote it in the sense of, even if you don’t have the exact ethnic background that I have, or you know, cultural background, that people who haven’t felt seen and representations of blackness and Latino ness and American identity see themselves. You know, the book explores what it means to go to a place and to learn that you belong. A lot of my struggles at Harvard, in some ways, were centered around belonging and centered around deservingness. There was a part of me, I think, this duality that WEB DuBois often talked about. There was a part of me that felt that I certainly belonged there.

But there was this other part of me that felt that I still had to prove I belonged there. And so it created a lot of pressure for me. Sometimes, academic insecurity, holding back in class, not using my voice, and not raising my hand are things that I think a lot of young people can relate to if they’re first or second-generation going to college. And so what American Negra does is it shows the journey of finding your voice, finding your confidence, you know, shedding imposter syndrome, and accepting your talents and gifts in that space. And one of the reasons I was able to do that was because of the Harvard Black community, which is a very strong community, a very deep-rooted community that has been around since really the beginning of the college. Black people have always been at Harvard. Harvard tragically built its institution in many ways off of the wealth of slave labor. And so even indirectly, you know, our existence is a part of this institution in this really interesting way, a really sad way. And yet, there have been so many brilliant scholars who’ve come through this place. And so what I wanted to show in American NACADA was our belonging. There’s a lot of conversation right now about DEI. And you know, whether, when people say DEI, they’re referring to Black people, even though DEI benefits so many, but it’s this question of do we deserve what we have, and I think the book really shows, both historically and in my personal story, what it means to know that you belong someplace and know that you deserve to be there.

9:35

Absolutely, absolutely. Now, let’s talk about the Dominican Republic for a minute. What did your time in the Dr. Contribute to your thoughts about being an Afro Latina?

9:53

Readers who see American Negra will see that the Dominican Republic was a turning point for me. I remember landing It was in 2005, the summer of 2005. And, or it was the summer of 2005 or 2006, I have to double-check. But when I got there, I was completely blown away by how many brown-skinned people were there. And it’s not brown in the sense of, you know, the way that we talk about Latina that in the US, we think of sort of tan. So, with just little hints of color, I saw black people everywhere. I saw Afro-descendants everywhere. They were speaking Spanish, you know, they were born and raised in the Dominican Republic. And many of them saw me and assumed that I was Dominican. And so, for the first time in my life, I’m experiencing what it is to blend in as a Latina, to sort of fit in not to be seen as another just because I’m black, but for people to assume just from looking at me that I must be one of them. So I talk in the book about what that does to me, you know, on an emotional level, but also intellectually, this sort of curiosity that it sparks for me to say, Okay, wait a second, I’ve been hearing that Black people have been across the diaspora for years, right, that there were boats that stopped in all these places. But what does it mean to really know that history? How are we connected? But also, what ways are we divided. And so I also learned a bit about the country’s relationship to Haiti. And times when, you know, the relationship was actually really devastating and violent. And so I talked about that in the book as well, which, you know, in modern times, is obviously very relevant to a lot of what we’re seeing in the news right now.

11:34

Yes absolutely so now let’s talk about your health receiving a Lupus diagnosis tell us that story.

11:48

Well, I was just turning 30, or I had just turned 30 years old. And when you turn 30, it’s a it’s a new phase of adulthood, but you’re still pretty young, right, there’s still some assumptions that you make about what it means to be a 30 year old. And so when I got this diagnosis, completely unexpected, you know, I was running in the gym one day and unable to move my wrists. All of a sudden, it felt like my legs were heavy weights with sandbags, tied to them. It took me a while to realize I even had to go to the doctor because I learned so early that the doctors only to be gone to when it’s an emergency. Other than that, you push through the pain. That’s the sort of culture that I came from. That was the kind of upbringing that I had and watching my parents and, you know, my family and the examples around me.

So by the time I went to the doctor, I was blindsided when I was told that I had lupus. Lupus is an autoimmune condition in which your immune system attacks healthy cells. So rather than attacking the invaders, it’s attacking healthy cells that can cause joint damage, organ damage, sometimes it manifests in skin rashes and other pains in the body.

But there’s also a mental toll, depression, and anxiety that comes with having an illness like this because your body is under attack, and it is so unpredictable, even with the different ways that you can manage it. And so what American Negra does is it takes you inside the experience of getting a diagnosis like this, but also what it means to get a diagnosis when you’re at the peak of your career, the right things are about to take off.

You know, you have high expectations for yourself, and how do you manage having big dreams with having a big illness? And so you know, it’s not easy; the spoiler is that it took me a while to accept it took me over a year before I really committed to taking my medication to go into the doctor to taking care of myself. And there were consequences to that which I do talk about but ultimately, the journey of acceptance was a really powerful one because then it allowed me to create a new normal for myself that didn’t require me sacrificing my health in order to succeed.

14:10

It’s an it’s, so let’s talk about lupus not just in the black community. It is also in the Latino community. It is yet so. So, raising awareness of this American mega is a vehicle that raises awareness about the prevalence of lupus is also an opportunity to discuss having lupus because also in our communities, we don’t talk about having autoimmune diseases. You know we keep quiet about these things because that’s our culture.

14:24

Yes

14:55

Yes, and I think that it’s a larger field. Share of American culture is that we put our work first, our health comes second, and there’s a lot of shame and stigma around being a person with a chronic illness because it begs the question, well, what can you do? How productive can you be? Can you still work? And so much of our value in this country is defined by what we do for work. So there’s a reeducation, I think that needs to happen. And you’re right that I’m trying to raise awareness about how this disproportionately affects different communities. First and foremost, lupus disproportionately affects women. So that’s just like across the board: women are more likely to get lupus. But then, when you look at race and the way that we categorize race, generally, in the United States, black women are three times more likely to get lupus than our white female counterparts. Hispanic women are also more likely to get lupus. And one of the questions I post in the book, it’s just because of the way that we track race, ethnicity, you know, for the black Latina, I don’t know what the exact numbers are, I’m not sure that anybody’s looking to see how we are affected by lupus, but they should certainly ask the question. And because of that, you know, we, as Black women, are already facing all of these stressors, right? You look at Black maternal mortality rates, you look at our rates of heart disease, you look at our rates of breast cancer. And so it’s yet another burden that we have to carry, which I think highlights the need for us to be open about it and talk about how we’re coping and getting through to lean on each other. And not feel shame because this is not something we asked for. There’s nothing that we did to deserve lupus, but we do deserve to live rich, meaningful, healthy lives, even despite having this illness. And so I hope to break the stigma by being so public about it at this young age.

16:10

Right. And so let’s talk about caring for yourself. How are you caring for yourself as you continue with your career? What adjustments are you making? Because it’s not that your life has stopped, right? But you make adjustments, and you carry on?

Yeah, certainly has it. Yeah. As the mother of a toddler, you know, between this book, being on CNN, and working at the Grio, it definitely has gone on. Life is going on. You know, I think the big difference between me now and before is that I know how to say no, I didn’t know how to say no before, anytime I was invited to do something. Anytime I had a chance to take on more projects, I did more work. I was doing it because that was how I was cultivated and acculturated, you know, to think that you have to grind and take every opportunity and make the most of it. Now, it’s all about quality over quantity, you know, the quality of my experiences, the quality of my relationships, the quality of the work I’m doing. That’s what matters more than squeezing everything I can into a day. And so even with this book tour for American Negra, we did, you know, the northeast, we went to all these cities DC, Boston, New York, Montclair, New Jersey, Syracuse, my hometown, Rochester, but I built in a pause, because I said, you know, the temptation will be to run myself down to the ground promoting this book. But I have to be a living example of what it means to care for yourself. And the truth is, I’m going to need a break. And so we will pick up the rest of the tour. We’ll go to the south. I’m going to Chicago next month. But I needed to live out those values even as I was doing something like promoting a book where I talked about having lupus.

18:55

[Fo] young women who are growing up in areas where not many people who look like them have their cultures and identities questioned. What should they do?

20:10

Well, I think the first step is realizing you’re not alone. Wherever you are in the world, you are not alone. There’s somebody who shares your experience. And so, even in this digital world where we have all these connections, it is very easy to feel isolated. And so I encourage you to find a community where you can find others who share your experience. That’s the first thing. But I think the second thing is that finding who you are is layered. There’s who you are at work, the jobs you enjoy, and the career you want. There’s also who you are in terms of your family story. One of the things I did in writing American Negrae was go and get genealogy assessments done. So I learned about my ancestry things that I had gone years, never knowing about my family. We were connected to a plantation in Darlington, South Carolina, and my ancestor was enslaved there. My ancestors in Puerto Rico worked in sugarcane fields, and you know, essentially me, these big, rich business owners even richer, but those were the histories that I had been denied. Because, you know, how often are you born and you only know your immediate family’s history. And so it was something about learning where it came from that was so powerful, and it made me feel so much more empowered. Again, it was much more like I belonged as an American; I deserved to be here and proud of what my family has contributed. So I encourage people to get to know themselves and maybe do some of that deeper work to discover your family story and your story. I think that it helps you to see yourself in context in a different way.

22:07
But it, it’s been a joy to talk with you. Thank you so much for having me. I want to encourage all your listeners to follow me I’m right on Instagram, it’s Natasha S. Alford, American negative also has its own Instagram account where we’re posting pictures from book tour events, people’s different reviews. It’s just its really community building is what we’re doing with this book. And you can learn more if you go to AmericanNegra.com is just N E G RA. But we are online and we’re doing this tour we’re traveling around the country went to Puerto Rico for an event. So if you don’t come to see me in person in person, you can always go online, and of course, you can get the book on Amazon, where it is a top book in African American history right now, even four weeks after it’s released. So go ahead and check it out and leave us a review, too. You too.

The post Natasha S. Alford: On Culture, Identity, Health, Hair and Her Book, American Negra appeared first on Black Health Matters.

You will make your options much more accessible and reduce your stress around enrollment if you start doing your homework at least three to six months before enrolling. Just remember that Medicare enrollment is not optional or automatic. You must sign up, even if you are not retiring until you are 66 or older. You can enroll three months before your birthday or up to three months after, but there are financial penalties if you don’t sign up on time.

How Do You Decide Beyond Enrollment?

Aside from enrolling, you will have many decisions to make that will determine the kind of healthcare coverage you get. Make a list of everything you know about your current health conditions and the medications you are on. It might be an excellent time to visit your doctor to get screened for diabetes, high blood pressure, and other chronic disease.

When looking at coverage, don’t overlook your family health history as you contemplate your future health needs. While many people only look at their current health, most people heading into 65 already know that things can change at a moment’s notice. No real crystal ball can predict what will happen or what you will need as you age. Every day has the potential to present a new ache, pain, or diagnosis. To gamble on having less coverage than we have now with our employer-sponsored plan.

We have all heard horror stories of the choices that older people on fixed incomes must make between high-cost medications and services and food.

Medicare Choices

Let’s start with the Original Medicare, known as Part A. It is the basic and premium-free coverage that the government requires once you turn 65. It covers inpatient, hospitalization, and short-term care in a skilled nursing facility, usually at 80 percent, after a deductible of around $1,400 for the first day of care.

“Part B addresses doctor visits and preventative care, including screenings and treatment. The standard premium starts at approximately $147 a month,” Edward McFarland, a Medicare specialist, explains. Note that Medicare Part B only pays for medically necessary procedures and does not cover dental care.

The Medicare Advantage plans are the one-stop plans that combine everything into one plan. You must still enroll in Medicare’s Parts A and B, but the Advantage plans are run through private insurers. They could include dental and vision care coverage, telemedicine, and other services, depending on what you select and how much you can afford to pay. Some plans do not require extra fees. Open enrollment for most Medicare Advantage enrollees ended March 31, but changes can be made again in November 2024 for 2025.

Part D is the easiest to remember because this is the much-needed drug coverage. Most Part D plans have an annual deductible, about 25 percent of your annual drug costs, until you hit the $2,500 cap.

McFarland says, “Look carefully at your medication needs.” Once you are enrolled, you can make changes to your Medicare options once a year.

Yet Medicare doesn’t cover everything. One big discussion is on the new weight loss drugs, such as Wegovy, that have made an impact on obesity. Medicare just approved coverage for people who are overweight and obese and also are at high risk of heart attack or stroke. The out-of-pocket expenses for this class of medications, without coverage, is over $1,000 per month.

