1 00:00:01,880 --> 00:00:09,799 Speaker 1: You're listening to I Choose Me with Jenny Garth. Hi, everyone, 2 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:12,880 Speaker 1: welcome to I Choose Me. This podcast is all about 3 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:16,800 Speaker 1: the choices we make and where they lead us. October 4 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:20,840 Speaker 1: is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and I know that many 5 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:25,120 Speaker 1: of us have been affected by breast cancer, and as women, 6 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:29,080 Speaker 1: I think it's something that has crossed all of our 7 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:33,320 Speaker 1: minds at some point. Breast cancer is something that I 8 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 1: believe every woman thinks about at some point in our life. 9 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:40,559 Speaker 1: I know it has personally touched my life, and because 10 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 1: of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I wanted to make sure 11 00:00:43,440 --> 00:00:46,400 Speaker 1: that we had this conversation because if we can get 12 00:00:46,440 --> 00:00:51,159 Speaker 1: one woman listening today to go out and get a 13 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 1: mammogram or ask for a mammogram, then this episode has 14 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:59,360 Speaker 1: served its purpose. My guest today is the medical director 15 00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:04,240 Speaker 1: of Surgical Breast Oncology at Christas Saint Vincent in New Mexico. 16 00:01:04,840 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 1: Please welcome doctor Amani John Bacar to the I Choose 17 00:01:08,120 --> 00:01:08,800 Speaker 1: Me Podcast. 18 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 2: What a pleasure it is to meet you. It's so 19 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:15,280 Speaker 2: nice to meet you too. Who knew we'd be here together? Yeah? 20 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:18,120 Speaker 3: I never imagined I would meet Jenny Gorth ever, so 21 00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 3: that is amazing. 22 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 1: Oh my gosh, it's so funny that you say that 23 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 1: you'd never imagine that we would meet. But here we are, 24 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:28,600 Speaker 1: and we're talking about something so so important, and I'm 25 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:30,679 Speaker 1: really grateful that you're here because we're going to just 26 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:33,280 Speaker 1: break all of these myths down. We want to know 27 00:01:33,319 --> 00:01:35,360 Speaker 1: all the details, all the things that we need to know. 28 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:38,280 Speaker 1: I think a lot of women don't get mammograms because 29 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 1: maybe they think they're too young, or they're concerned that 30 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 1: it's going to hurt, or they just don't want to 31 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:46,679 Speaker 1: think about it. But for someone listening today who's never 32 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:50,920 Speaker 1: had a mammogram before, let's talk about the process. I mean, 33 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:54,920 Speaker 1: I've had many mammograms at my age, I can I 34 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 1: can speak to the level of uncomfortability. But from your perspective, 35 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:01,400 Speaker 1: does that scare women away? 36 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:02,160 Speaker 2: And what is it like? 37 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:06,880 Speaker 3: So full disclosure, I'm thirty seven, so I haven't yet 38 00:02:06,880 --> 00:02:08,400 Speaker 3: gotten a mammogram myself. 39 00:02:09,360 --> 00:02:13,520 Speaker 1: Amazing to know. But wait, wait, that brings me to 40 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:16,520 Speaker 1: this question. What is the age where where women I've 41 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:17,840 Speaker 1: forgotten it's been so long. 42 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:18,800 Speaker 2: It's forty. 43 00:02:18,919 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 3: It's forty, and so for someone who is of average risk, 44 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 3: forty is the age that's when you should definitely start 45 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 3: getting your mammograms. Someone who is high risk, who has 46 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:30,799 Speaker 3: a high rist family history should come see someone like me, 47 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 3: a breast specialist and get established in a high risk 48 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:38,799 Speaker 3: breast clinic and potentially start imaging sooner in the twenties 49 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 3: even or thirties. 50 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:43,840 Speaker 1: Okay, that's funny because I was just talking to someone 51 00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:47,240 Speaker 1: who is thirty seven today and she said she hadn't 52 00:02:47,280 --> 00:02:50,400 Speaker 1: gotten a mammogram, and I was concerned. But now I 53 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 1: know that we don't start this process until we're forty, 54 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 1: so that is already I've learned something, and I'm very, 55 00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 1: very grateful. But I can sort of speak to the 56 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 1: comfortability of it. I mean, it's not like I want 57 00:03:04,280 --> 00:03:08,519 Speaker 1: to go get a mammogram. It's not leasant, but it's 58 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:11,680 Speaker 1: not the worst thing ever either, And it's so quick 59 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:15,360 Speaker 1: like when they do, yeah, they do put your boob 60 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 1: in a machine and flatten it down like a pancake. 61 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:19,360 Speaker 2: Yep. 62 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:24,239 Speaker 1: But it's momentary, and we women have endured way worse. 63 00:03:24,560 --> 00:03:28,520 Speaker 1: So even if you're uncomfortable for you know, five seconds 64 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:32,440 Speaker 1: while they're taking the image, it's invaluable the information that 65 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:33,960 Speaker 1: you are going to get and the peace of mind 66 00:03:33,960 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 1: that you're hopefully going to get knowing that you're all clear. Okay, 67 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:40,120 Speaker 1: so we learned already something super super big. How long 68 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:42,680 Speaker 1: does it take to get results? Like for in my experience, 69 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 1: it's taken about a week maybe. 70 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:46,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, usually a week. 71 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 3: So I'm here in San Fe, New Mexico, and oftentimes 72 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 3: if patients need a biopsy, the radiologists or one of 73 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:56,200 Speaker 3: the texts will tell them right then and there, like, hey, 74 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 3: we see something on your mammogram, you need a biopsy, 75 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 3: or hey see something on your mammogram, you need another mammogram, 76 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:05,720 Speaker 3: or maybe an ultrasound, And so usually the. 77 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:07,120 Speaker 2: Turnaround is pretty quick. 78 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 3: If it's a normal result, then they may get like 79 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:13,160 Speaker 3: a letter or a notification through their phones, you know, 80 00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:16,400 Speaker 3: their chart on their phone that everything's normal, within like a. 81 00:04:16,320 --> 00:04:18,279 Speaker 2: Week or so. Yeah. 82 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 1: I've never had that moment where they say, oh, yeah, 83 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:23,919 Speaker 1: we need to take this again, or I need to 84 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:25,600 Speaker 1: call somebody and have them come look at this. 85 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:29,440 Speaker 2: Well that's great, that's awesome news. Yeah, that would be 86 00:04:29,480 --> 00:04:30,360 Speaker 2: a little scarier. 87 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 1: I want to talk to you about the b r 88 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:36,400 Speaker 1: C A one and b r C A two genes. 89 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:39,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, how do we test for those? 90 00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:42,880 Speaker 3: That is a great question, because that's something that I'm 91 00:04:42,920 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 3: extremely passionate about. 92 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:45,040 Speaker 2: Good. 93 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:49,919 Speaker 3: So we have a blood test that looks at eighty 94 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:52,840 Speaker 3: one different genes BRACO one in two, as well as 95 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:56,560 Speaker 3: other genes like CHECK two, PALB two, other genes that 96 00:04:56,720 --> 00:04:59,599 Speaker 3: really increase the risk for breast cancer, but also other 97 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:04,240 Speaker 3: types of cancers like ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, 98 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:07,239 Speaker 3: colon cancer. And that's a blood test that can only 99 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 3: be ordered by a physician. It's not the same thing 100 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:13,440 Speaker 3: as a medical you know, twenty three and me or 101 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:16,320 Speaker 3: something like that that has to be ordered by oftentimes 102 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:19,760 Speaker 3: a genetic counselor, or it can be ordered by an 103 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:23,840 Speaker 3: oncologist like myself, a surgical oncologist or a medical oncologist. 104 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:26,520 Speaker 3: And I see patients for that in the office all 105 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:30,120 Speaker 3: the time. And people who have a high risk family 106 00:05:30,200 --> 00:05:32,719 Speaker 3: history should talk to their primary care doctors about it 107 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:35,200 Speaker 3: and say, hey, I have a high risk family history, 108 00:05:35,200 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 3: I have someone in my family diagnosed with none of 109 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:40,400 Speaker 3: those cancers, especially one of those cancers under the age 110 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 3: of fifty. Where do I go next for testing? And 111 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:46,040 Speaker 3: it may be different in every community and a lot 112 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:47,800 Speaker 3: of places. They might say you need to see a 113 00:05:47,839 --> 00:05:51,000 Speaker 3: genetic counselor. But here in Santa Fe, I do a 114 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:53,720 Speaker 3: lot of that and I moved to Santa Fe about 115 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:56,479 Speaker 3: nine months ago and I've probably done genetic testing for 116 00:05:56,560 --> 00:05:58,479 Speaker 3: over one hundred and twenty patients so far. 117 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:04,320 Speaker 2: Amazing. Yeah, Yeah, I think it's so important because you 118 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:06,120 Speaker 2: need to know what your risks are. You need to 119 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:09,240 Speaker 2: know what you're what you're starting with, I. 120 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 3: Mean exactly, and what you're inheriting from people. 121 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:12,560 Speaker 2: You know. 122 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:15,800 Speaker 3: I spoke to a patient in the clinic today who 123 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:19,800 Speaker 3: didn't really have a very convincing family history but then 124 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:23,480 Speaker 3: ended up having a Braco one mutation, and so it's 125 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:28,320 Speaker 3: a scenario where we can't guess, and so the only 126 00:06:28,360 --> 00:06:30,679 Speaker 3: way to know for sure is to do the genetic testing. 127 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:34,040 Speaker 3: And it does get approved by insurance for people who 128 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 3: meet the NCCN criteria to get tested, and so I 129 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:41,200 Speaker 3: don't see a lot of problems with insurance coverage not 130 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:44,040 Speaker 3: being there for that kind of testing. And if you 131 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:46,280 Speaker 3: do find out you have a mutation like Braco one 132 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:48,320 Speaker 3: or two, then you could be eligible for things like 133 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:52,640 Speaker 3: breast MRIs to do more screening and just to make 134 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:54,520 Speaker 3: sure that if you do develop something that we do 135 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 3: in fact, catch it early. 136 00:06:56,120 --> 00:06:58,760 Speaker 2: Oh thank god, the insurance is taking care of us 137 00:06:58,839 --> 00:07:03,040 Speaker 2: in this respect. Okay, So, but if you test positive. 138 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:06,120 Speaker 1: For the BRCA gene, right, what does that mean in 139 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:08,320 Speaker 1: terms of your risk of getting breast cancer? 140 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:13,400 Speaker 3: So that risk depends on which Braco gene that you inherit, 141 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:17,520 Speaker 3: and kind of also on your family history. But in general, 142 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:20,000 Speaker 3: for the Braco one and two genes, the risk for 143 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 3: a future breast cancer it can be anywhere between forty 144 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:26,920 Speaker 3: and eighty percent. And so that's a pretty high level 145 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:30,280 Speaker 3: of risk. And as you know, you probably know Angelina 146 00:07:30,320 --> 00:07:33,800 Speaker 3: and Joelee had a braco one mutation as well. And 147 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:37,800 Speaker 3: sometimes people do choose to remove both breasts prophylactically or 148 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:41,400 Speaker 3: before they develop any kind of cancer. Sometimes they choose 149 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:44,760 Speaker 3: to remove the ovaries for similar reasons, to reduce that 150 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:47,920 Speaker 3: risk as much as possible. And like you said, those 151 00:07:47,960 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 3: options are only really available to you if you know 152 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:52,520 Speaker 3: that you have one of those mutations, if you know 153 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 3: your risk. 154 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 2: I mean, that's the key. Education. Awareness, advocacy for yourself 155 00:07:57,360 --> 00:07:57,840 Speaker 2: is the. 156 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:02,320 Speaker 3: Key, absolutely one hundred percent, because it's it's hard enough 157 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:06,160 Speaker 3: as women right to get get our complaints taken seriously 158 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:09,120 Speaker 3: and to get heard, and you know, going back to 159 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:12,200 Speaker 3: your earlier point about mammograms, I know that they're uncomfortable 160 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 3: and for patients who have had medical trauma, they may 161 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:19,000 Speaker 3: even be traumatic. And if that was the way that 162 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:22,800 Speaker 3: we screened for testicular cancer for men, we would have 163 00:08:22,880 --> 00:08:23,920 Speaker 3: something better by now. 164 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:28,200 Speaker 4: Right, Oh right, that's a good point, it is, And 165 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:31,840 Speaker 4: so we you know, we have this kind of squishing 166 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:34,040 Speaker 4: the breast, sort of archaic technology. 167 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:39,640 Speaker 3: We have mammograms because it's something that mostly women need 168 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:42,880 Speaker 3: to get done and people women are very strong, and 169 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:45,600 Speaker 3: so we sort of just we deal with it. 170 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:47,880 Speaker 1: Do you think there's anything and yeah, do you think 171 00:08:47,880 --> 00:08:52,160 Speaker 1: there's anything in the pipeline of experience better for us? 172 00:08:52,679 --> 00:08:53,359 Speaker 2: Absolutely? 173 00:08:53,440 --> 00:08:55,400 Speaker 3: So I can see that there are some studies being 174 00:08:55,400 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 3: done of some new technologies that can work as well 175 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:01,599 Speaker 3: as mammograms, and then also of things that are a 176 00:09:01,640 --> 00:09:05,839 Speaker 3: little bit more curved, like the human breast, so it's 177 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:09,320 Speaker 3: a little less of the squishing involved. And so some 178 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:11,840 Speaker 3: of those technologies are being trialed right now and I 179 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:14,440 Speaker 3: think are going to come out in the future. Not 180 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:17,040 Speaker 3: quite there yet. So right now, the a mammogram is 181 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:18,440 Speaker 3: still the standard of care. 182 00:09:18,840 --> 00:09:20,960 Speaker 2: And it is uncomfortable, you know. It sucks. 183 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:23,439 Speaker 3: It's not a fun thing to do. No one looks 184 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:26,679 Speaker 3: forward to it, that's for sure. But you're right, like 185 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:29,800 Speaker 3: the information it gives you in just like a few 186 00:09:29,840 --> 00:09:32,720 Speaker 3: minutes of discomfort or even pain is so invaluable. And 187 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:36,240 Speaker 3: it's peace of mind or figuring out what's next and 188 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:38,079 Speaker 3: if you need some kind of surgery. 189 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:40,320 Speaker 2: What you need to do, what you need action you 190 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:42,280 Speaker 2: need to take. I just want to be clear. 191 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:46,439 Speaker 1: If you test negative for the BRCI gene, does that 192 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:48,600 Speaker 1: mean that you won't get breast cancer? 193 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:50,959 Speaker 2: So that's a great question. 194 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 3: It It doesn't mean that you'll never get a future 195 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:58,000 Speaker 3: breast cancer. It just means that your risk is average, 196 00:09:58,160 --> 00:10:01,040 Speaker 3: like along with the rest of the population. It's not 197 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:04,360 Speaker 3: elevated because of a bad gene that you inherited from 198 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:07,360 Speaker 3: one of your parents. And something else that I hear 199 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:10,920 Speaker 3: oftentimes about the BRACA mutation is that like women are 200 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 3: the only ones who can inherit it, and that is 201 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:14,079 Speaker 3: totally not true. 202 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:18,040 Speaker 2: You can get that mutation from your dad as well. Really, 203 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:22,839 Speaker 2: what happens with men when they have it? Same thing men, 204 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:27,800 Speaker 2: So the men can get breast cancer. Actually, BRACA one 205 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:31,360 Speaker 2: does increase the risk for male breast cancer. For men, 206 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:34,800 Speaker 2: we worry a little bit more about aggressive prostate cancers. 207 00:10:34,960 --> 00:10:37,880 Speaker 2: Prostate cancer is typically not a very aggressive thing in men, 208 00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:41,600 Speaker 2: but in people who are Braca mutation carriers it can be. 209 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:44,880 Speaker 3: And we also still worry about the pancreas as well, 210 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:47,880 Speaker 3: and as well as like skin cancers like melanomas, and 211 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:51,840 Speaker 3: so men who have the Braca mutation also need to 212 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:56,280 Speaker 3: be watched carefully in you know, cancer specific screening clinics, 213 00:10:56,360 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 3: so that way an oncologist can keep a closer eye 214 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:00,440 Speaker 3: on them as well. 215 00:11:01,320 --> 00:11:04,040 Speaker 1: So you heard it here. Men and women are both 216 00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:08,800 Speaker 1: affected by the barca meat and need both men and 217 00:11:08,840 --> 00:11:10,439 Speaker 1: women should get tested. 218 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:15,000 Speaker 2: Absolutely. Wow, I didn't know that. Thank you. 219 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:17,400 Speaker 1: I'm going to go to a question from one of 220 00:11:17,440 --> 00:11:21,400 Speaker 1: our listeners. This is from re West five to two four. 221 00:11:21,559 --> 00:11:24,520 Speaker 1: Why has there been such a huge increase in breast 222 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:27,160 Speaker 1: cancer cases in the past twenty or so years. 223 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:30,720 Speaker 3: That is a great question that I get all the 224 00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:33,280 Speaker 3: time and clinic and I will say, there's a lot 225 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:36,080 Speaker 3: of different resource that's being done about it. Some of 226 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:40,079 Speaker 3: it may relate to environmental exposure, some of it may 227 00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 3: relate to microplastics, some of it may relate to more 228 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:48,000 Speaker 3: processed food because it's not just breast cancer that we're seeing. 229 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:50,280 Speaker 3: We're seeing it in like colon cancer as well. 230 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:52,239 Speaker 2: We don't have a really. 231 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:54,320 Speaker 3: Great answer for it right now. We're still trying to 232 00:11:54,320 --> 00:11:55,200 Speaker 3: figure that out. 233 00:11:55,400 --> 00:11:57,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, I've heard a lot of discussion about 234 00:11:57,480 --> 00:12:02,560 Speaker 1: microplastics lately, and then you start thinking about moment to 235 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:05,280 Speaker 1: moment in your life and how much you're exposed to plastics, 236 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:10,320 Speaker 1: like all day long. I just literally yesterday throughout my 237 00:12:10,360 --> 00:12:13,760 Speaker 1: plastic cutting boards that I've had for a minute because 238 00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:16,319 Speaker 1: I saw that when you chop into it, it releases 239 00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:18,920 Speaker 1: little microplastics and then you cook that up with your 240 00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:20,240 Speaker 1: sautee vegetables. 