Kevin Knopf, M.D.
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Kevin Knopf is a hematologist in San Francisco, California and is affiliated with California Pacific Medical Center. He wrote for HealthCentral as a health professional for Breast Cancer.
Latest by Kevin Knopf, M.D.
When Even the Experts Disagree"¦Who Benefits from Adjuvant Chemotherapy
Data presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium show that basically all women with HER2+ breast cancers benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy/Herceptin due to their worse prognosis. In my mind, however, there is no more controversial area in b...
Reading your Pathology Report: Cancer Size, Lymph Node Involvement, ER and PR Status
More things to look for on your pathology report - my last post on pathology reports covered histology, margins and grade. Other important things a pathologist will consider: Size of the Breast Cancer (Measured in cm) This is somewhat an approximatio...
Treating the Elderly Patient with Breast Cancer
The average lifespan of the American woman continues to rise well past 80 years. Assuming a healthy heart and no other major medical illnesses, the chance for breast cancer is still present. Women over 70 have been under-represented in clinical trial...
What Happens at a Breast Tumor Board?
Last week I mentioned to a patient that “her case” had been discussed at our breast tumor board, and there was a consensus opinion (i.e. all present agreed with my recommendation). What is a breast tumor board? At most community oncology centers and ...
Why Breast Cancer Awareness Month is Important: Thoughts from a Medical Oncologist
It is breast cancer awareness month, and everywhere pink ribbons abound. I have donned one on my white coat. Why is breast cancer awareness month such a very, very good thing? Here are four reasons. #1 - Breast Cancer Awareness Month Fosters AWARENES...
Is Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) Hereditary?
There is a spectrum of changes in the breast tissue from normal tissue to breast cancer; it goes something like this: Normal ductal tissue Ductal hyperplasia Atypical Ductal Hyperplasia Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) Breast Cancer The difference bet...
Forgetting to Take Tamoxifen (Nolvadex)?
A recent study of breast cancer patients showed that about a third of women stopped taking their tamoxifen (nolvadex) before the end of the recommended 5 years. Tamoxifen for premenopausal women, and aromatase inhibitors for postmenopausal women, are ...
A First Visit with the Medical Oncologist
"is naturally going to be an anxiety provoking experience. I’ll talk a little about the first visit for a newly diagnosed patient contemplating the benefits of hormonal or chemotherapy after surgery for breast cancer. (Patients with metastatic d...