In addition, it has improved and expanded preventative care programs that pay for office visits, screenings such as colon and breast cancer, mental health screening, and vaccines.

Where to Get the Best Information

Figuring out what makes medical and financial sense for you should start with a call to Medicare at 800-772-1213. One of their trained specialists can help you understand your needs for your situation and circumstances. The good news is that specialists are available by phone 24 hours a day. Or go to www.medicare.gov for more information.

Also, visit the State’s Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). It’s a free resource that provides information on the state’s free services and programs. Find the state’s website and connect with a counselor who can guide you through the options.

Note: Consider helping your parent or loved one negotiate these decisions. 

The post Turning 65 Soon? Understand Your Medicare Options appeared first on Black Health Matters.

PCOS Explained

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)is a hormonal condition, it consists of an imbalance that occurs when the ovaries produce excessive androgens, these are sex hormones that contribute to puberty, reproductive health, and body development according to The Cleveland Clinic. Although males produce more androgens, they are produced by both males and females. This excessive production can lead to imbalanced reproductive hormones.

What are the Symptoms?

The Mayo Clinic has provided insight into the symptoms of PCOS, if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, you should visit your healthcare provider. PCOS symptoms include the following:

• Irregular periods, having few menstrual periods or having periods that are not regular are common signs of PCOS.
• Excessively lengthy periods, having periods that last for many days or longer than is typical for a period can be a cause for concern.
• Fertility issues.
• Too much androgen, elevated levels of the hormone androgen may result in excess facial and body hair, this is called hirsutism. High androgen levels can contribute to male-pattern baldness and severe acne as well.
•  Polycystic ovaries, the ovaries might become bigger, and many follicles containing immature eggs may develop around the edge of the ovaries. This can contribute to cysts and difficulties with the function of the ovaries.

Additionally, PCOS can be a risk factor for other complications in a woman’s life. The Mayo Clinic has created a list of complications that can occur for women diagnosed with PCOS, the list includes:

• Infertility.
• Gestational diabetes or pregnancy-induced high blood pressure.
•  Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, this is a severe liver inflammation caused by fat buildup in the liver.
• Miscarriage or premature birth.
•  Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes.
• Sleep apnea
•  Metabolic syndrome, this is a cluster of conditions including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and unhealthy cholesterol or triglyceride levels that significantly increase one’s risk of heart and blood vessel (cardiovascular) disease.
•  Depression, anxiety, and eating disorders.
• Endometrial cancer, this is cancer of the uterine lining.

Hirsutism

According to the Resilient Sisterhood Project, Black women with PCOS are shown to have higher rates of hirsutism, insulin resistance, obesity, high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol, high blood sugar and a higher risk or cardiovascular disease or metabolic syndrome. People with PCOS hirsutism typically have course, visible, dark hairs growing in these parts of the body. These hairs are commonly called androgenic. Many women select from the following methods to manage their hair growth:

Manual removal, such as shaving, plucking, or waxing.

* Depilatory agents, such as topical gels, lotions, or hair removal creams.

* Hormonal medications, such as birth control pills that boost estrogen levels and anti-androgen drugs that can decrease testosterone levels.

* Electrolysis, this technique kills the growth center of a hair with electricity.

* Laser hair reduction, this kills hair with a laser, it has been proven to work best on fair-skinned people with very dark hair. (Editor’s note To avoid an adverse reaction you must go to a board-certified dermatologist experienced with dark skin that has a laser designed for use for dark skin).

If you are experiencing signs of hirsutism , this is not enough to equate to a direct PCOS diagnosis, we urge you to visit your healthcare providers to get a thorough understanding of your symptoms, this can aid in proper diagnoses regarding PCOS or other conditions.

Treating Your PCOS

Since PCOS does not have a cure, treatment focuses on managing the symptoms and complications that concern patients, these focal points can be different for every individual. This could include infertility, hirsutism, acne, or obesity, according to the Mayo Clinic. Lifestyle changes and medication may be suggested for patients to achieve their health goals. To regulate periods and ovulation, healthcare providers may recommend some of the following options:

•  A combination of birth control pills, that contain both estrogen and progestin decrease androgen production and regulate estrogen. Regulating these hormones can lower the risk of endometrial cancer and lessen symptoms associated with PCOS.
• Progestin therapy, taking progestin for 10 to 14 days every 1 to 2 months can regulate periods and protect women against endometrial cancer.
•  Clomiphene, this oral anti-estrogen medication is taken during the first part of a woman’s menstrual cycle, it can help with ovulation and the process of getting pregnant.
• Letrozole (Femara), this breast cancer treatment can work to stimulate the ovaries.
• Metformin, this medicine for type 2 diabetes that can be taken orally improves insulin resistance and lowers insulin levels.
• Patients can also discuss topical gels, creams, and medications to reduce the speed of excessive hair growth and the effects that high androgen levels can have on the skin.

Navigating life with PCOS can certainly be tough and many women suffer mentally as they struggle to find support in an experience that can be very isolating. Here at BHM, we want to remind you that you are not alone, and we urge you to find support whether it be from healthcare providers, friends, family, therapists, other women living with this condition, or a combination of all these things.The Resilient Sisterhood Project has reported the experiences of many black women with PCOS who have felt invisible and invalidated when seeking help from medical practitioners. Others have had their symptoms dismissed. been bullied about their weight  instead of the root cause of their issues.

It is imperative that Black woman try their absolute best to research their doctors, read patient reviews, and remain confident in their knowledge of their experiences and the questions that they are seeking answers for. We don’t deserve to be profiled or dismissed when we are trying to take care of our health, advocating for ourselves is one of the keys to attaining proper healthcare and holding our healthcare providers accountable

If you happen to have PCOS, your story and experiences are valuable. Remember to always advocate for yourself and your health and have compassion for yourself as you go through this journey.

The post How Does PCOS Impact Your Health? appeared first on Black Health Matters.

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Postpartum complications can become serious – fast. Know the symptoms to look out for and listen to your body to ensure you are recovering safely from labor safely and receiving proper care.

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Health

Understanding The Importance Of Maternal Health

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April 11 - April 17th is Black Maternal Health Awareness Week. Declared by President Biden in a White House Press Release: "I call upon...

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Chanel Porchia-Albert: A Doula’s Fight For Black Maternal Health

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Chanel Porchia-Albert is a mother of six, a doula, and an advocate for the Black maternal health space. She made it her life's mission to...

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Doulas Assist in Addressing Maternal Mortality

Roughly 60% of maternal deaths are preventable. A lack of education on signs and symptoms as well as limited access to care has hindered the Black community making out maternal mortality rates 3 times higher than other races in the United States.

Multiple studies have been conducted offering doulas as a positive addition to your maternal health care team. Mothers who are able to receive prenatal doula assistance have noticed better birth outcomes, including lower likelihood of birth complications, low-birthweight, and a higher likelihood of initiating breastfeeding.

As of January 2024 twelve states and Washington D.C. have implemented Medicaid coverage for doula care.

Know What Your Maternal Care Team Can Do For You

Know all of your care options during your pregnancy. There are several different types of care practitioners that support your birth experience and multiple paths to where you feel most comfortable giving birth.

Understand what care options are available to you utilizing our Decision Decoder so you have your best childbirth experience. 

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Decision Decoder: Navigating the Childbirth Experience

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Preparing for your new baby involves many decisions for you and your family. It is vital to be aware and knowledgeable of the options...

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Are You Pregnant After 35? Here’s What You Need to Know

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When we are in our thirties, we consider ourselves young. But when we get pregnant (or are trying to conceive) after age 35, medical...

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Advanced Maternal Age and Other Factors

Advanced maternal age can impact your pregnancy experience and how you rely on your healthcare team.

When you are considered AMA your risk for certain conditions during your pregnancy can be at even higher risk, so it vital for us as Black women to understand our risks and how best to ensure our and our babies safety during pregnancy.

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The Importance of Breastfeeding

Black Breastfeeding Week and Why It Is Important?

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The post Showcase Maternal Health Womens History Month appeared first on Black Health Matters.

2. Remember Your Oncologist is a Scientist

4. Know Your Stage, the Proposed Treatment Protocol, and the Side Effects

5. Don’t Expect to Feel or Look Like Your Pre-Cancer Self During This Process

6. Figure Out What Brings You Peace During the Process

The post 6 Tips For Managing a Breast Cancer Diagnosis & Treatment (From Those Who Have Been There) appeared first on Black Health Matters.

What is Inflammatory Breast Cancer?

What is Triple-Negative Breast Cancer?

The post What Black Women Should Know About Aggressive Breast Cancer appeared first on Black Health Matters.

• Among the 23 genes tested in this study, pathogenic mutations were identified in 8% of AA women who had breast cancer and 2% who did not.
• Mutations in BRCA1, BRCA2, and PALB2 were linked with high risks of developing breast cancer.
• The frequency of pathogenic mutations was especially high (10%) in AA women with ER-breast cancer (triple-negative breast cancer).

The post Black Women Have a Higher Triple Negative Breast Cancer Risk (Why Aren’t We Doing Genetic Testing?) appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Rick Kittles, Ph.D., Senior Vice President for Research, Morehouse School of Medicine

Jenina Jeff, Ph.D., M.S., Staff Bioinformatics Scientist at Illumina

Hadiyah-Nicole Green, Ph.D., Founder Ora Lee Cancer Foundation

The post 4 Black Scientists Using Genetics and Technology to Improve Our Future Health Outcomes appeared first on Black Health Matters.

What is breast cancer recurrence?

Risk of Recurrence in Black Women

References

• The Breast. Risk of recurrence among patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative, early breast cancer receiving adjuvant endocrine therapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis
• New England Journal of Medicine. 20-Year Risks of Breast-Cancer Recurrence after Stopping Endocrine Therapy at 5 Years
• American Cancer Society: Understanding Recurrence
• National Cancer Institute. Cancer Stat Facts: Female Breast Cancer Subtypes
• The Breast. Population-based recurrence rates among older women with HR-positive, HER2-negative early breast cancer: Clinical risk factors, frailty status, and differences by race

The post Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence in Black Women appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Hormones and Receptors

What is adjuvant therapy?

What is adjuvant endocrine therapy?

Impact in Black Women

References

• American Cancer Society Journals. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. Cancer statistics, 2023.
• American Cancer Society. Hormone Therapy for Breast Cancer
• Endocrine therapy for breast cancer in the primary care setting. Curr Oncol. 2018 Aug; 25(4): 285–291.Published online 2018 Aug 14.
• American Cancer Society. Breast Cancer Hormone Receptor Status
• National Cancer Institute. Hormone Therapy for Breast Cancer
• American Cancer Society Journals. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. Systemic therapy for hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative early stage and metastatic breast cancer
• Racial disparities in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment by hormone receptor and HER2 status. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev.

The post Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy for Breast Cancer: What You Need to Know appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Through this project, they seek to build the first-ever reference genome of 500,000 people of African ancestry and provide resources for underrepresented students to pursue STEM careers.

 Why is this important?

 as we move forward to some exciting times in medicine, the goal is that all of us benefit from the new insights, not just white people.

All the data will be scrubbed of identifying information, so not even DHGI will know whose data they have. They also instituted an ethics committee, which Dr. Rueben C. Warren, a respected expert in Bioethics from Tuskegee University, leads.

The HBCU Connection

The plan includes giving students and scientists from all 107 HBCUs an opportunity to do genomic research.

How Can This Help Black Folks in the Future?

“Artificial intelligence and its potential to do harm or good overshadows anything that has come before it. We want to ensure that when AI is applied to genomics, it will allow us to answer questions we’ve never been able to. “

The post Does the Future Of Black Health Involve AI and Genome Sequencing? Yes, Here’s Why It Matters appeared first on Black Health Matters.

How do you think knowledge of cervical and its treatment have changed?

But the biggest problem I see is  Black women are still falling through the cracks.

1. We are diagnosed late.
2. Our follow-up isn’t good, whether it is on us or our medical team.

What is different today?

But when I see someone who looks like me and is around the same age, I have survivor’s guilt because, unlike breast cancer and blood cancers, we should absolutely be winning the war. After all, we know the cause of most cervical cancers.

What made you start Cervivor?

I am okay being the coochie cancer lady. That wasn’t my dream growing up, that this would be part of the legacy that I leave, but I own it now.