241 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:22,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's I mean, I think the research on the 242 00:12:22,800 --> 00:12:26,600 Speaker 3: microplastics is pretty compelling, and there's a lot. 243 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:29,400 Speaker 2: Of things that we need to do to be. 244 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:32,120 Speaker 3: A little bit more environmentally sound that I think will 245 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:35,760 Speaker 3: help our health as humans, not just with not developing 246 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:39,240 Speaker 3: cancer and especially cancer at younger ages, but also in 247 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:41,400 Speaker 3: a lot of other disorders as well. And so I 248 00:12:41,400 --> 00:12:44,080 Speaker 3: think that research is going to pan out and show 249 00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:47,160 Speaker 3: that being climate conscious will help our health in the 250 00:12:47,200 --> 00:12:47,680 Speaker 3: long run. 251 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:52,440 Speaker 1: I just heard Katie Couric talking about breast density I 252 00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:56,520 Speaker 1: have a question from a listener here, Ashley Holliback. Where 253 00:12:56,720 --> 00:12:59,959 Speaker 1: can women get an ultrasound if they have dense breaths, 254 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:03,320 Speaker 1: since you now need one when a mammogram isn't enough. 255 00:13:03,880 --> 00:13:05,720 Speaker 3: So this is the question I get a lot in 256 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:09,920 Speaker 3: the clinic now, as I'm sure you've heard, when you 257 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:13,079 Speaker 3: get your mammogram results, they have to report on how 258 00:13:13,120 --> 00:13:15,599 Speaker 3: dense your breasts are, and that just happened in the 259 00:13:15,679 --> 00:13:18,120 Speaker 3: last month or so. 260 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:17,400 Speaker 1: Wow. 261 00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:21,160 Speaker 3: So people who do have dense breasts or category C 262 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:26,200 Speaker 3: or D breasts, they are recommended to also have an ultrasound. 263 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:29,120 Speaker 3: Sometimes they may even be recommended to have an MRI 264 00:13:29,400 --> 00:13:34,000 Speaker 3: for screening. Usually the same mammography place that does the 265 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:37,360 Speaker 3: mammogram can also do an ultrasound. It just depends on 266 00:13:37,400 --> 00:13:40,559 Speaker 3: your regional location on if they can also do the MRI. 267 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:43,960 Speaker 3: The tricky part is getting the insurance to approve it, 268 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:46,760 Speaker 3: because insurances haven't one hundred percent caught up with those 269 00:13:46,840 --> 00:13:50,920 Speaker 3: recommendations yet, and so a lot of times I see 270 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:53,120 Speaker 3: patients like this who do have dense breasts, and then 271 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:56,720 Speaker 3: I order the ultrasound with the mammogram, and I order 272 00:13:56,840 --> 00:13:58,959 Speaker 3: both of them going forward, so that way they can 273 00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 3: just get both done in one visit, but typically the 274 00:14:02,360 --> 00:14:05,679 Speaker 3: same place where you got the mammogram can do the ultrasound. 275 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 3: You may still need to have a doctor like your 276 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:10,840 Speaker 3: primary care doctor or your obi juyan order it and 277 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:12,960 Speaker 3: write that dense breast is the reason. 278 00:14:12,679 --> 00:14:22,320 Speaker 1: Why I have a question going back to the age 279 00:14:22,360 --> 00:14:26,240 Speaker 1: that we should start getting mammograms. You said it was forty, 280 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 1: but what if breast cancer runs in your family, maybe 281 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:32,960 Speaker 1: it runs in both sides of your family, should you 282 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:34,520 Speaker 1: start getting screened earlier? 283 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:36,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely so. 284 00:14:37,560 --> 00:14:42,040 Speaker 3: I have seen many patients who have a risk of 285 00:14:42,600 --> 00:14:45,680 Speaker 3: breast cancer because they have you know, their mom, for example, 286 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:48,200 Speaker 3: passed away of breast cancer when she was thirty six, 287 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:52,120 Speaker 3: So that kind of patient doesn't need to wait until 288 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:56,360 Speaker 3: they're forty to start getting imaging. Usually we don't start 289 00:14:56,400 --> 00:15:00,480 Speaker 3: doing breast MRIs for someone who's higher risked for breast 290 00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:03,520 Speaker 3: cancer until the age of twenty five. That's the earliest 291 00:15:03,520 --> 00:15:07,680 Speaker 3: we typically do those, but sometimes we'll do a clinical 292 00:15:07,720 --> 00:15:12,600 Speaker 3: breast exam with an oncologist like myself earlier than that, 293 00:15:12,680 --> 00:15:16,120 Speaker 3: depending on what the family history is. So if you 294 00:15:16,240 --> 00:15:19,440 Speaker 3: do have young people in your family in their thirties 295 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 3: and forties who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. My 296 00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:26,640 Speaker 3: recommendation is to check out a high risk breast clinic 297 00:15:26,720 --> 00:15:29,240 Speaker 3: in your area and talk to them about when you 298 00:15:29,280 --> 00:15:32,080 Speaker 3: should start that screening, because you're right, Jenny, it could 299 00:15:32,160 --> 00:15:35,600 Speaker 3: be earlier than forty, and waiting until forty may be 300 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:36,800 Speaker 3: too late for some people. 301 00:15:38,080 --> 00:15:40,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean they say that with heart disease too. 302 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:45,520 Speaker 1: If you're genetically dispositioned to it correct, you need to 303 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:50,240 Speaker 1: start having checks more frequently. Earlier on you said you 304 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:53,480 Speaker 1: said twenty five was the age that you usually start. 305 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:57,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, so twenty five is the earliest recommendation I've seen 306 00:15:57,960 --> 00:16:00,280 Speaker 3: for any kind of breast imaging, even for some one 307 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:04,479 Speaker 3: with a known BRACA mutation. Usually they'll say start MRIs 308 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:08,320 Speaker 3: at twenty five, no earlier than twenty five. 309 00:16:09,440 --> 00:16:10,360 Speaker 2: Rarely. I would say. 310 00:16:10,360 --> 00:16:14,080 Speaker 3: There probably are people out there who have had mothers 311 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:16,280 Speaker 3: and sisters who have had breast cancer in their twenties, 312 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:18,200 Speaker 3: and for that, I think that we would have to 313 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:20,880 Speaker 3: take on a case by case basis. 314 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:26,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, the statistics are crazy that, you know, 315 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:30,600 Speaker 1: breast cancer is affecting women much younger today. 