Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Late-Stage Breast Cancer Diagnosis No Longer Seen As Terminal
Miami Herald: Late-Stage Breast Cancer Can Be Stabilized With New Treatments
It was the breast implants Silverman had had put in two years prior to her diagnosis that ended up saving her life. She has no history of cancer in her family and later tested negative for the BRCA gene mutation, which increases your risk of contracting breast cancer. So on a vacation to Georgia, when she felt the painful lump, Silverman’s first thought was an implant-related issue. And when doctors found a tumor pushing out of her breast, she assumed the implants would have to come out. Turns out, they did not, nor did Silverman have to undergo a mastectomy. (Huffaker Evans, 10/10)
Texas Tribune: Breastfeeding On The Rise: Mothers Call For Community Support
A new report from the CDC outlines how the nation and individual states are progressing toward the Healthy People 2020 breastfeeding objectives. Texas has met the CDC target of 81.9 percent of mothers ever having breastfed, but still falls behind in other key metrics. Texas medical facilities lag behind the national average in the percentage of live births taking place at baby-friendly facilities, as well as in implementation of procedures that can help encourage breastfeeding. These procedures are outlined by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) as the optimal level of care for breastfeeding and mother-child bonding. (Schroeder, 10/10)
WBUR: More Women Choose Custom-Made Hormone Therapy; Influential Docs Worry About Potential Harm
The term "bioidentical hormone" doesn't really have a standard definition. In general, it's taken to mean hormones that have the same chemical and molecular structure as hormones produced in the human body... Studies show that up to a million or more women take the custom-made hormone medications, and the number is increasing. But the trend frustrates and even alarms many doctors because custom-compounded varieties aren't FDA approved, nor do they carry labels detailing the risks and possible side effects of all types of hormone therapy. (Zimmerman, 10/11)
