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Breast cancer survivors taking aromatase inhibitors (AIs) such as anastrozole, letrozole, and exemestane experienced a reduction in joint pain if they exercise while on treatment, according to results presented at the 2013 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, which is currently underway.
Five years of AI use after surgery or other primary treatment is recommended for postmenopausal women diagnosed with stages 1-3 hormone receptor-positive breast cancers, which account for nearly 70 percent of all newly diagnosed breast cancer cases.
UPDATE 2023: Please note that this treatment is now no longer privately available in New Zealand and is still not available in the public system.
BCAC is pushing for the public health system to introduce ‘intraoperative radiotherapy’ for women with low risk early breast cancer.
Intraoperative radiotherapy has recently been introduced to New Zealand, but is currently only available to eligible patients who pay for the treatment privately.
The 10th Australasian Lymphology Association Conference will be held in Auckland, New Zealand in April next year.
Entitled “Koru: life, growth, movement” the conference will take place from 3-5 April 2014.
The organisers are aiming to provide an innovative, thought provoking and quality three day Conference programme. In addition to the highly successful workshops and papers of the past, they are looking forward to a number of interactive and lively panel debates around contemporary issues.
There will also be a “Public & Consumer Day” on Saturday 5 April 2014. If you or someone you know is living with lymphoedema then this day is for you.
Key note speakers include Margaret McNeely and Stéphane Vignes.
More women choose to bare all and change the conversation about mastectomy and breast reconstruction
More women have come forward to bare their breasts with fellow breast cancer survivor, Nic Russell, in an effort to demystify mastectomy and breast reconstruction.
A friend of BCAC, Nic Russell, recently posted pictures of herself topless online in order to celebrate the gift of life that comes from the decision to have a mastectomy.
She invited fellow breast cancer survivors to do the same and now three Auckland women have come forward and are having topless photos of themselves taken over the coming week. Another two women from elsewhere in New Zealand have also indicated that they want to participate.
Check out all the latest news from member group Breast Cancer Support (BCS) by clicking on the link below.
The Breast Cancer Network (BCN) is thrilled to announce that in 2014 they are running weekly meditation classes on Sunday evenings.
Come along and try dragon boating!
As the first breast cancer survivors team to be set up in New Zealand some 16 years ago now, the Busting with Life dragon boat team have heard it all –“I don’t think I can, I’ve never done it before, I haven’t been in a team for years, I’m not very strong right now” - even, “I can’t swim!” And many of these same ladies have tried it and become hooked on the sport. Busting with Life reckon they have got something special going on and they want you to consider being a part of it.
An Auckland breast cancer survivor is urging other women who’ve been through breast cancer to join her and bare all in an effort to demystify mastectomy and breast reconstruction.
Friend of BCAC, Nic Russell, has posted pictures of herself topless online in order to celebrate the gift of life that comes from the decision to have a mastectomy.
Nic was diagnosed at the age of 31 and had a double mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation therapy at the same time as her two-year-old daughter was fighting cancer.
Nic’s daughter sadly died, but when Nic turned 40 this year, she chose to celebrate by having these powerful images taken of herself topless.
Australian cancer survivor and expert in meditation and mind-body medicine, Dr Ian Gawler, is currently in the country running a range of events on stress relief, relaxation, and meditation to improve health for those with cancer.
Dr Gawler survived bone cancer in the 1970s and set up the Gawler Foundation in Australia to provide people with options for improved health through mind-body techniques, such as meditation.
A fascinating look at breast cancer from politics to human rights will be the topic of discussion at BCAC’s AGM next Friday the 15th of November.
Former breast physician, politician and now the country’s Equal Employment Opportunities commissioner, Dr Jackie Blue, will address the meeting and will discuss her experience of breast cancer as a health practitioner, politician and advocate of human rights.
BCAC chairperson, Libby Burgess, says Dr Blue has been a long-time supporter of women with breast cancer and her talk promises to be thought provoking.