316 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:36,480 Speaker 3: It is, and it is too absolutely and it's it 317 00:16:36,520 --> 00:16:39,200 Speaker 3: is surprising, you know, the youngest patient that I've heard of, 318 00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:41,840 Speaker 3: not that I've personally seen, but that one of my 319 00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:48,520 Speaker 3: colleagues has seen with breast cancer was nineteen. Yeah, and 320 00:16:48,760 --> 00:16:51,200 Speaker 3: it's especially hard at that age because you know, you 321 00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:54,240 Speaker 3: go and see a doctor at nineteen, you may not 322 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:56,480 Speaker 3: have a primary care doctor. So you go see someone 323 00:16:56,480 --> 00:16:58,400 Speaker 3: at an urgent care and they say you're too young 324 00:16:58,440 --> 00:16:59,160 Speaker 3: for breast cancer. 325 00:16:59,200 --> 00:16:59,880 Speaker 2: This is a cyst. 326 00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:05,240 Speaker 3: And so my recommendation for anyone, really any age, if 327 00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:08,440 Speaker 3: you feel a lump in the breast, no one's physical 328 00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:13,400 Speaker 3: exam is good enough. I'm a surgical oncologist who primarily 329 00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:16,720 Speaker 3: examines patients with breast cancer all day long, every day, 330 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:19,560 Speaker 3: and even I can't tell the difference between something that 331 00:17:19,800 --> 00:17:21,880 Speaker 3: is a cyst or something that's a cancer, or something 332 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:23,840 Speaker 3: that's some other type of lump in the breast. And 333 00:17:23,880 --> 00:17:28,359 Speaker 3: so no doctor, no nurse practitioner, no PA, no one's 334 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:30,719 Speaker 3: physical exam is enough. So if you feel a lump, 335 00:17:31,119 --> 00:17:34,240 Speaker 3: ask them to order some kind of imaging, a mammogram. 336 00:17:34,280 --> 00:17:36,640 Speaker 3: If you're too young for a mammogram, typically they won't 337 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:40,199 Speaker 3: do a mammogram for somebody who's under thirty, ask for 338 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:43,439 Speaker 3: an ultrasound, but some sort of breast imaging is needed 339 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:45,520 Speaker 3: to look at that lump in more detail. 340 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:47,360 Speaker 2: Don't let anyone. 341 00:17:47,000 --> 00:17:49,879 Speaker 3: Reassure you that by physical exam a lump is nothing. 342 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:55,720 Speaker 1: Absolutely, such good advice, Such good advice. And listen to 343 00:17:55,760 --> 00:17:57,080 Speaker 1: your instincts too, I. 344 00:17:57,040 --> 00:18:01,280 Speaker 3: Mean absolutely absolutely. And I see it with my young patients. 345 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:05,919 Speaker 3: I see this really awesome where they are bounced around, 346 00:18:05,960 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 3: you know, they see someone at some urgent care. Then 347 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:11,600 Speaker 3: they go somewhere else and that person says, you're too 348 00:18:11,640 --> 00:18:13,720 Speaker 3: young for breast cancer. This might be an infection, and 349 00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:15,760 Speaker 3: they put them on some me inabiotics. Then this whole 350 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:18,600 Speaker 3: time things are progressing, the lump is growing, and then 351 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:21,520 Speaker 3: they finally get established with a primary care doctor and 352 00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:24,240 Speaker 3: the primary care doctor says, oh, and then they get 353 00:18:24,440 --> 00:18:24,919 Speaker 3: sent to me. 354 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:33,520 Speaker 1: If you have no history with family breast cancer none, 355 00:18:34,359 --> 00:18:38,000 Speaker 1: m h. I have very very little family history of 356 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:40,720 Speaker 1: breast cancer. And I don't remember what age I must 357 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:43,800 Speaker 1: I may I must have been forty when they ordered 358 00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:46,160 Speaker 1: me to get my first manmigram. And you're saying that's 359 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:48,919 Speaker 1: the age if you if you're not worried that you 360 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:50,200 Speaker 1: have in your family. 361 00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:52,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, forty is the age. 362 00:18:52,440 --> 00:18:55,560 Speaker 3: And they there were kind of differing recommendations on that 363 00:18:55,680 --> 00:18:59,000 Speaker 3: as well. Like one governing body in the US said fifty, 364 00:18:59,119 --> 00:19:02,440 Speaker 3: and one said forty. And now everybody says forty because 365 00:19:02,440 --> 00:19:05,720 Speaker 3: we are seeing, as you commented, the incidents in young 366 00:19:05,760 --> 00:19:09,359 Speaker 3: women rising, and so it's really worth it to start 367 00:19:09,400 --> 00:19:12,399 Speaker 3: it at forty. It's a pretty safe test to do 368 00:19:12,680 --> 00:19:16,000 Speaker 3: very very very small radiation dose that is totally worth 369 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:16,760 Speaker 3: it for the benefit. 370 00:19:16,840 --> 00:19:18,399 Speaker 1: Yeah, I was going to ask you that, Like what 371 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:23,199 Speaker 1: I get concerned about my exposure to so much radiation. 372 00:19:23,520 --> 00:19:25,840 Speaker 1: One because I travel a lot, so I always get 373 00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:27,600 Speaker 1: worried going through those machines. 374 00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:30,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, And everybody says, oh, it's. 375 00:19:30,000 --> 00:19:34,280 Speaker 1: Fine and don't worry, but I do worry. And so 376 00:19:34,440 --> 00:19:38,439 Speaker 1: getting some sort of a screening can can cause concern 377 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:40,520 Speaker 1: for people that they're going to get too much radiation 378 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 1: for sure. 379 00:19:42,320 --> 00:19:44,919 Speaker 3: And I get told that often. You know, people are like, 380 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:47,399 Speaker 3: what about the radiation and risk with a mammogram. So 381 00:19:48,600 --> 00:19:51,639 Speaker 3: here in Santa Fe, New Mexico, we are at seven 382 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:54,440 Speaker 3: thousand feet, so we're at pretty significant We have a 383 00:19:54,520 --> 00:19:57,479 Speaker 3: higher radiation risk anyways, because we're a little bit closer 384 00:19:57,520 --> 00:19:58,080 Speaker 3: to the sun. 385 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:00,240 Speaker 2: Okay, But in. 386 00:20:00,280 --> 00:20:04,680 Speaker 3: Order to actually see a problem from the radiation that 387 00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:07,120 Speaker 3: you get from doing a mammogram, you'd have to get 388 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:11,119 Speaker 3: a mammogram every single day for an entire really actually 389 00:20:11,160 --> 00:20:13,360 Speaker 3: every day for the rest of your life, and then 390 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:17,280 Speaker 3: you might might have a slight increase in the risk 391 00:20:17,359 --> 00:20:21,000 Speaker 3: of developing a future cancer due to that radiation. But 392 00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:23,440 Speaker 3: as long as you're not getting a mammogram every day, 393 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:27,359 Speaker 3: which no one is, it's pretty safe. The scanners in 394 00:20:27,359 --> 00:20:29,800 Speaker 3: the airport are even less radiation than a mammogram, so 395 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:31,160 Speaker 3: totally safe. 396 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:34,800 Speaker 2: I mean, okay, thank you, you're making totally safe like those. 397 00:20:35,280 --> 00:20:39,480 Speaker 3: I mean you could get like probably I would say 398 00:20:39,480 --> 00:20:41,560 Speaker 3: you could get like easily ten thousand of those, and 399 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:44,959 Speaker 3: you'd be fine in terms of your annual radiation dose. 400 00:20:46,359 --> 00:20:49,520 Speaker 3: If you travel like thirteen thousand miles, you know, you 401 00:20:49,640 --> 00:20:53,920 Speaker 3: travel from la to Europe and back in a year, 402 00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:56,560 Speaker 3: then that's about the same amount of radiation that you're 403 00:20:56,600 --> 00:21:01,000 Speaker 3: getting from a mammogram, and mammogram is totally If you 404 00:21:01,040 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 3: live at sea level, the amount of radiation you get 405 00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:06,040 Speaker 3: from a mammogram is about the same amount you would 406 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:09,639 Speaker 3: get from seven weeks of just background radiation just living 407 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:14,040 Speaker 3: at sea level, So totally totally safe. Not really significantly 408 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:20,400 Speaker 3: increasing your radiation exposure and worth doing despite that risk. 409 00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:23,960 Speaker 1: Yeah, what you're saying about this, what'd you just call 410 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:25,960 Speaker 1: it background expiation? 411 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:29,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, background exposure? Yeah, that is scary. 412 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:32,240 Speaker 3: Well, it's just you know, it's we all get some 413 00:21:32,440 --> 00:21:35,040 Speaker 3: radiation from the sun, right if we're living at high 414 00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:38,600 Speaker 3: elevation like I am, or if we're living at sea level, 415 00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:43,119 Speaker 3: we also get radiation from minerals in our own body 416 00:21:43,160 --> 00:21:47,720 Speaker 3: breaking down. And that's totally normal, and Okay, it's a 417 00:21:47,760 --> 00:21:52,119 Speaker 3: really small dose. And so there's actually the EPA, the 418 00:21:52,200 --> 00:21:56,600 Speaker 3: Environmental Protection Agency, has a like radiation dose calculator that 419 00:21:56,600 --> 00:21:59,399 Speaker 3: you can use, which I recently used because I was 420 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:02,920 Speaker 3: making a TikTok on the radiation exposure you get from 421 00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:06,720 Speaker 3: a mammogram, and you can calculate like how much radiation 422 00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:09,040 Speaker 3: exposure do you get in your home based on like 423 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:11,840 Speaker 3: where you live and how many miles you travel a 424 00:22:11,920 --> 00:22:14,439 Speaker 3: year if you're an avid traveler, and if you have 425 00:22:14,560 --> 00:22:17,040 Speaker 3: veneers and if you have radon in your home and 426 00:22:17,119 --> 00:22:21,600 Speaker 3: things like that, and overall it's the amount of radiation 427 00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:22,000 Speaker 3: you get. 428 00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:23,960 Speaker 2: There are different sources. 429 00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:26,199 Speaker 3: You can get it from your right, but it's a really, 430 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:29,439 Speaker 3: really really low dose that is not going to increase 431 00:22:29,520 --> 00:22:33,040 Speaker 3: anyone's risk of having problems from the radiation at all. 432 00:22:33,840 --> 00:22:37,320 Speaker 1: I recently decided that I didn't want any of my 433 00:22:37,400 --> 00:22:41,719 Speaker 1: do we have a microwave right that is under the 434 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:47,160 Speaker 1: cab counter level, it's down below like right where ovaries are, 435 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:50,840 Speaker 1: And so I recently put a big sign up on 436 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:54,240 Speaker 1: the floor, nobody stand right here when the microwave is on. 437 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:56,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's I mean, that's fair. 438 00:22:56,200 --> 00:22:59,199 Speaker 3: Although I will say in that calculator, how close you 439 00:22:59,200 --> 00:23:00,920 Speaker 3: stand to your micro is not in there. 440 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:05,320 Speaker 2: So oh my gosh, I'm going crazy. I'm trying all 441 00:23:05,359 --> 00:23:06,919 Speaker 2: the things. Wow. 442 00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:09,359 Speaker 1: Another question I have for the women who are giving 443 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:12,840 Speaker 1: them mammograms, the technicians, I know they go behind that 444 00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:16,040 Speaker 1: little wall, but they're still right there all day long, 445 00:23:16,119 --> 00:23:17,000 Speaker 1: every single day. 446 00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:19,240 Speaker 2: That is a great question too. 447 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:23,280 Speaker 3: So they typically for those ladies, they have like it's 448 00:23:23,320 --> 00:23:26,880 Speaker 3: a little badge, a thing on their badge, and it's 449 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:29,359 Speaker 3: something that their ID hangs from. 450 00:23:29,400 --> 00:23:30,840 Speaker 2: And what that does. 451 00:23:30,760 --> 00:23:33,520 Speaker 3: Is it actually like kind of measures the radiation dose 452 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:36,520 Speaker 3: that they get exposed to. And that's something that they 453 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:39,280 Speaker 3: have to like turn in and it gets counted so 454 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:40,400 Speaker 3: that way we can. 455 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:42,560 Speaker 2: Be sure that their radiation exposure is safe. 456 00:23:43,400 --> 00:23:45,159 Speaker 3: And then you know, any kind of job in the 457 00:23:45,160 --> 00:23:48,960 Speaker 3: hospital where you're giving X rays of any kind, they 458 00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:51,960 Speaker 3: wear those little badges that will actually help calculate that 459 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:53,800 Speaker 3: dose and make sure that no one's getting to a 460 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:57,800 Speaker 3: point where you know, they're getting too much radiation exposure. 461 00:23:58,240 --> 00:24:01,640 Speaker 3: And so it's that's pretty tight regulated by like hospital, 462 00:24:01,720 --> 00:24:04,720 Speaker 3: by memorgraphy centers, and so they are totally safe too, 463 00:24:04,720 --> 00:24:05,240 Speaker 3: don't worry. 464 00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:09,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's that's good to know. I was worried what 465 00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:11,399 Speaker 1: you were saying before. We were talking about before about 466 00:24:11,840 --> 00:24:16,120 Speaker 1: the the age being much younger. Now, Yeah, that women 467 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:19,240 Speaker 1: are discovering that they have is so alarming. But and 468 00:24:19,400 --> 00:24:23,200 Speaker 1: in your right, they get shuffled around and they get discredited, 469 00:24:23,280 --> 00:24:27,760 Speaker 1: and they people don't believe them or want to do anything. 470 00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:31,119 Speaker 1: How and you said that advocating for yourself, But what 471 00:24:31,160 --> 00:24:35,199 Speaker 1: if you're a young girl and you're in you know, 472 00:24:35,800 --> 00:24:39,640 Speaker 1: wanting to know more about your health, even if you 473 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:43,240 Speaker 1: you know, don't have breast cancer in your family genes 474 00:24:43,240 --> 00:24:46,439 Speaker 1: that you know of, how do I get my voice 475 00:24:46,440 --> 00:24:49,040 Speaker 1: heard as a young woman in a doctor's office? 476 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:50,960 Speaker 2: Also an excellent question. 477 00:24:51,520 --> 00:24:55,480 Speaker 3: So it is harder for women, right, the things that 478 00:24:56,280 --> 00:25:02,439 Speaker 3: get diagnosed mostly in women, get longer to be diagnosed 479 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:05,240 Speaker 3: because they get diagnosed mostly in women. So things like 480 00:25:05,359 --> 00:25:10,200 Speaker 3: endometriosis that I'm sure you've heard of, it's basically can 481 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:13,800 Speaker 3: cause pretty debilitating pain, abdominal pain. It takes an average 482 00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:19,439 Speaker 3: of eight years to get diagnosed in women. Why because 483 00:25:19,480 --> 00:25:22,440 Speaker 3: people will discredit women like what you're saying. They'll say, oh, 484 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:25,440 Speaker 3: you're just anxious. Oh that pain is just in your head, 485 00:25:25,480 --> 00:25:29,000 Speaker 3: and that we see it all the time with many 486 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:32,080 Speaker 3: different diagnoses. Breast pain, that's one that I get asked 487 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:34,720 Speaker 3: about a lot as well. We don't have great answers 488 00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:37,359 Speaker 3: for what causes breath pain or how to stop it 489 00:25:37,440 --> 00:25:42,720 Speaker 3: because it's something that almost exclusively impacts women, and seventy 490 00:25:42,760 --> 00:25:45,520 Speaker 3: percent of women in their lifetime will experience breast pain 491 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:46,240 Speaker 3: at some point. 492 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:47,919 Speaker 2: So it's hard. 493 00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:51,720 Speaker 3: It's a really challenging thing. Even for me as a 494 00:25:51,960 --> 00:25:54,959 Speaker 3: female surgeon, going to the doctor and having the doctor 495 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:59,040 Speaker 3: listen to my concerns as a healthcare professional can be challenging. 496 00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:01,040 Speaker 2: So I think it goes. 497 00:26:00,880 --> 00:26:03,280 Speaker 3: Back to what you said earlier, Jenny, trust your gut, 498 00:26:03,520 --> 00:26:06,240 Speaker 3: listen to your instincts. If you feel like something's wrong 499 00:26:06,320 --> 00:26:09,680 Speaker 3: and no one's listening to you, then find another physician 500 00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:13,600 Speaker 3: that will and right, And studies have shown that like 501 00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:17,960 Speaker 3: patients who are women tend to be heard better by 502 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:21,600 Speaker 3: physicians who are women. So finding a physician who is 503 00:26:21,640 --> 00:26:23,479 Speaker 3: a woman who is going to take the time and 504 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:26,000 Speaker 3: listen to you. Studies have also shown that women physicians 505 00:26:26,040 --> 00:26:28,879 Speaker 3: spend longer listening to their patients and are more empathetic. 506 00:26:29,480 --> 00:26:31,760 Speaker 3: I think that will make a huge difference as well, 507 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:35,359 Speaker 3: if you're able to choose to see women physicians, because 508 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:37,400 Speaker 3: it will help you be heard. 509 00:26:37,119 --> 00:26:38,480 Speaker 2: It will also help us be heard. 510 00:26:38,960 --> 00:26:41,560 Speaker 1: Oh my gosh, I know, no one really ever talked 511 00:26:41,600 --> 00:26:46,240 Speaker 1: about that, about choosing a female physician that you know, 512 00:26:46,280 --> 00:26:47,600 Speaker 1: that wasn't really a conversation. 513 00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:49,480 Speaker 2: It was just go to the doctor, and it was 514 00:26:49,560 --> 00:26:50,600 Speaker 2: usually a man. 515 00:26:50,680 --> 00:26:54,560 Speaker 1: And yeah, it was even more uncomfortable because it was 516 00:26:54,600 --> 00:26:57,000 Speaker 1: a man and you're talking about sensitive things and it 517 00:26:57,000 --> 00:26:58,440 Speaker 1: exactly what it feels. 518 00:26:58,560 --> 00:26:58,760 Speaker 2: Right. 519 00:27:00,240 --> 00:27:03,240 Speaker 3: Nowadays, we have those options though, because like more than 520 00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:06,360 Speaker 3: fifty percent of medical students are women, and so there 521 00:27:06,359 --> 00:27:09,800 Speaker 3: are more and more women in a lot of different specialties. 522 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:13,360 Speaker 3: Now surgery is not one of them. Still overwhelming majority 523 00:27:13,440 --> 00:27:17,400 Speaker 3: are men, but more there are more coming up through 524 00:27:17,440 --> 00:27:19,720 Speaker 3: the ranks now, and so I think we'll see those 525 00:27:20,359 --> 00:27:24,400 Speaker 3: those numbers shift soon. And so choosing women physicians or 526 00:27:24,440 --> 00:27:28,000 Speaker 3: you know, women wear nurse practitioners. Women who are PAS, 527 00:27:28,040 --> 00:27:31,720 Speaker 3: like women are more likely to listen to other women 528 00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:34,840 Speaker 3: when it comes to symptoms like a lump in the 529 00:27:34,840 --> 00:27:36,399 Speaker 3: breast that just won't go away. 530 00:27:38,240 --> 00:27:41,560 Speaker 1: That's also very valuable information. So how does eating a 531 00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:47,120 Speaker 1: healthy diet and not drinking alcohol and exercising, does that 532 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:51,879 Speaker 1: actually decrease the risks of getting breast cancer? Because we 533 00:27:51,960 --> 00:27:54,919 Speaker 1: talk so much about being healthy and eating healthy and 534 00:27:54,960 --> 00:27:58,560 Speaker 1: getting exercise, and I know that all of those things 535 00:27:58,640 --> 00:28:02,959 Speaker 1: directly affect heart disease, But what about breast cancer. 536 00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:06,120 Speaker 2: It's kind of a mixed bag. 537 00:28:06,480 --> 00:28:12,320 Speaker 3: So have I seen patients who follow a you know, vegan, 538 00:28:12,640 --> 00:28:16,600 Speaker 3: plant based, completely organic diet, exercise every day? You know, 539 00:28:16,640 --> 00:28:18,920 Speaker 3: I'm here in New Mexico, as I mentioned, so everyone 540 00:28:18,960 --> 00:28:21,400 Speaker 3: here is in amazing shape because they live at high 541 00:28:21,400 --> 00:28:24,560 Speaker 3: elevation and they're also very outdoorsy. Have I seen lots 542 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:26,679 Speaker 3: of those patients who do end up with a breast cancer? 543 00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:27,400 Speaker 2: Yes, I have. 544 00:28:28,720 --> 00:28:33,440 Speaker 3: And I've also seen patients who, you know, who didn't 545 00:28:33,440 --> 00:28:36,439 Speaker 3: live a healthy lifestyle at all, who also end up 546 00:28:36,480 --> 00:28:39,560 Speaker 3: with breast cancer. I think living a healthy lifestyle is 547 00:28:39,600 --> 00:28:42,200 Speaker 3: important for as you mentioned, things like heart disease and 548 00:28:42,280 --> 00:28:44,920 Speaker 3: not having a heart attack or a stroke. I think 549 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:48,560 Speaker 3: it can slightly decrease the risk of a future breast cancer. 550 00:28:48,640 --> 00:28:52,120 Speaker 3: But there's no one diet that can prevent breast cancer, 551 00:28:52,160 --> 00:28:53,960 Speaker 3: because if there was, then we would all be on 552 00:28:54,080 --> 00:28:57,360 Speaker 3: it right and we would have studies that definitively show 553 00:28:57,520 --> 00:28:59,959 Speaker 3: beyond this diet and you'll never develop breast cancer or 554 00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:01,280 Speaker 3: some other type of cancer. 555 00:29:01,840 --> 00:29:04,400 Speaker 2: And I think moderation is really important. 556 00:29:04,480 --> 00:29:07,400 Speaker 3: You know, not drinking alcohol or drinking it in small 557 00:29:07,480 --> 00:29:09,240 Speaker 3: quantities when you do is important. 558 00:29:09,680 --> 00:29:11,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, I was going to ask you about alcohol, like, 559 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:13,440 Speaker 1: does drinking alcohol put you in a higher risk? 560 00:29:14,200 --> 00:29:16,440 Speaker 3: Lightly but not a lot. You know, it's I think 561 00:29:16,440 --> 00:29:19,120 Speaker 3: it puts you at higher risk for things like pancreatic cancer, 562 00:29:19,160 --> 00:29:22,440 Speaker 3: for example, but not as much for breast So I 563 00:29:22,480 --> 00:29:24,600 Speaker 3: mean that's not saying that you go out and drink 564 00:29:24,600 --> 00:29:28,360 Speaker 3: whatever you want. I think it's moderation is key to 565 00:29:28,480 --> 00:29:31,480 Speaker 3: having a good long life. 566 00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:32,880 Speaker 2: With a good quality of life. 567 00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:36,440 Speaker 3: But I don't think that, you know, living the healthiest 568 00:29:36,480 --> 00:29:40,040 Speaker 3: lifestyle is something that can definitively prevent breast cancer. And 569 00:29:40,080 --> 00:29:43,480 Speaker 3: so something I talk about often with my patients and 570 00:29:43,520 --> 00:29:46,280 Speaker 3: the clinic is sugar. You know, I hear the myth 571 00:29:46,360 --> 00:29:49,120 Speaker 3: all the time that sugar feeds cancer, and so some 572 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:50,160 Speaker 3: multile get diagnosed. 