But a little over a year ago, your life changed when you and your husband became parents with the help of egg donation and surrogacy. How has your son Chayton impacted your work?

One survivor said, “It’s like your story has come full circle.”

The post Tamika Felder On Cervical Cancer Survivorship, Motherhood & Leaving a Legacy appeared first on Black Health Matters.

The post What One Warrior Wants You to Know About Multiple Myeloma appeared first on Black Health Matters.

When compared to other cancer screenings, lung cancer has significantly less participation. The national average for breast cancer is 70%, 74% for colorectal cancer, and lung cancer has just 6% participation.

How Do You Know If You Qualify for a Screening?

• Age 50-80
• 20-pack-year history
• Still a smoker or have quit in the past 15 years

What Happens During a Screening?

The Centers for Disease Control says the recommended screening test is a low-dose computed tomography (aka a low-dose CT scan or LDCT).

What if The Smoker is a Friend, Parent, or Other Loved One?

• If they are concerned about costs, let them know there is no charge for the procedure if they are high-risk.
• Offer to make the screening appointment for them. Or you can offer to accompany them.
• Give them time to absorb the information and reopen the conversation.

The post Lung Cancer: Let’s Get Serious About Screenings appeared first on Black Health Matters.

The post Comprehensive Study on Breast Cancer Disparities conducted by the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. Los Angeles Chapter appeared first on Black Health Matters.

The post Fibroids appeared first on Black Health Matters.

The post Breast Cancer appeared first on Black Health Matters.

The post Prioritizing Gynecologic Wellness: What Black Women Need to Know appeared first on Black Health Matters.

The post Spot the Signs and Symptoms Of Breast Cancer #BHMSummits appeared first on Black Health Matters.

What is Bowel Cancer?

Symptoms of Colorectal Cancer

Risk Factors for Bowel Cancer

• Age: More and more people aged 20-45 are developing polyps that may lead to bowel cancer. However, it is still most common in those over 50.
• Diet: A diet high in red meat, especially when cooked at high temperatures, can increase your risk of bowel cancer. Low vitamin D levels may also contribute. A healthy diet can decrease risk considerably, especially when used to maintain a healthy weight.
• Tobacco and Alcohol Use: Both smoking and heavy, long-term drinking are linked to many types of cancer and chronic health conditions. Those who stop smoking can improve their overall health, better manage existing issues, and may help prevent others.
• Activity Level: Not being physically active can slow the bowels and contribute to cancer risk. You can reduce this risk by following the CDC’s exercise recommendations for adults.
• Weight: Being overweight or obese seems to affect men more than women. However, a healthy diet and staying active may help you maintain a healthy weight, improving your risk for bowel cancer and other health conditions.
• Colorectal Polyps: Having adenomas (polyps) removed during a previous colonoscopy increases the risk of developing additional ones that could become colon or rectal cancer in the future.
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): IBD is not the same as Irritable Bowel Syndrome and instead leads to dysplasia, or abnormal cells in the lining of the bowels that may eventually become cancerous cells. Examples of IBD include ulcerative colitis and Chron’s Disease which affect the inner lining of the bowels.
• Family History: According to research, as many as one-third of those who develop colorectal cancer will have a close relative with it as well. It’s important to know the medical history of your parents, grandparents, and siblings.
• Ethnic Background: African American, American Indian, and Alaska Native people have the highest rates of colorectal cancer in the United States.
• History of Cancer: Having had some form of cancer in the past puts you at an increased risk of bowel cancer.
• Other Genetic Conditions: There are several other health conditions closely linked to bowel cancer, such as Lynch syndrome, familial adenomatous polyposis, and Peutz-Jeghers syndrome.

Diagnosing Colon or Rectal Cancer

• Stool Tests: There are several types of stool tests that are used to detect blood, such as gFOBT (guaiac-based fecal occult blood test) and FIT (fecal immunochemical test). Another test, the FIT-DNA test, helps to detect altered DNA.
• Flexible Sigmoidoscopy: A flexible tube fitted with a light is used to check for polyps and other signs of cancer cells. It is limited to the rectum and the lower colon.
• Colonoscopy: This more intensive test checks the entire colon and is usually used as a follow-up when other tests are abnormal or done every ten years routinely. Polyps and some most common types of cancer cells can be removed using a flexible tube and specialized instruments.
• CT Colonography: Also known as a virtual colonoscopy, a CT colonography uses computer technology to view the entire colon, but does not offer the added benefit of removing any suspect polyps or cancerous cells should they be detected.

Bowel Cancer Treatment

Advanced Bowel Cancer Treatment

• Surgery: Surgical treatments for advanced rectal cancer or colon cancer may include a partial colectomy (removal of part of the colon), an ostomy (changing the way stool leaves the body), or removal of the lymph nodes. If colorectal cancer is terminal, bowel surgery may be used to relieve symptoms, such as removing a blockage or treating excessive bleeding.
• Chemotherapy: Treating advanced bowel cancer with chemotherapy can help shrink cancer until it can be removed surgically or relieve symptoms of terminal colon or rectal cancer. It is often used alongside other cancer treatments like radiation therapy.
• Radiation Therapy: This therapy can be used like chemotherapy to shrink cancer until it can be removed surgically or to relieve symptoms.
• Targeted Drug Therapy: Based on the specific type of cancer cells present, drugs may be used to block their growth and even kill them, thereby forcing cancer into remission. It is typically used with other cancer treatments.
• Immunotherapy: Similar to targeted drug therapy, immunotherapy uses medications to target cancer cells. However, these drugs boost the body’s immune system to help it fight the cancer itself.
• Palliative Care: If colorectal cancer is severe and treatments are not effective, supportive care may help relieve symptoms. A treatment team can suggest ways to improve the quality and length of life for both the patient and their family.

African Americans and Bowel Cancer

Colorectal Cancer Facts

• 1 in 41 Black men will die from colon or rectal cancer compared to 1 in 48 Black men. Comparatively, 1 in 44 Black women will die from it versus 1 in 53 White women.
• African Americans are more likely to develop polyps on the right side of the colon where they are harder to detect.
• Black people are more likely to be diagnosed more advanced bowel cancer when treatment options are limited.
• Black Americans are at higher risk for cancer of all types, and cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States.

Factors Affecting the Black Population

• African American men are much more likely to refuse a colonoscopy and other preventative screening measures.
• Bowel cancer is more likely in those with a family history, causing an increased risk for relatives.
• Lifestyle choices that increase the risk for colorectal cancer, like diet and tobacco use, are higher in the Black population.
• Access to care due to lack of health insurance, transportation, or other resources is limited for many who are considered low-income.
• Co-existing health conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, cause increased risk for bowel cancer and other cancers in general.
• Some states, such as those in the south with many more underserved African American neighborhoods, have higher rates of bowel cancer.

Preventing Bowel Cancer

Black Americans at High Risk for Bowel Cancer

The post The Importance of Early Detection: Screening for Bowel Cancer in African Americans appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Health Issues Affecting Black Americans

Cardiovascular Disease

Mental Health Concerns

Prostate Cancer

Diabetes

Kidney Disease

Living a Healthier Life

• Maintain a Healthy Weight: Your ideal weight is typically measured by body mass index (BMI). You can use a BMI calculator to help you determine the ideal weight for your height. It will not include body type or other factors, so your doctor may give you a different target weight.
• Eat a Healthy Diet: It’s important to consider the types of foods you eat and the size of your portions. While there are many trendy diets out there, the best bet is to learn more about the foods you eat, like protein, carbohydrate, and fat content.
• Take a Multivitamin Supplement: Multivitamins are a great way to ensure you get plenty of the nutrients your diet may be lacking.
• Stay Hydrated: You should aim to drink 0.5 ounces of water per one pound of body weight. For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, you should drink approximately 100 ounces of water each day.
• Exercise Regularly: The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends 150 minutes of physical activity each week. You can break this down into shorter workout sessions throughout the week that fit better into your schedule. If needed, start small and work your way up.
• Reduce Screen Time: Sitting down too much increases the risk for heart disease and stroke. If you must work at a computer most of the day, be sure to take frequent breaks. Getting up to walk or stretch can help you feel better throughout the day as well.
• Get Enough Sleep: The amount of sleep you need changes as you get older. The important thing is that you feel rested when you wake up. Good sleep is linked to improved mood, brain performance, and overall health.
• Limit Alcohol Intake: Alcohol should be consumed in moderation and safely. Long-term alcohol use is linked with hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and some forms of cancer. It may also lead to risky sexual relations, motor vehicle crashes, and violence.
• Manage Mental Health: There are many ways you can support your mental health, from self-care to practicing gratitude to regular meditation. By putting yourself first you are better able to support those around you.
• Keep Yourself Accountable: Whether you turn to a support group, your family and friends, or use an app, keeping yourself in line with your health goals is important.

How to Raise Awareness for Men’s Health Month

• Wear Blue Day: In 2023, Wear Blue Day is celebrated on June 16th. The goal is to help raise awareness for men’s health, which will ultimately lead to longer, healthier lives.
• Share Your Support: Do you know someone who is struggling with their mental health, heart disease, or other condition? Many Black people suffer in silence. Take this opportunity to reach out and encourage them.
• Create an Awareness Campaign: There are many ways you can raise awareness through a campaign. Ask the HR department at work to set up an event, send out flyers within your local community, or write a letter to the editor at your newspaper.
• Join a Fundraiser: Is there a fundraiser happening nearby? Join that 5K walk, request sponsorship in the next food drive, or simply announce that you’ve made a donation to an organization and ask others to do the same.
• Start a Healthy Living Group: Do you know plenty of men who would benefit from going for regular walks, staying accountable on a healthy diet, or losing weight? Why not band together to make it happen?
• Organize a Health Fair: You can work with a local health clinic to advertise preventative screenings for prostate cancer, hypertension, diabetes, and other conditions. Reach out to a few and see if they are interested in raising awareness for Men’s Health Month.
• Plan a Sports Day: Have your friends, family, and local communities come together for a sports day. Pay a small fee to play and send the proceeds to an organization who can use the funds to support men’s health.

Men’s Health And The Black Population: Raising Awareness

The post What Men’s Health Month Means For African Americans appeared first on Black Health Matters.

What is Brain Cancer?

Brain Cancer vs. Brain Tumors

Brain Tumor Types

• Benign Brain Tumors: These are noncancerous brain tumors that are slow growing and may only need to be watched for signs of cancer in the future. They can be located anywhere in the brain or spinal cord.
• Malignant Brain Tumors: Cancerous brain tumors are primary brain tumors that start in the brain or spinal cord. A brain tumor that starts here may metastasize and spread to another area of the body.
• Metastatic Brain Tumors: Also called secondary brain tumors, these originate in another area of the body and spread to the brain. They commonly begin as lung cancer, breast cancer, and pancreatic cancer.

Risk Factors for Brain Cancer

Brain Tumor Symptoms

• Double vision and other vision changes
• Difficulty swallowing (brain stem)
• Lactation, even in men (pituitary gland)
• A change in menstrual cycle
• Weakness or paralysis (frontal lobe)
• Confusion
• A change in speech or hearing (occipital lobe or temporal lobe)
• Memory problems
• Loss of balance (cerebellum)
• A feeling of pressure near the tumor
• Headache
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fatigue
• Difficulty sleeping
• Siezures

Brain Tumor Treatment

• Craniotomy: Brain surgery to remove the tumor is often one of the first suggestions depending on its size and location.
• Radiation Therapy: This treatment can shrink the tumor, especially if it’s too large to remove initially.
• Brachytherapy: Radiation therapy can be targeted to the brain tumor by surgically placing a radioactive item next to it.
• Chemotherapy: Strong medications are used to kill cancer cells. They often use it with other cancer treatments.
• Immunotherapy: Also called biological therapy, immunotherapy helps to boost your body’s natural fighting ability.
• Targeted Therapy: Drugs fight the specific type of tumor cells present, leaving surrounding brain tissue healthy.

