What’s the most significant breast cancer news to make headlines during the year just past? Here’s my totally opinionated, unscientific list of 2007 's Top-10 Breast Cancer Milestones:
Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, this grassroots breast cancer advocacy organization marked the milestone by working to become ever more visible in the media, while stepping up its work on both the national and international levels.
• Komen earned press coverage with edgy new print ads, launched last spring. “If you’re going to stare at my breasts… you could at least donate a dollar to save them.” This is NOT your mother’s foundation.
• Komen passed the $1 billion fundraising mark in its 25th year; and pledged to raise another $1 billion in the next 10 years. It’s second only to the federal government in generating breast cancer research and advocacy funding.
• In this Presidential election year, Komen has organized “Close the Gap: The Komen Community Challenge Tour,” a 24-city tour challenging all Presidential candidates to “support three achievable goals that will help save lives and help end breast cancer forever:” research, screening, and treatment. In addition, “I Vote for the Cure™” is Komen’s campaign to educate voters and challenge the Presidential candidates to make breast cancer a priority.
• In addition, Komen organized and sponsored the Global Breast Cancer Advocate Summit, held in September in Budapest, Hungary. This historic summit paired 25 U.S. breast cancer advocates with advocates from more than 25 countries; First Lady Laura Bush was the event’s honorary co-chair.
Read more SharePosts on Susan G. Komen for the Cure:
- I Vote for the Cure: Komen Sounds a Breast Cancer Rallying Cry
- The New Susan G. Komen: This is NOT Your Grandma's Foundation
Black women and breast cancer: The special issues that affect young black women with breast cancer are getting more attention. Last January, researchers discovered a protein marker that may someday lead to screening tests for basal epithelial breast cancer, a very aggressive, fast-acting, difficult-to-treat cancer that’s especially prevalent in pre-menopausal black women. And results of a study released in December showed that black women under age 35 have an elevated incidence of mutations in the BRCA1 gene; again, this new information could result in wider screening and better prevention of breast cancer in black women.
Read related news on breast cancer and black women:
- BRCA1 Mutation Prevalent Among Hispanic, Younger Black Women
- Breast Cancer Recurrence More Likely in Black Women
- Studies Reveal Why Breast Cancer Hits Black Women Harder
Hormone therapy: Tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors (Arimidex, Femara, and Aromasin) were in the news regularly. Up-to-the-minute information indicates that AIs (5 years or more) are most effective at preventing recurrence in post-menopausal women with hormone-receptive cancer. And 5 years of tamoxifen is still the standard for pre-menopausal, hormone-receptive women; though results of a study released in December may up the duration of treatment to 10 years.
Read more aromatase inhibitor news:
