Living with a genetic mutation that increases your risk of cancer is a heavy burden. For women carrying the BRCA gene, part of the burden stems from an increased risk of getting cancer, and part stems from a really big decision – whether or not to remove the ovaries and fallopian tubes before menopause …
Menopause always comes with challenges. When you are 50ish, the symptoms come on gradually. But when you are younger and still have normal or relatively normal hormone levels, treatment causes an abrupt drop in those hormones, and that causes you to be catapulted into menopause. That large, sudden change in hormones causes large, sudden changes …
Women with breast cancer must not only deal with the challenges of a potentially life-threatening disease; they also have to face the challenges of breast cancer treatment. Chemotherapy is an essential mainstay for many who require breast cancer treatment, but it causes side effects that are at best unpleasant and at worst, toxic. And in …
Do you have a strong family history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer? Are you thinking of doing a BRCA genetic test to find out if your genes put you at increased risk for those cancers? Would you visit your doctor or healthcare provider to get tested, or would you do as an increasing number …
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month Women are marching around the country to bring awareness and to raise money for breast cancer prevention. It’s no wonder. Breast cancer is scary and with good reason. It can be a lethal disease, the treatment can change a woman’s body, and screening is uncomfortable. But there is …
This month is very a big one in women’s health. First of all, it is National Menopause Awareness Month. The second is that it is National Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Awareness Week. So, I thought it would be good to discuss a topic that gets too little attention – the inherited potential risk …
When do you think menopause happens? One common myth that I hear all the time is that menopause happens when you’re older. If you think that menopause happens when you’re older you may may be surprised that the mean age of menopause is 51 years, and the range is 46 to 55. But five to …
In this post, I would like to share my thoughts on some important points related to Angelina Jolie, estrogen and breast cancer that are impactful yet have been largely overlooked by most of the coverage. As you likely know, about two years ago Angelina Jolie, who has the BReast CAncer (BRCA1) gene and a strong …
No one wants to go to the doctor. It takes time, it is not pleasant, and sometimes the procedures can be painful, but the benefits outweigh the negatives. Last time I shared with you some exams and measurements to keep you health. Today I’d like to share with you part two of my health optimizers …
At this year’s Annual Meeting of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology I interviewed Dr. Noah Kauff, Director of Ovarian Cancer Screening and Prevention, at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, to discuss who should receive genetic cancer screening for My Menopause Magazine. I know you will find this information helpful. Dr. Mache Seibel: Which women …