African Americans and Brain Cancer

Most Common Tumor Subtypes

The Survival Statistics

Pediatric Brain Cancer

Barriers to Treating Brain Tumors

Socioeconomic Factors

Provider and Systemic Racism

Lack of Diversity in Clinical Trials

The Black Population and Brain Cancer

The post Empowering African Americans in the Battle Against Brain Cancer appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Types of Anxiety Disorders

Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Separation Anxiety Disorder

Social Anxiety Disorder

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Specific Phobias

Other Anxiety Disorders

• Panic Disorder: Panic attacks cause a range of symptoms that may even mimic a heart attack. The intense fear associated with prolonged or sudden, overwhelming anxiety can trigger these attacks. The disorder can become debilitating if not easily managed.
• Agoraphobia: As a panic disorder and one of the many complex specific phobias, agoraphobia is the fear of being in a space where you cannot easily escape should you need to. This could be because of a small space such as inside an airplane, or because of large crowds that are difficult to navigate.
• Selective Mutism: This is a type of social anxiety disorder in which those who have normal language skills around those they know well don’t speak in public, including at school, work, or other common locations.

Anxiety Symptoms

• Cold/sweaty hands
• Numb/tingling hands or feet
• Dry mouth
• Nausea
• Rapid heartbeat
• Shortness of breath
• Muscle tension

• Panic or fear
• Nightmares
• Flashbacks
• Obsessive thoughts
• Restlessness
• Ritualistic behaviors
• Trouble sleeping

Risk Factors for Anxiety Disorders

General Risk Factors

• Stress (especially chronic, excessive tension)
• Personality traits (introversion vs. extroversion, etc.)
• History of traumatic events
• Gender (females are more susceptible to anxiety than males, gender dysphoria)
• Chronic physical illness
• Hormonal or other imbalances
• Major life events (may cause temporary or lifelong anxiety)
• Medication side effects

Race Specific Risks

• Racism: Whether institutional, interpersonal, internalized, or structural, racism makes life more difficult and anxiety is not only common but to be expected. African Americans encounter some of the strongest racial opposition in the United States, making it a powerful risk factor.
• Inhibited Temperament: Defined as social withdrawal or avoidance, this temperament is often seen early in childhood and continues throughout life. A study conducted by Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience found that this trait may lead to increased susceptibility to behavioral and mental health conditions like anxiety disorders.
• Certain Medical Conditions: Some physical health conditions have anxiety symptoms that may lead to a co-existing mental health problem. Unfortunately, African Americans are more susceptible to many of them, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Because Black people are at higher risk for these conditions, they are therefore at higher risk of anxiety.
• Genetic Factors: The RBFOX1 gene variant is closely linked to many psychiatric disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder. This gene mutation is not the only indicator for anxiety and some with the gene may not develop anxiety at all. However, the gene makes family members who share the RBFOX1 gene more susceptible.
• Early Environment: Children who grow up in a home with at least one anxious parent are more likely to develop anxiety as they get older. Their early home environment is only one factor. Being bullied at school, unstable living arrangements among family members and other environmental factors may also play a role.

Anxiety in African Americans

Statistics

Treatments

Resources

African Americans and Anxiety Disorders

The post Anxiety: What It Is And How It Affects The Black Community appeared first on Black Health Matters.

What is Food Insecurity?

• Low food security is the “reduced quality, variety, or desirability of diet.” There may be “little or no indication of reduced food intake.” This used to be called “food insecurity without hunger.”
• Very low food security is “multiple indications of disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake.” This used to be called “food insecurity with hunger.”

What Factors Affect Food Insecurity?

Income

Employment

Disability

Who is Most Likely to Be Affected?

What Are the Medical Consequences of Food Insecurity?

Children

Adults and Seniors

• Poor oral health
• Depression and anxiety
• Iron deficiency
• Poor maternal health
• Diabetes
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Obesity

What Are the Financial Costs of Food Insecurity?

Conclusion

The post From Hospital Bills to Hunger Pains: The Costly Toll of Medical Care on Food Security appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Types of Oral Cancers

• Lip Cancer: This is the most common type of mouth cancer and typically has a positive prognosis when caught early.
• Gum Cancer: Typically linked to chewing tobacco and alcohol use, this cancer can quickly spread to the jaw.
• Tongue Cancer: When in the front two-thirds of the tongue, it can quickly spread to the lymph nodes.
• Doctors classify cancer at the back of the tongue, tonsils, and back of the mouth as throat cancer.

Determining Severity

Oral Cancer Staging

• TNM: Your doctor will consider the size and depth of the tumor, whether it has spread to the lymph nodes, and whether it has spread to another part of the body.
• Number Stages: Your doctor will assign a number zero (pre-cancer) through 4 A, B, or C based on how invasive the cancer has become.

Mouth Cancer Grades

Oral Cancer Risk Factors

• Nicotine Products: The most common cause of mouth cancer is tobacco use, especially smoking or chewing tobacco. While those who use nicotine themselves are at highest risk, even secondhand exposure can lead to cancer.
• Alcohol Use: Drinking alcohol is one of the top risk factors for mouth cancer and heavy drinkers or those who drink and use nicotine products are most susceptible.
• Human papillomavirus (HPV): Not all types of HPV cause cancer, but some are high risk. For example, HPV16 causes approximately 70% of all cases of oral cancers.
• Gender: Oral cancer is twice as common in men than women. Researchers believe smoking causes the higher rates of oral cancer in men.
• Age: Most cases of mouth cancer occur in those over the age of 50 unless caused by an HPV-related infection. This is because it takes time for cells to mutate and develop.
• Weight: Based on statistical research, weight has some effect on your likelihood of developing oral cancer.
• Diet: People who eat a diet low in vegetables and fruits seem to be at a much higher risk. Eating a well-balanced diet may help improve risk factors for many health conditions like diabetes.
• UV Light: Sunlight contributes to skin cancer and may also affect rates of lip cancer, a form of mouth cancer.
• Co-Existing Health Conditions: Those who have Fanconi anemia or Dyskeratosis congenita are also at higher risk of developing oral cancer because of their predisposition to blood diseases.

Possible Treatment Options

• Otolaryngologist
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon
• Radiation Oncologist
• Medical Oncologist
• Plastic Surgeon

Detecting Oral Cancer Early

• Changes in the skin
• Lumps
• Numbness
• Pain or tenderness
• Change in bite
• Problems swallowing
• Difficulty chewing
• Hoarseness
• Feeling like something is caught in the throat
• Sore throat
• Ringing in the ears or ear pain

Mouth Cancer in African Americans

Genetic Differences

Lifestyle Choices

Related Conditions

Access to Resources

Oral Cancer Awareness Month: Recognizing Black Americans

The post A Hidden Danger: What You Should Know About Oral Cancer appeared first on Black Health Matters.

The History of National Minority Health Month

Raising awareness about minority health goes all the way back to 1915, when Booker T. Washington laid the foundation. National Negro Health Week (NNHW) focused on the poor living and working conditions that plagued mostly Black neighborhoods and employment opportunities.

From there, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) launched Healthy People 2010. This was the third iteration of this initiative, following previous ones in 1990 and 2000, and focused on eliminating health disparities across all ethnic minority groups.

Not long after, the US Congress called for an awareness month to promote the efforts currently underway and encourage further action to reduce the health disparities affecting minorities, establishing National Minority Health Month in April 2002.

Why Do We Celebrate It?

The goal of National Minority Health Month is to help “promote and protect the health of diverse populations through research and communication of science that addresses health disparities.” But what does this mean?

Throughout April, the FDA and other federal, state, and local agencies increase collaboration on a shared initiative, addressing health disparities through awareness and education. To better understand their goals and how they achieve them, you should know a few key concepts.

• Health equity is the equal opportunity to be healthy. While some ethnic minorities are predisposed to health conditions simply because of their race, they should have the same access to insurance coverage, medical care, community resources, language access, and health literacy that any other race has access to.

• Health disparities are the disproportionate health outcomes of one group of people compared to another because of health inequity. The Kaiser Family Foundation found that three months into the Covid-19 pandemic, almost triple the number of African Americans were hospitalized compared to white people and over twice as many had died. There were many underlying health disparities, like lower socioeconomic status and higher risk of other chronic health conditions that were not well managed.

• Health literacy is the understanding of a person’s health or the ability to find the information needed. It also includes the ability to understand the information they find, regardless of language and education barriers. Learning about clinical trials is just one part of health literacy, especially if a clinical trial applies to how your health condition may help both you and future patients.

National Minority Health Month aims to raise awareness of better health for all racial and ethnic minorities by advancing health equity, reducing health disparities, and improving health literacy.

What is This Year’s Theme?

This year’s theme is “Better Health Through Better Understanding.” While the OMHHE supports many initiatives year-round, this theme allows them to share the importance of one in particular. The Enhance Equity Initiative focuses on addressing the underrepresentation of minorities in clinical trials.

Previous National Minority Health Month themes include:

• “Give Your Community a Boost!” to encourage Covid-19 vaccination (2022)

• “Active and Healthy” to emphasize staying physically active and enhancing emotional wellness (2020)

• “Partnering for Health Equity” to raise awareness about current efforts to address the disproportionate burden of various ethnic groups in health care, housing, employment, and more (2018)

• “Accelerating Health Equity for the Nation” to create a better understanding of health disparities and how they affect racial groups (2016)

• “30 Years of Advancing Health Equity” celebrated 30 years of the Heckler Report, which helped to prove the existence of racial inequalities in health care (2015)

Why is This Important?

ProPublica published an analysis of a recent clinical trial of a medication used to treat Multiple Myeloma, a devastating blood cancer. While approximately 20% of all Multiple Myeloma patients in the US are African American, only 13 of the 722 participants in the clinical trial were Black. This is less than 2% of all participants. Because ethnic minority populations, especially Black people, seem to have a genetic predisposition to this cancer, it often leads to more severe disease complications, and they react differently to many treatment options, being so grossly underrepresented in a clinical trial may affect whether this medication is as effective for them as it is for the non-Hispanic Caucasian participants.

However, this new initiative may help raise awareness of these problems, so clinical trials include ethnic minority groups in appropriate numbers and document these participants’ results accurately. Researchers can then work toward improving health outcomes for minority populations, reducing disparities in treatment outcomes. With better communication between the FDA, other research agencies, and health providers, more minority communities can benefit from current and future clinical trials.

Conditions Affecting the Black Community

National Minority Health Month 2023 helps to raise awareness of the benefits of clinical trials through the “Better Health Through Better Understanding” initiative. Those affected by certain conditions may benefit from joining a clinical trial to both test new treatments and play a role in approving effective ones that may benefit many more patients in the future. Some conditions affect African Americans more than others and are, therefore, most important to have an accurate representation of the Black community involved.

Cardiovascular Disease

Health education is vital to the prevention of most heart disease. Some clinical studies in the past have followed those without cardiovascular disease to see who would develop it and who wouldn’t be based on family history, lifestyle choices, and other factors. Learning what risk factors could be affected and to what degree has helped providers adjust treatment based on the health needs of their patients. Current and future clinical trials continue to research risk factors and treatment options, as it is the leading cause of death among all ages, genders, and races in the United States.

Stroke

Closely tied to heart disease is the risk of stroke, which can lead to premature death in Black Americans and other minorities. It is vital that Blacks are accurately represented in clinical trials studying stroke because they are 50% more likely to have one. Black women are at the highest risk. Compared to non-Hispanic White people, over 70% more Blacks will die from their stroke. To truly understand the underlying causes of these health disparities and what can be done to address them, African Americans should be made aware of these clinical trials and encouraged to take part.

Diabetes

Prevention is key, but with so many risk factors, Type 2 diabetes may be unavoidable for some Black Americans. Diabetes comes with the risk of many disease complications, some of them life-threatening. There are ongoing clinical trials to help reduce these risks and perhaps reverse the condition. Every trial is different and may require participants in different stages of the disease or with varying demographics. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes and are interested in new treatment options, be sure to discuss the possibility of a clinical trial with your healthcare provider.

Cancer

While cancer is a leading cause of death among all races, some forms are more prevalent among Blacks. These include breast, prostate, colorectal, and lung cancer. Through various studies over the last several decades, it’s been found that the increased risk for cancer can be linked to poor diet, especially common in low-income households; environmental pollution like smog and asbestos which are frequently seen in underprivileged neighborhoods; poor lifestyle choices like smoking that have much higher rates for Black men than for Caucasians; and family history. Clinical studies for cancer are likely specific to the type, so if you are diagnosed with cancer, discuss the possibility of participating in one with your oncologist or another specialist provider.

Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle cell anemia is most often seen in infants and is a medical emergency. There are some medications available to help control the sickling of red blood cells, decrease vascular blockages, control inflammation and pain, and reduce the chance of disease complications. However, some patients may need blood transfusions or bone marrow transplants to control the disease. There are ongoing clinical trials to help develop new treatment options to better manage or treat sickle cell disease that you or your child may qualify for.

HIV/AIDS

A study published by the American Journal of Public Health found that Black men who have sex with men are 14 times more likely than non-Hispanic Whites to test positive for HIV. The number of Blacks currently living with HIV compared to Whites is nearly double and these numbers are continuing to worsen. The average age of initial infection is declining, meaning many Black men are reaching adulthood with HIV. Another study proved that many clinical trials do not accurately address minority health or even gender, although doing so is vital to improving outcomes from new HIV/AIDS treatments for African Americans and all ethnic minorities.

Conclusion

National Minority Health Month helps to raise awareness of the disproportionate burden that Black Americans face every year because of inequities in our health care system. By addressing disparities through easier access to resources and better representation in clinical trials, we may resolve these inequities soon. Black Health Matters support National Minority Health Month by supporting the well-being of African Americans through education and awareness.

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Multiple Myeloma: Plasma Cell Cancer

Symptoms of Multiple Myeloma

• Fatigue/lethargy
• Brain fog or confusion
• Nausea
• Constipation
• Loss of appetite/weight loss
• Excessive thirst
• Numbness in your legs
• Frequent infections

Possible Complications

• Anemia: Red blood cells are produced in the bone marrow. With fewer red blood cells, anemia may lead to a lack of energy, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, headache, and more. Some of the treatment options for multiple myeloma may even contribute to anemia in some patients.
• Bone Disease: As myeloma cells crowd the bone marrow, osteoporosis can set in, making bones thinner and more brittle. Eventually bone lesions may form, creating holes. These bones are much more likely to fracture.
• Gastrointestinal Issues: These problems are typically caused by treatments and not necessarily the disease itself. There are many ways to help relieve symptoms, including self care and medications.
• Heart and Lung Problems: Those with multiple myeloma are more likely to suffer from a blood clot, cardiovascular disease, and pulmonary hypertension because of the disease itself, treatment options, and living a more sedentary lifestyle as the disease progresses.
• Kidney Failure: One of the harmful antibodies created by abnormal plasma cells, monoclonal proteins, damages the renal tubes and glomeruli of the kidneys, eventually leading to kidney failure.
• Myelosuppression: Anemia is just one side effect of bone marrow suppression caused by the reduced production of red blood cells. Other disorders that may develop because of myelosuppression include neutropenia (low white blood cells) and thrombocytopenia (low platelets).
• Chronic Pain: The two most common forms of pain experienced by those with multiple myeloma are bone pain and peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy is caused by damage to the nerves, especially those of the arms and legs.
• Steroid Side Effects: Long-term use of steroids can lead to both physical and mental effects that can be short-term, returning to normal once the medication is stopped, or long-term. They can include everything from muscle cramps to cataracts to personality changes.

Causes and Risk Factors

• Age: MM is rare in those under 35, but those over 65 are at highest risk.
• Gender: Men are more likely to develop multiple myeloma than women.
• Family History: Many people with multiple myeloma do not have any family history of the disease. Still, genetics may contribute to risk.
• Health: Pre-existing conditions affecting the immune system or inflammatory conditions like cardiovascular disease increase risk.
• Chemical or Radiation Exposure: Being exposed to some pesticides and herbicides increases risk, as does prolonged exposure to radiation.
• Previous Plasma Cell Tumor: Also known as solitary plasmacytoma, these tumors increase the chance of develop multiple myeloma in the future.
• Occupation: Some studies have shown that those in certain professions are at higher risk, like firefighters.

Multiple Myeloma Treatments

• Surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Medication
• Stem cell transplant
• CAR T-cell therapy
• Supportive treatments
• Clinical trails
• Complementary medicine
• Palliative care

Multiple Myeloma and Black People

Startling Statistics

• Receive a timely diagnosis
• Turn to novel therapies like bortezomib
• Research new treatments
• Utilize stem cell transplant or CAR T-Cell therapy
• Receive inpatient chemotherapy
• Have access to culturally sensitive palliative care options

Biological Factors

Socioeconomic Factors

Cancer Research

Multiple Myeloma: It’s In Our Bones

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You may be offered the opportunity to take part in a clinical trial at some point during your treatment for breast cancer. So, if you’re considering a breast cancer clinical trial, what would you experience?

First, do your research. Findings from clinical trials determine whether or not potential new treatments will become standard care for breast cancer. Some treatments that are initially used for metastatic breast cancer may even go on to be tested and used to treat early-stage breast cancer or other cancer types. It’s also possible that drugs previously approved for other types of cancer may later be tested for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.

A few considerations:

• Side effects: The risks of a potential new treatment may not be fully understood, so there may be unexpected side effects. Though testing keeps risks as small as possible, a new treatment’s side effects often aren’t fully revealed until after long-term testing and follow-up. However, as additional side effects or safety information become known, that information is provided to physicians and regularly updated as new information becomes available.

• Travel time and cost: While trials are done all across the country, it’s not guaranteed there will be an appropriate trial in your local area or with your original oncologist. However, trial participants typically receive their care in the same places that standard treatments are given—in clinics or doctors’ offices. If travel to a separate site is required, some trial organizers may provide transportation or reimburse participants for the cost of travel.

• Health care costs: The costs of the potential new treatment will usually be covered by the study itself, and many health insurers will cover the standard care provided in the study as they would current breast cancer treatments. However, it’s important to check with the study team and your insurer to make sure there won’t be any unexpected costs of joining the study (such as out-of-network fees).

Each clinical trial is led by a head researcher (called a principal investigator or PI), who works with a team of other scientists and healthcare professionals. The way the research team designs and conducts a clinical trial can vary based on the study’s goals and other factors.

If you’ve been asked to take part in a trial, your physician or a research nurse will discuss exactly what’s involved with you. You will be given written information with all the details of the trial. This should include information about the type of trial, the possible benefits and risks, and whether extra tests or hospital appointments are needed. All information about participants is kept confidential.

Participants will be regularly observed, and data on their cases will be carefully recorded and reviewed and compared to those of others in the trial. You may have extra visits in between treatments to make sure that there are no unexpected side effects.

Many safeguards are in place to look out for the welfare of clinical trial participants. These safeguards can’t guarantee that you won’t have complications, but they are meant to reduce risk as much as possible. Clinical trials are overseen by an investigational review board (IRB) to protect the rights and welfare of trial participants.

If at any time during the study you or your doctor feel it’s in your best interest to stop participating in the trial, you will be free to do so. And it won’t in any way affect your ability to be treated in the future.

Remember, like all aspects of cancer care, the decision to join a clinical trial is a personal one. Even if you decide not to join a clinical trial now, it doesn’t mean you can’t join one later if you’re eligible. For information on specific breast cancer studies, visit Gilead’s clinical trials website.

The post What Happens When You Join a Breast Cancer Clinical Trial? appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Talking to your partner or spouse about your metastatic breast cancer diagnosis

• Let your partner know what you need. If you can, try to be as specific as possible. For instance, maybe you need help with laundry or preparing meals.

• If you haven’t already, invite your partner or spouse to go with you to a doctor appointment so they can understand more about your diagnosis, the kinds of treatment you may have, and side effects that you may experience.

• Your partner or spouse may also be concerned about physical intimacy and how that may change. It can help to talk honestly with your partner about how treatment affects your desire for and experience of sex, and to explore new ways to stay physically and emotionally connected.

• Schedule regular time to just be together and talk honestly with each other about what’s happening. Let your partner know how you’re feeling emotionally and physically and ask them how they’re feeling.

• Sometimes the changes that come with a serious diagnosis can trigger fear or anger in a partner or spouse. If your partner is not responding in a way that feels supportive to you, suggest that the two of you meet with a therapist who works with couples affected by serious illness.

How to talk to your children about your metastatic breast cancer diagnosis

• Don’t assume children, even very young ones, won’t find out if you don’t tell them.
• Use accurate, specific words that are age- and developmentally appropriate. Since you know your child best, you may already know what will work well.
• Be honest but emphasize that your doctors have medicines that they hope will help you.
• Let them know what they can expect in their day-to-day experience. For example: “On treatment days, I’ll be tired, so Uncle Mark will pick you up from softball practice.”

• Tell them you will let them know if there are changes in your health situation.
• Invite them to ask questions and check in with them for regular follow-up conversations.
• Particularly for young children, consider sharing your diagnosis with their teachers and additional caregivers so that they can best support your child’s social and emotional needs.

How to talk to your parents about your metastatic breast cancer diagnosis

• Schedule some uninterrupted time to talk with your parents about your diagnosis.
• It can help to rehearse what you’re going to say ahead of time. If it’s comfortable, try role-playing what you want to say with a sibling or your partner.
• Share your honest feelings with your parents and let them know what you need.
• Stop, listen, and observe their body language from time to time to see if they’re understanding what you’re telling them.
• Encourage them to ask you any questions they may have.

The post Talking to Your Family About Your Metastatic Breast Cancer Diagnosis appeared first on Black Health Matters.

• Bone pain
• Bones that break or fracture more easily
• Swelling

• Worsening headaches or pressure in the head
• Visual disturbances
• Seizures
• Nausea and vomiting
• Behavior or personality changes

• Jaundice
• Itchy skin or rash
• Stomach pain, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting

• Cough that won’t go away
• Difficulty catching your breath
• Chest pain

• Fatigue
• Unexplained weight loss
• Poor appetite

• • Eat the most nutritious diet for your needs
  • Exercise regularly

• Manage stress
• Get emotional support, including finding support groups
• Reach out for help from friends, family and loved ones
• Find mental health services
• Find complementary therapies

The post What is Metastatic Breast Cancer?  appeared first on Black Health Matters.

• Are doctors offering the right treatment at the right time to Black women?
• Are doctors explaining treatment options as well to Black women as they do with White women?
• Do Black women have more trouble paying for out-of-pocket expenses?
• Is there enough follow-up from doctors in terms of the importance of early treatment that works well?

• Do Black women have tumors that don’t respond as well to common cancer drugs?
• Can community outreach boost breast cancer screenings and help people stick with treatment?
• How can we increase the number of Black and brown doctors in our workforce faster?

The post Black Women with Metastatic Breast Cancer Face Disparities in Care appeared first on Black Health Matters.

The Importance of Early Detection

Breast Cancer in Black Women

Healthcare Disparities

Social and Economic Issues

Biological Factors

Types of Breast Cancer Screening

The Monthly Self Breast Exam (BSE)

• Swelling: This may affect only one breast or one area of a breast. It may even be located under the armpit near the lymph nodes.
• Skin Irritation: A rash or redness may be a reaction to new laundry detergent, but your physician should evaluate any signs of persistent skin irritation.
• Nipple Discharge: Not all breast cancer occurs with a lump. The only noticeable sign may be abnormal nipple discharge like ductal carcinoma.
• Dimpling: If one area of the skin around your breast begins to look like an orange peel, it could be a sign of inflammatory breast cancer, or IBC.
• Nipple Changes: Some changes are common and expected, like during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, you should discuss any unexpected ones immediately, like redness or pain, flaking, or turning inward.

All About Mammograms

2D vs. 3D Mammograms

Screening vs. Diagnostic Mammogram

Genetic Testing

Other Screening Methods

• Clinical Breast Exam: These are performed by your provider, typically at your well-woman check-up. How often you need them is mainly determined by your age.
• Breast Ultrasound: An ultrasound is typically performed after a lump is felt. In most cases, it can rule out a lump as a cyst or dense fatty tissue instead of a mass fairly quickly.
• Breast MRI: If other tests have not definitively ruled out any chance of breast cancer, an MRI is usually the next step. They are much more detailed and accurate.
• Thermography: This type of testing produces results similar to an infrared camera. Any areas with an inflammatory response in the breast tissue show up brighter. You’ll likely need a traditional mammogram if anything shows abnormal with thermography.
• Tissue Biopsy: If a lump or mass is detected and any of the above diagnostic tests have not ruled out cancer, your provider will order a biopsy to be tested at a lab.

Screening Suggestions by Age

• Monthly self-breast exams starting at age 20
• Lifestyle counseling and screening for related cancers (thyroid, ovarian, etc.) starting at age 30
• Annual clinical breast exams and mammograms starting at age 40

Lowering Your Risk for Breast Cancer

• Lose Weight (or Maintain a Healthy Weight)
• Exercise Regularly
• Avoid (or Limit) Alcohol Intake

For Those at High Risk

Putting It All Together

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Risk Factors

• Genetic mutations
• Family history
• Age
• Obesity
• Alcohol use
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Early onset of menstrual cycle
• First full-term pregnancy later in life
• Late menopause

Diagnosis

Treatment

Outlook

Further Research

References

• National Cancer Institute. Cancer Stat Facts: Female Breast Cancer Subtypes
• CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. Systemic therapy for hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative early stage and metastatic breast cancer
• American Cancer Society. Breast Cancer HER2 Status
• National Library of Medicine. Racial disparities in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment by hormone receptor and HER2 status

The post What is ER-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer? appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Disparities in Breast Cancer Clinical Trials

References

• S. Food & Drug Administration. Enhancing the Diversity of Clinical Trial Populations — Eligibility Criteria, Enrollment Practices, and Trial Designs Guidance for Industry
• ACS Journals. Addressing racial/ethnic disparities in cancer clinical trials: Everyone has a role to play
• American Association for Cancer Research. Disparities In Clinical Research and Cancer Treatment
• Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. Increasing Clinical Trial Participation of Black Women Diagnosed with Breast Cancer

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Jill Biden’s Mission

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Uterine Cancer Risks in Black Women

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• a change in a breast’s size or nipple’s appearance
• development of a hard lump or knot near your underarm
• variance in your breast’s skin texture or tone
• nipple discharge or blood
• arrival of a rash or any breast redness or swelling.

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Black Health Matters: First, share a bit about your work.

Black Health Matters: Why are you passionate about hematology oncology?

Black Health Matters: What are CLL and SLL?

Black Health Matters: Do CLL/SLL present with symptoms?

Black Health Matters: How is CLL/SLL usually treated?

Black Health Matters: What role do family genetics play?

Black Health Matters:  What advice do you have for patients and caregivers?

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• It takes you more than 30 minutes to fall asleep after you climb into bed.
• You have been diagnosed with insomnia.
• You wake up more than once per night on a regular basis.
• You stay awake for more than 20 minutes after waking up in the middle of the night.
• You spend less than 85 percent of your time in bed asleep.

• Set your bedroom thermostat to somewhere between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit. Sleeping in a room that is either too warm or too cool interferes with your body’s ability to drift off.
• Stop using electronic devices (like a laptop or smartphone) and turn off your TV at least 30 minutes before bedtime. The blue light these gadgets emit can make falling asleep difficult.
• Keep a consistent sleep schedule. Poor bedtime habits, such as going to bed too early (before you’re tired) or too late (when you are overly tired) can make it more difficult to sleep soundly.
• Create a relaxing pre-bedtime routine, such as taking a bubble bath or reading a book. Participating in high-energy activities—think: exercise—lowers the likelihood of an easy transition to sleep.
• Limit alcohol consumption.
• Avoid caffeinated beverages within four to six hours of bedtime.

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• Women with a family history of ovarian cancer or breast cancer may have a genetic difference called BRCA1 or BRCA2 (commonly called BRCA). This genetic mutation can increase the chances you will develop ovarian cancer. Other inherited cancer syndromes, including Lynch syndrome, also could increase ovarian cancer risk
• Never being pregnant. Don’t fret, however, if children aren’t part of your reality. “Anything that stops ovulation for a time, like birth control pills, pregnancy or breastfeeding, can lower the average woman’s ovarian cancer risk,” Dr. Lu said.
• Researchers also suspect regular ovulation increases ovarian cancer risk because it damages the lining of the ovaries, meaning ovary cells need to be repaired frequently. This can increase the chance for cancer-causing changes

• Abdominal pain
• Bloating
• Nausea, diarrhea, constipation or frequent urination
• Pain during sex
• Abnormal vaginal bleeding
• Unexplained weight change

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• 20 BEST IN CLASS HEALTH CARE EXPERTS AND THOUGHT LEADERS
• LIVE CHAT Q&A WITH LEADING DOCTORS & ADVOCATES

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Residents of the Pacific Northwest are breathing easier this week after more than 10 days of smoke-filled skies. The combination of wildfires in British Columbia and unusually stagnant, hot air resulted in a dramatic—if temporary—plummet in regional air quality.
But for the rest of the western United States, wildfire season is just getting underway. And climate experts predict that as the planet heats up, the fires will continue to start earlier in the year, burn harder and last longer than in decades past.
Worsening wildfires can wreak obvious, immediate havoc on neighboring human and natural habitats. And by dumping particulates into the air, they might also boost residents’ risk of cancer down the road, said Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center’s Parveen Bhatti, an expert on environmental factors that affect cancer risk.
Generally, those of us in the Northwest don’t need to worry about sucking in dirty air because Seattle is “a fairly clean city in terms of air pollution,” Bhatti said.
But researchers do know that prolonged exposure to air pollution—be it from traffic, industry or regular bouts of heavy smoke—is bad for your health.
In 2013, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, classified air pollution as a carcinogen, or cancer-promoting agent. Multiple large studies have found a clear association between air pollution and an increased risk in lung cancer, and individual studies have indicated possible increased risks of bladder, breast and some other cancers as well.
The good news is that air quality in the U.S. is mostly decent and actually better than it used to be, thanks to the Clean Air Act of 1970. The bad news is there are exceptions: Air pollution levels are on the rise in many low-income, urban areas of the world, according to the WHO, and some parts of the U.S. still have poor air quality.
The American Cancer Society’s Cancer Prevention Study II, which began in 1982 and enrolled 1.2 million participants in the U.S., has drawn links between regional differences in air pollution and increased risk of lung cancer, Bhatti said. That’s true even among nonsmokers. A 2011 analysis from that large study saw that increases in the type of air pollution known as particulate matter—tiny, airborne particles given off by wildfires, industry and traffic—also increased deaths due to lung cancer among those who had never smoked.
Bhatti and his colleagues are currently analyzing data from the Women’s Health Initiative—a large, long-term research study that involved more than 161,000 postmenopausal women in the U.S.—to see if the link to increased cancer risk holds true in that specific population as well.
To understand the specifics of this increased risk of cancer—and the possible biology behind it—you have to first understand what air pollution is and how researchers classify it. There are several types of air pollutants that can harm human health and the environment, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, but the type that appears to most influence cancer risk is known as particulate matter.
As the name implies, these are literally tiny particles thrown into the air as a result of less-than-clean burning—and, unlike some modern, fuel-efficient cars, wildfires burn really dirty. Tiny bits of wood and ash get into the air, and into our lungs.
One kind of particulate Bhatti and his colleagues track in epidemiology studies is called PM 2.5, referring to the smallest bits, which measure less than 2.5 microns across. (That’s about one-thirtieth the width of an average human hair.)
“They’re really tiny particles,” Bhatti said. “The reason we are particularly concerned with those is because those penetrate to the deeper parts of the lung and can actually get into your circulation.”
A recent analysis of data from several studies found that an overall, long-term increase in the concentration of these particles of 10 micrograms per cubic meter of air (slightly less than a doubling of the average yearly level considered “clean” air by California state standards) is linked to a 9 percent increase in lung cancer cases.
That boost is significant, but it’s a drop in the pond of lung cancer cases compared to cigarette smoking. Regular smoking increases the risk of lung cancer by 1,000 to more than 2,000 percent, according to the American Lung Association.
“On an individual basis, smoking is a much more brutal exposure,” Bhatti said. “Air pollution doesn’t even come close. However, given how widespread the exposure to air pollution can be, it has the opportunity to negatively impact the health of many more people.”
The two likely work in similar ways to trigger cancer. Like smoking, particulate matter in the air leads to inflammation in the lung, which is known to spur cancer formation.
How air pollution might trigger cancers in other parts of the body is a bit more of a mystery, however. Certain chemicals toxic to human DNA often stick to the small particles, and it’s possible those chemicals are triggering mutations deep in our cells that spur the formation of cancer, Bhatti said. But the particles themselves might also inflict damage.
What if summer wildfires get worse?
While they can worsen asthma and other lung conditions as well as heart disease, isolated incidents of wildfire smoke like the one that recently blanketed the Pacific Northwest are unlikely to significantly affect anyone’s risk of cancer, even if you were outside all day long, Bhatti said.
“As we think of with most exposures, it takes years of exposure to lead to an increased risk,” he said.
The question of cancer risk gets murkier, however, when you factor in that wildfire season in the Western U.S. has grown from an average of five months to more than seven months long since the 1970s as our planet heats up, and the average number of large wildfires per year is also on the rise.
“With climate change … if it becomes that most of the summer months we have smoke-filled air, that’s where we become concerned that we’re getting this regular exposure over time that could really then contribute to increased long-term health risks like cancer,” Bhatti said.
If air pollution from wildfires does become a more regular occurrence, Bhatti said individuals can follow standard public health advice for poor air-quality days to help reduce their long-term risk of lung cancer.
Most of the advice boils down to avoiding as much of the dirty air as you can: Skip outdoor exercise (but keep exercising, Bhatti said, because that lowers your risk of many cancers too). Stay inside buildings and cars with doors and windows closed and preferably some kind of air-filtration system or recirculating air conditioner running. Go to local cooling centers or other indoor spaces with A/C or, if you can, just get out of town until air quality improves.
But ultimately, the onus is on our local and federal governments to keep monitoring air quality and take steps to stem pollutants and climate change itself, Bhatti said.
“We really need to make sure our local government and the federal government pays attention and is taking action to make sure that these types of things don’t get worse so that we’re not dealing with this on an annual basis, which leads to that long-term exposure,” he said. “That’s where I think the major impact needs to come from.”
From Fred Hutch News

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The aggressive kind of uterine cancer is called Type 2 endometrial cancer and is more difficult to treat. It accounts for 20% of cases and 45% of deaths. “For most cancers, there have been improvements over the last 20 years. It’s alarming that we haven’t had the same success with uterine cancer,” said Dr. Pamela Soliman of MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, who was not involved in the study.

“This allows us to focus our efforts on specific areas that could potentially have a bigger impact on mortality,” Soliman said.

Uterine Cancer Percentages

It is predicted that an estimated 65950 new cases of uterine cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. this year and 12550 women are expected to die from it. Researchers found overall uterine cancer death rates increased by 1.8% per year from 2010 to 2017. The annual rates increased by 3.5% among Black women.

One warning sign of is irregular bleeding, but there is no recommended screening test. Other symptoms include:

• Abnormal vaginal discharge
• Pelvic pain
• Frequent urination
• Pain in the abdomen
• Mass (lump or growth) in the vagina
• Constant feeling of fullness

Unfortunately, there is no clear indication for the more aggressive kind. As of now, researchers believe there might be something in Black women that is more common and causing the increase.

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5 Vitamins That Aid Vaginal Dryness

1. Vitamin A: This vitamin is vital in developing mucous membranes, which include the lining of the vagina.
2. Vitamin B: Hormonal and dietary factors alter vaginal secretions. Proper immune function is essential for vaginal health, and the vitamin B complex – a supplement that includes all eight types of vitamin B – boosts immune function.
3. Beta-Carotene: Beta-carotene is a provitamin, which means your body uses it to make another vitamin, and in this case, vitamin A. Beta-carotene is found in the following foods: carrots, dark-green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, broccoli, and cantaloupe. It is not toxic in high doses; too much can cause the skin to have a yellow-orange hue, among other side effects.
4. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Essential fatty acids help improve the architecture of the vaginal mucosa. Research revealed omega-3 to significantly reduce vaginal dryness for six months among postmenopausal breast cancer survivors with vaginal atrophy (atrophic vaginitis), which is a thinning, drying, and inflammation of the vaginal walls.
5. Vitamin E: Vitamin E is another vitamin that help promotes vaginal lubrication. You receive Vitamin E through various foods, including plant-based oils, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables.

The post 5 Vitamins That Aid Against Vaginal Dryness During Menopause appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Find support

How can I improve my memory and ability to focus?

• Get physical activity. Getting active is good for your brain. It can help you feel less stressed and tired — and more alert. Even small amounts of physical activity can make a difference. Consider walking or yoga, and keep in mind that things like gardening and doing chores around the house count as physical activity, too.
• Eat healthy. Try to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, which have nutrients that help keep your brain healthy. If you’re worried that you’re not eating enough healthy foods, ask your doctor about taking vitamins.
• Try to get enough sleep. Do your best to get 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. If you’ve been having trouble falling asleep, you may want to try a calming bedtime routine. For example, take a bath, listen to soft music, and read a book. It’s also a good idea to avoid foods and drinks with caffeine or sugar before bedtime.
• Manage your stress. When you’re less stressed, you may find it easier to think clearly. Try meditating at home, or ask your doctor about mindfulness-based therapy. Taking time to do activities you enjoy—like watching movies or playing games—can help lower your stress levels, too.

Are there treatments for memory and thinking problems?

Stay organized to manage memory problems

• Use a planner to keep track of your daily schedule—including appointments and other important dates
• Create a to-do list or set up smartphone reminders about tasks you need to get done
• Put items that are easy to lose—like car keys—in the same place every time you finish using them

The post How to Manage Brain Fog After Breast Cancer Treatments appeared first on Black Health Matters.

• Bacteria from the oral cavity can get into the bloodstream after tooth brushing, flossing and chewing. Though these bacteria are cleared quickly, there is cumulative exposure to tissues. It could be that these microbes affect breast cancer.
• Inflammation in one part of the body may have an impact on other chronic diseases.
• Other factors, which increase both the risk of periodontal disease and breast cancer, may be present.

The post Breast Cancer Risk Linked to Gum Disease appeared first on Black Health Matters.

• Severe, progressive pain
• Back, bone or joint pain
• Swelling
• Bones that fracture easily

• Worsening headache or pressure to the head
• Vision problems (blurry, double vision or loss of vision)
• Seizures
• Loss of balance
• Vomiting or nausea
• Behavioral changes, confusion or personality changes

• Jaundice
• Itchy skin or rash
• Abdominal pain, appetite loss, nausea and vomiting

• Chronic cough
• Inability to draw a full breath
• Chest pain

The post Metastatic Breast Cancer: What You Should Know appeared first on Black Health Matters.

1. Orange-peel skin. This is called “peau d’orange” by doctors, and it literally means “the skin of an orange.” It can be a sign of inflammatory breast cancer, where the breast swells and the skin takes on almost a pitted appearance, and it happens when breast cancer cells invade the skin on your breast.
2. Dimpling of skin. Any new dimpling on your breast is cause for concern. What does this look like? Check for an indentation of the skin, similar in size and shape to a dimple on your cheek. This could signal a tumor pulling from underneath your skin.
3. Inverted nipple. After a lump, nipple abnormalities are the second most common presenting symptom of breast cancer. Be wary of an inverted nipple (one that has always pointed outward and suddenly changes to point inward) or nipples that suddenly change direction.
4. Large lump in your armpit. A lump under the armpit can represent a swelling in your lymph node, the glands that help your body fight infection. You may have had swollen lymph nodes before, but they often grow larger when they swell in response to cancer.
5. Swelling or redness. Often mistaken for a breast infection, swelling or redness can also be a sign of inflammatory breast cancer, especially if that redness covers more than a third of the breast and feels warm along with the swelling.
6. Nipple discharge. Discharge from one of your nipples, especially if it’s bloody, could be an early symptom of breast cancer. Don’t panic, though. Nipple discharge is commonly caused by a non-cancerous lump in the milk duct. Have any discharge checked by your doctor to be sure.
7. Itchy nipples. Itchiness, flaking or crusting on or near your nipple can be a sign of Paget’s disease, a rare form of breast cancer often mistaken for skin irritation. The National Cancer Institute says most women with Paget’s disease often have at least one tumor in the affected breast.

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• These cancers grow faster than other breast cancers and can spread to other organs in the body such as the liver, lungs and the brain. Most women diagnosed with this form of cancer are diagnosed at an advanced stage of the disease.

• Triple negative breast cancer reoccurs more frequently than other forms of breast cancer. And when it comes back, it comes back with a vengeance and responds less to treatment.

• But not all is lost. People can survive this disease with access to quality health care. Make sure you work with your doctor to find the right treatment at the right time that will work for you.

The post A Conversation with Dr. Edith Mitchell: Four Things to Know About Triple Negative Breast Cancer appeared first on Black Health Matters.

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It is with great sadness that we announce the peaceful passing of our founder and CEO Chris-Tia Donaldson on the evening of Saturday, November 13. TGIN and the TGIN foundation has lost a leader and a visionary and the world has lost a selfless and beautiful human being. Chris-Tia lived a life of service and was a force to be reckoned with inside and outside of the beauty community. Through her passion and purpose she redefined beauty and created a community of women empowerment teaching us the importance of advocating for ourselves especially our health,” said Singleton. “The entire TGIN family mourns the tremendous loss. No words can adequately express that sadness or the love we have for her.

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• Men can have breast cancer.
• Genetic testing for mutations of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene is often wise for men and women of all ethnicities with a family history of breast cancer.
• Early detection improves the chances for a successful outcome.

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• Diagnosis. Certain drugs are a better choice for specific symptoms and types of depression. For example, an antidepressant that makes you sleepy may be better when insomnia is an issue. The severity of your illness or the presence of anxiety, obsessions, or compulsions may also dictate the choice of one drug over another.
• Side effects. You may want to choose a drug based on which side effect you most want to avoid. Medications vary in the likelihood they will cause such problems as sexual effects, weight gain, or sedation.
• Age. As you age, your body tends to break down drugs more slowly. Thus, older people may need a lower dose. For children, only a few medications have been studied carefully.
• Health. If you have certain health problems, it’s best to avoid certain drugs. For example, your doctor will want to consider factors such as heart disease or neurological illnesses when recommending a drug. For this reason, it’s important to discuss medical problems with a primary care doctor or psychiatrist before starting an antidepressant.
• Medications, supplements, and diet. When combined with certain drugs or substances, antidepressants may not work as well, or they may have worrisome or dangerous side effects. For example, combining an SSRI or another antidepressant with the herbal remedy St. John’s wort can boost serotonin to dangerous and, in rare cases, fatal levels. Mixing St. John’s wort with other drugs—including certain drugs to control HIV infection, cancer medications, and birth control pills—might lower their effectiveness. Women receiving tamoxifen for breast cancer should take an antidepressant that does not interfere with tamoxifen’s effectiveness. Eating certain foods, such as aged cheeses and cured meats, while taking an MAOI can cause a dangerous rise in blood pressure.
• Alcohol or illicit drugs. Alcohol and other substances can cause depression and make antidepressants less effective. Doctors often treat alcohol or drug addiction first if they believe either is causing the depression. In many instances, simultaneous treatment for addiction and depression is warranted.
• Personal and family mental health and medication history. If you or a member of your family has had a good response to a medication in the past, that information may guide your choice. Depending on the nature and course of your depression (for example, if your depression is long-lasting or difficult to treat), you may need a higher dose or a combination of drugs. This may also be true if an antidepressant has stopped working for you, which may occur after you’ve used it for some time or after you’ve stopped and restarted treatment with it.
• Cost. Since all antidepressants are roughly equivalent in their effectiveness, you won’t lose anything by trying a generic version first.
• Your preference. Once you have learned as much as you can about the treatment options, your doctor will want to know what approach makes most sense given your lifestyle, your interests, and your judgment.

The post Which Medication Is Best for Depression? appeared first on Black Health Matters.

We are the core from which everyone must grow, learn, thrive and prosper, but under continuously adverse conditions. Our nurturing skills go far beyond the daily norm of checks and balances that other women use. Our instincts are sharp and certain because they have to be. We inherited that faculty from our mother, who inherited it from her mother. These are not uncharted waters, and we innately know which way to steer our children and men in order to help them reconcile their helplessness in the face of unwarranted injustices.

Now, more than ever, it’s important to utilize our instincts and nurturing skills for ourselves, and we look at every possible option when faced with serious health issues like breast cancer. Today, clinical research can be an untapped resource, particularly if you’re living with breast cancer. Clinical studies are at the heart of progress in finding new and more effective medicines. And since October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, what better time to get involved?

Bristol Myers Squibb, a global biopharmaceutical company, has formalized the perfect starting point for patients to research clinical trials for breast cancer and other serious diseases.

BMSStudyConnect.com is the pathway for patients, their caregivers and physicians to learn more about how clinical trials work and how they might be part of making sure new medicines are effective and safe. The site provides patients with the full spectrum of the clinical study process so they can have a more active role in their health care. If you choose, you can read about other patients’ stories.

BMSStudyConnect.com has made it possible for a wider variety of patients to take advantage of clinical studies. What’s more, BMSStudyConnect.com not only allows you to search for clinical trials by disease and location, but you can also pre-screen for a trial to see if you are a match. You’ll find everything you need to know to become a confident participant. For more information, please visit BMSStudyConnect.com.

The post Trust and Thrive appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Among all the pink ribbons, the walks, the professional sports donning pink for a game in October (Breast Cancer Awareness Month), Sheila hadn’t seen anything specific for anyone that looked like her. But despite this lack of representation in breast cancer awareness and education campaigns, Black women on average are 40 percent more likely to die from breast cancer than white women with the disease—a fact that has taken Sheila down a path of learning, advocating and educating. 

Since being diagnosed, she has worked with Living Beyond Breast Cancer, Young Survival Coalition, Story Half Told, National Breast Cancer Coalition and Susan G. Komen. Most recently, Sheila has been involved with Find Your MBC Voice, an initiative from Pfizer Inc., helping to empower women and men living with mBC to take an active role in making a shared decision with their doctor about their treatment plan. 

Ten years after her diagnosis, Sheila still appreciates the small miracles, like her daughter graduating from college and finding love with her now-husband. She says those miracles have been possible in large part because of her relationship with her oncologist, who worked hand in hand with her to ensure she was aware of all possible treatment options, including a clinical trial, which enabled Sheila to receive a new treatment that worked for her type of mBC. 

However, participation in clinical trials is not the norm for many Black women with breast cancer; in a recent analysis of cancer clinical trials, only 6.2 percent of participants were Black. Black women and men are underrepresented in cancer clinical trials, leading to both a lack of significant data in this population of patients and thus deriving less benefit from advancements in the field. These findings highlight that it is critical for people with the disease to speak up and ask their health care providers about ongoing clinical trials. 

Speaking up can start with educating friends and family on the importance of seeking annual breast cancer screenings and mammograms. Encourage them to be screened regularly, too. This year more than ever, it’s critical to continue annual check-ups. No matter the outcome of those screenings, its important Black women and men find their voice and speak up about their treatment wants and needs with their doctors. A good resource is Find Your MBC Voice, which provides people living with mBC with information on how to speak up with their doctor about their treatment options and provides tools such as the Treatment Discussion Guide. 

Sheila was recently featured in the September 2020 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine, and hopes her story will inspire others to have discussions with their doctors about all possible treatment options, including clinical trials. In the article she shared, “My life is not about me anymore—it’s all about who I can help. I want to encourage mBC patients to simply wake up and live each day, and to see that you can live a joyous life with cancer. Know that I am out there fighting for you, and you are not alone.” 

Raising awareness hasn’t been easy, but the fact that Sheila’s story is shared at the national level is a great example of changes that are happening to ensure equal representation for Black patients impacted by breast cancer. 

For additional information and resources on living with metastatic breast cancer or how to support someone who is, visit FindYourMBCVoice.com.  

Sponsorship provided by Pfizer

The post Amplifying Black Women’s Breast Cancer Stories appeared first on Black Health Matters.

Nowhere is this skill more important than when we use that power to support a sister in her battle against breast cancer. This means speaking up for women less fortunate than we are, choosing collaboration over competition and helping women be proactive about their health. We also uplift when we help a woman advocate for her well-being when it comes to breast health. This includes the importance of knowing their own breasts and making sure they get an annual mammogram.

We can also support our sisters when we talk to them about the importance of participating in clinical trials. Clinical research opens more possibilities, especially for women living with breast cancer. In fact, clinical research is at the forefront of finding new and more effective treatments.There’s no better time to talk to one’s mother, grandmother, aunt or sister about clinical trials and let them know we’re there for full support.

It’s also a time to learn why inclusiveness is important to the research process and why Bristol Myers Squibb is committed to diversity at all levels. As a leading, international biopharmaceutical company, Bristol Myers Squibb has developed a comprehensive website for patients to research clinical trials for breast cancer and other serious diseases. BMSStudyConnect.com is a pathway for patients, their caregivers and physicians to learn more about how clinical trials work.The site provides patients with the full spectrum of the clinical study process in order to take a more active role in their health care.

BMSStudyConnect.com has made it possible for a wider variety of patients to take advantage of clinical studies. What’s more, BMSStudyConnect.com not only allows patients to search for clinical trials by disease and location, but also pre-screen for a trial to see if they are a match. It’s a one-stop shop to find everything essential to become a confident participant and support for a sister. Visit BMSStudyConnect.com for more information.

The post Support a Sister appeared first on Black Health Matters.

So what is the best way to find breast cancer early? Twenty years ago, a physical examination of the breast—either by a woman herself (a breast self-exam) or by a trained health care provider (a clinical breast exam)—was considered an essential early detection tool. Educational materials on how to perform self-exams were widely distributed, and women were strongly encouraged to learn the technique and perform it monthly. 

Today, the role of the self-exam in early detection is less clear. 

As an advanced practice nurse at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, Kimberly Hoskins counsels patients on breast cancer risk factors and early detection strategies. Here, she tackles the who, why and when of breast self-exams.

The breast self-exam went from “essential” to “optional.” What changed?

“Both research and advances in clinical practice have made us smarter about the right role for the self-exam,” Hoskins said. 

In 2003, the American Cancer Society revised their guidelines based on what researchers found—or rather, didn’t find—about the benefits of regular physical breast exams. Studies showed very little evidence that breast self-exams and clinical breast exams were effective in finding early breast cancers in women who also get regular mammograms.

“Mammography has been proven better at finding early stage, small breast tumors than physical breast examination,” she said. “And mammography continues to improve, becoming more widely available and more technically advanced, including 3D imaging.”

“Research has also shown that breast self-examinations can lead to unnecessary worry and anxiety, as well as unnecessary appointments and even breast biopsies, when a woman thinks she feels something. Some lumps a woman can feel end up being benign,” Hoskins said. “Conversely, a woman who relies only on self-exams can develop a false sense of security when she doesn’t feel something. She may conclude she does not need regular mammography.” 

So is the self-exam a thing of the past?

“No,” Hoskins said. “But for women at average risk of breast cancer, we no longer consider traditional monthly self-exams to be essential for early detection. That doesn’t mean we don’t want women to be familiar with the characteristics of their breasts. A significant number of breast cancers are still found based on something a woman saw or felt. We advise women to get to know their breasts, so they can recognize any changes that need to be checked by a provider.” 

ACS guidelines note women are most likely to find a lump or other troublesome symptom while bathing or dressing than as a result of a formal self-exam.

What constitutes “average” and “high” risk?

“On average, a woman faces a 12 percent lifetime risk—a one in eight chance—of developing breast cancer over her lifetime,” Hoskins said. “That is considered ‘average’ risk. That risk doubles to a one in four or 25 percent chance if she has a first degree relative—a mother, sister or child—who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Anything above 20 percent is considered ‘high risk.’”  

Are traditional monthly self-exams still recommended for women at high risk?

“Yes, women at high risk for breast cancer should perform regular self-exams and/or have regular clinical breast exams,” Hoskins said. “And while considered ‘optional’ for average risk women, regular breast self-examination is also a good practice for women not scheduled for a yearly mammogram—those under the age of 45 or over the age of 55. Before menopause, women should do their breast self-exams after their monthly period ends. After menopause, they should do one on the same day each month.”

What types of concerns might be discovered by a self-exam?

According to Hoskins, women should call their provider if they observe any of the following:

1. Any discharge from the nipple that comes out without pressing on the nipple or breast
2. A lump or hard knot (that might feel like a pebble or rock) in the breast or under the arm
3. A change in the size or shape of a breast
4. An inversion or sinking in of the nipple
5. Puckering, dimpling (looking like orange peel) or bulges in the skin of the breast 
6. A rash, sore, or peeling or flaking of skin around the nipple
7. Any change in the color of the breast, such as redness or darkening skin
8. The breast feeling warmer or hotter than usual

From Michigan Health

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Ananda Lewis, former MTV Veejay and TV personality, is seeking to get women to take the proper precautions and get mammograms, as early detection is key to successful treatment for cancer. She knows this and is doing so because, as she revealed in an IG TV video, she has breast cancer and has been fighting it for two years.

The 47-year-old admitted that for a long time she passed on getting mammograms because her own mother went and had them consistently, and eventually was diagnosed with breast cancer. She assumed it was the low energy X-rays that exposed her to the disease.

“I said, ‘Huh! Radiation exposure for years equals breast cancer. Yeah, I’m going to pass,’” she said. “‘Thanks anyway.’”

She still believes that an accumulation of radiation in your body can cause cancer, but says had she gone and had mammograms, just a few, her cancer would have been caught earlier and her exposure to radiation would have been minimal. Instead, she ended up having two PET scans, which she said equal out to about 30 mammograms each in terms of radiation exposure, or 60 in total.

“If I had done the mammograms from the time they were recommended when I turned 40, they would have caught the tumor in my breast years before I caught it through my own breast exam, self-exam and thermography,” she said. “They would have caught it at a place where it was more manageable, where the treatment of it would have been a little easier. It’s never easy, but I use that word in comparison to what I’m going through now.”

She shared that she presently has stage 3 breast cancer in her lymph nodes. She’s opted for 100 percent alternative natural treatments (“I’ve done everything”), which she said have helped the condition “not spread like wildfire in my body.” But until it’s gone she said she has a lot of work to do.

“I wish I could go back,” she said. “I have a 9-year-old I need to be here for. I have no intention on leaving him.”

With a little bit of regret on her mind, she shared her story in the hopes of getting other people to be proactive sooner.

“I need you to share this with the women in your life who may be as stubborn as I was about mammograms. And I need you to tell them that they have to do it,” she said. “Early detection, especially for breast cancer, changes your outcome. It can save their life.”

“For me it was important to come to you and admit where I went wrong with this because it could help you or someone you know,” she added.

But Lewis is determined to not let this thing steal her joy. She also plans to keep things natural, and to not have people feel sorry for her. She is confident that things will work out fine because she has faith in a multitude of things, including herself.

“For me, alternative is still the best way. I stand by that,” she said. “I believe in the power of my body. I believe in the intelligence of my body. I believe in my power, and I believe in the power of my God. And all of that is going to help me.”

From MadameNoire

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The answer is yes. A mammogram, an imaging test used to screen women for breast cancer, is your best chance of detecting breast cancer early when treatment is most effective.

That’s why the American Cancer Society recommends women begin breast cancer screening with mammograms around age 40 and commit to getting yearly mammograms by age 45. While women aged 55 and older may switch to screening every two years or continue annual screening, routine screening every year is the best way to prevent breast cancer.

Because our cancers are still found at a later stage than our white counterparts, and we are more likely to die from breast cancer, Black women should follow the advice of the American College of Radiology and the Society of Breast Imaging and get a mammogram every year starting at age 40. If you have a close relative (mother, sister) who has had breast cancer, talk to your doctor about getting tested earlier.

A mammogram may not bring you joy, but it could mean the difference between life and death. So check out these six reasons to get one:

1. Cancer or an abnormality can’t always be felt. Mammograms can find breast cancer long before you or your doctor are able to feel a lump in your breast. Don’t get us wrong: Breast self-exams are important (you should know your breasts intimately), but you may not feel any changes until a sizable lump has formed. By the time that happens, breast cancer is already growing, spreading and harder to treat. A mammogram can detect changes to your breast tissue as small as grains of sand, making it the best tool for detecting cancer as early as possible.

2. When caught early, breast cancer is 99 percent curable. No, mammograms can’t prevent breast cancer, but they can help detect it early when there are more treatment options—and before it spreads to other parts of the body. According to the American Cancer Society, when breast cancer is detected while it’s contained to the breast, the survival rate is nearly 100 percent.

3. A mammogram can save your life—and your breasts. When breast cancer is detected early, you may not need a mastectomy or surgical removal of the affected breast. Instead, a lumpectomy may be used to remove only the cancerous tumor while preserving the healthy tissue around it.

4. Your risk of developing breast cancer increases as you age—even if no one else in your family has it. The older you are, the more your risk of developing breast cancer. That’s why mammograms aren’t a one-and-done option. It’s important to get screened for breast cancer every year starting at the age of 40. While being a woman and advancing age are the most significant risk factors, there are others, including:

• Obesity
• Alcohol use
• Physical inactivity
• Family history

Even if you don’t have a family history of breast cancer, you aren’t necessarily in the clear. The majority of women with breast cancer, about 85 percent, have no family history of the disease. So even if no one in your family has breast cancer, you are still at risk of developing it yourself.

5. It takes only 20 minutes. We’re not going to lie: A mammogram isn’t the most comfortable procedure (a skilled technician should be able to minimize your discomfort, and you can minimize the unpleasantness by following these tips), but getting one takes only 20 minutes.

6. As of now, it’s free for eligible patients. Under the Affordable Care Act, women’s preventive health care, including mammograms, generally must be covered with no cost sharing. You also may be eligible for a free mammogram if you are:

• Age 40 or older
• Living on a limited income
• Uninsured or underinsured.

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The type and stage of your cancer, as well as your overall health and preferences, will help you and your health care provider choose the most appropriate treatment plan. Options may include active surveillance, surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, cryosurgery, chemotherapy and biological therapy. 

Most prostate cancer cells rely on testosterone to help them grow. Hormone therapy for prostate cancer, also called androgen deprivation therapy, is a treatment to stop testosterone from being produced or reaching prostate cancer cells.

Your doctor may recommend hormone therapy for prostate cancer as an option at different times and for different reasons during your cancer treatment.

Hormone therapy can be used:

• In advanced prostate cancer to shrink the cancer and slow the growth of tumors, which also might relieve signs and symptoms
• After treatment of prostate cancer, if your PSA level remains high or starts rising
• In locally advanced prostate cancer, to make radiation therapy more effective in reducing the risk of recurrence
• In those with a high risk of recurrence after initial treatment

Side effects of hormone therapy for prostate cancer can include:

• Loss of muscle mass
• Increased body fat
• Loss of sex drive
• Erectile dysfunction
• Bone thinning, which can lead to broken bones
• Hot flashes
• Decreased body hair, smaller genitalia and growth of breast tissue
• Fatigue
• Changes in behavior
• Problems with metabolism

To minimize the side effects of hormone therapy, your doctor may recommend you take them for certain periods of time or until your PSA is very low. You might need to resume these medications if the disease recurs or progresses.

Early research shows this intermittent dosing of hormone therapy medications may reduce the risk of side effects. However, we need additional studies to determine the long-term survival benefits of intermittent therapy.

Your doctor might suggest intermittent dosing if you have an elevated level of PSA in your blood, but no other evidence of spreading cancer.

As you consider hormone therapy for prostate cancer, discuss your options with your doctor. Approaches to hormone therapy for prostate cancer include:

• Medications that stop your body from producing testosterone. Certain medications—known as luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone or gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists and antagonists—prevent your body’s cells from receiving messages to make testosterone. As a result, your testicles stop producing testosterone.
• Medications that block testosterone from reaching cancer cells. These medications, known as anti-androgens, usually are given in conjunction with LHRH agonists. That’s because LHRH agonists can cause a temporary increase in testosterone before testosterone levels decrease.
• Surgery to remove the testicles. Removing your testicles reduces testosterone levels in your body quickly and significantly. But unlike medication options, surgery to remove the testicles is permanent and irreversible.

You’ll meet with your cancer doctor regularly for follow-up visits while you’re taking hormone therapy for prostate cancer. Your doctor will ask about any side effects you’re experiencing. Many side effects can be controlled.

Depending on your circumstances, you may undergo tests to monitor your medical situation and watch for cancer recurrence or progression while you’re taking hormone therapy. Results of these tests can give your doctor an idea of how you’re responding to hormone therapy, and your therapy may be adjusted accordingly.

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• Fecal occult blood test, which can detect blood in a stool sample
• Cologuard, a stool DNA test you can take at home
• Virtual colonoscopy, which requires the same preparation as a colonoscopy, but no sedation, for those who are medically unable to undergo colonoscopy

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—David Steele

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