573 00:29:50,400 --> 00:29:51,080 Speaker 2: Oh it's a myth. 574 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:54,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, there's no definitive study that, like, you know, if 575 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:57,600 Speaker 3: you cut out sugar, it will help diminish the size 576 00:29:57,640 --> 00:29:59,840 Speaker 3: of your breast cancer, help shrink it, help treat it, 577 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:00,560 Speaker 3: anything like that. 578 00:30:00,640 --> 00:30:03,840 Speaker 2: And so there's some studies that have been. 579 00:30:03,720 --> 00:30:06,240 Speaker 3: Done that will show some kind of association, but it's 580 00:30:06,240 --> 00:30:09,040 Speaker 3: not a very strong one. And so I see patients 581 00:30:09,080 --> 00:30:11,200 Speaker 3: all the time that have been diagnosed with a breast 582 00:30:11,240 --> 00:30:13,800 Speaker 3: cancer and their family members will say, well, you have 583 00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:15,640 Speaker 3: to cut out all sugar right now, Like that's it. 584 00:30:15,680 --> 00:30:17,160 Speaker 3: You know, you're you have to be done with it 585 00:30:17,520 --> 00:30:19,320 Speaker 3: because it's going to feed your cancer and then your 586 00:30:19,360 --> 00:30:22,280 Speaker 3: cancer is going to grow. And that's that's really that's 587 00:30:22,360 --> 00:30:25,120 Speaker 3: it's that's a very simplistic way of looking at it, 588 00:30:25,160 --> 00:30:30,040 Speaker 3: and that's not it. There's no definitive causal uh causal 589 00:30:30,080 --> 00:30:32,760 Speaker 3: relationship where if you eat a lot of sugar, then 590 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:34,960 Speaker 3: you're definitely going to get cancer, because otherwise then you 591 00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:37,959 Speaker 3: would see a higher incidence of cancer and people who 592 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:41,880 Speaker 3: are diabetic, for example, And that's we don't see that. 593 00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:44,400 Speaker 3: And so if I have a patient who's asking me like, hey, 594 00:30:44,400 --> 00:30:47,280 Speaker 3: how should I change my diet after getting diagnosed with 595 00:30:47,280 --> 00:30:49,520 Speaker 3: breast cancer, I say, a healthy diet is important. But 596 00:30:49,960 --> 00:30:52,200 Speaker 3: you know, if you have something that you really love eating, 597 00:30:52,280 --> 00:30:54,400 Speaker 3: you know, you love ice cream, you love flawing, whatever, 598 00:30:54,440 --> 00:30:56,960 Speaker 3: I'm never going to say don't eat that. Don't eat 599 00:30:57,000 --> 00:30:59,040 Speaker 3: the things that are going to bring you joy while 600 00:30:59,080 --> 00:31:01,680 Speaker 3: you're going through treatment, because treatment is hard enough as 601 00:31:01,680 --> 00:31:02,000 Speaker 3: it is. 602 00:31:03,320 --> 00:31:08,600 Speaker 2: First of all, who would ever say I love flawn? Sorry, I. 603 00:31:11,160 --> 00:31:15,520 Speaker 3: Love it that giggly texture. I am right, Okay, yeah 604 00:31:16,440 --> 00:31:16,840 Speaker 3: it's great. 605 00:31:16,880 --> 00:31:19,120 Speaker 2: And in New Mexico here we have like really really 606 00:31:19,160 --> 00:31:19,960 Speaker 2: authentic flawn. 607 00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:21,800 Speaker 1: So okay, maybe I just need to go to New 608 00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:23,640 Speaker 1: Mexico and try the good stuff. 609 00:31:23,920 --> 00:31:25,440 Speaker 2: What about soy? What about soy? 610 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:29,640 Speaker 1: Because I've always heard I mean, I fed my babies 611 00:31:30,400 --> 00:31:33,560 Speaker 1: once they were off breast milk. I gave them the 612 00:31:33,600 --> 00:31:37,719 Speaker 1: only option back then was to give them a soy formula, right, 613 00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:40,800 Speaker 1: and I wasn't sure if I was doing the right thing. 614 00:31:42,480 --> 00:31:44,479 Speaker 3: Also a great point. I hear that one too, Like 615 00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:47,880 Speaker 3: soy and the estrogen link is there. You know, people 616 00:31:47,920 --> 00:31:50,640 Speaker 3: will say, well, if you eat a lot of soy, 617 00:31:50,720 --> 00:31:53,479 Speaker 3: then it might increase your risk for an estrogen related 618 00:31:53,520 --> 00:31:57,000 Speaker 3: breast cancer, and really the studies are not definitive about 619 00:31:57,000 --> 00:31:57,520 Speaker 3: that either. 620 00:31:58,040 --> 00:32:00,360 Speaker 2: So I don't tell I don't advise you to cut 621 00:32:00,400 --> 00:32:00,840 Speaker 2: out soy. 622 00:32:00,920 --> 00:32:04,160 Speaker 3: I think if you like soy, great, enjoy SOI I 623 00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:07,120 Speaker 3: don't think that there's a real reason to cut anything 624 00:32:07,160 --> 00:32:09,640 Speaker 3: specific out of your diet if you've been diagnosed with 625 00:32:09,680 --> 00:32:12,160 Speaker 3: the breast cancer to keep it from growing or spreading, 626 00:32:13,240 --> 00:32:15,880 Speaker 3: or you know, to keep to prevent breast cancer. I 627 00:32:15,880 --> 00:32:18,440 Speaker 3: think if you want to prevent breast cancer or catch 628 00:32:18,440 --> 00:32:21,000 Speaker 3: it early, really the most important thing to do is 629 00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:22,360 Speaker 3: to get your mammogram once a year. 630 00:32:23,520 --> 00:32:28,080 Speaker 1: Okay, So speaking of estrogen, let's talk about hormone replacement 631 00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:32,880 Speaker 1: therapy HRT. Yeah, does it increase your chances of breast cancer? 632 00:32:32,920 --> 00:32:36,200 Speaker 1: And what do we need to know associated with that? 633 00:32:37,560 --> 00:32:41,840 Speaker 3: It does increase the chance very slightly, based on pretty 634 00:32:41,880 --> 00:32:45,640 Speaker 3: large studies that have been conducted. So when I'm talking 635 00:32:45,680 --> 00:32:49,000 Speaker 3: to patients, I have patients who are even in my 636 00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:52,200 Speaker 3: high risk clinic because they have a family history that 637 00:32:52,400 --> 00:32:55,320 Speaker 3: I do think that HRT is worth trying for them. 638 00:32:55,800 --> 00:33:00,160 Speaker 3: I think that menopausal symptoms are like many other things 639 00:33:00,160 --> 00:33:03,800 Speaker 3: that are almost exclusive to women, not talked about enough, 640 00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:07,320 Speaker 3: and sometimes they can be extremely miserable and really alter 641 00:33:07,440 --> 00:33:10,240 Speaker 3: the quality of your life, right, And so it's a 642 00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:14,880 Speaker 3: risk versus benefit situation, like, Okay, the risk of breast 643 00:33:14,880 --> 00:33:19,360 Speaker 3: cancer is slightly higher, but the benefit is that, you know, 644 00:33:19,440 --> 00:33:21,680 Speaker 3: I'll get to sleep at night, I won't have these 645 00:33:21,760 --> 00:33:24,640 Speaker 3: terrible night sweats. You know, I won't wake up in 646 00:33:24,680 --> 00:33:26,640 Speaker 3: the middle of the night and wonder what it is 647 00:33:26,680 --> 00:33:29,440 Speaker 3: I'm doing. I won't have menopause brain those kinds of things. 648 00:33:29,440 --> 00:33:32,680 Speaker 3: And so oftentimes I think that the benefit. 649 00:33:32,280 --> 00:33:34,400 Speaker 2: Of HRT really outweighs the risk. 650 00:33:35,000 --> 00:33:38,280 Speaker 3: The only patients that I really say should not be 651 00:33:38,360 --> 00:33:42,240 Speaker 3: on HRT are the patients who have already been diagnosed 652 00:33:42,280 --> 00:33:44,880 Speaker 3: with breast cancer, and it is a breast cancer that 653 00:33:44,920 --> 00:33:47,800 Speaker 3: responds to estrogen. In that case, not a good idea 654 00:33:47,880 --> 00:33:50,800 Speaker 3: to be on hormone replacement therapy. But for others, I 655 00:33:50,840 --> 00:33:53,560 Speaker 3: do feel that in general, the benefits outweigh the risks, 656 00:33:53,560 --> 00:33:55,760 Speaker 3: and I think that it's something that more women should 657 00:33:55,760 --> 00:33:57,040 Speaker 3: be on. Mm HM. 658 00:33:57,760 --> 00:34:09,600 Speaker 2: I agree. 659 00:34:05,480 --> 00:34:10,400 Speaker 1: Breast implant illness has been getting talked about more openly. 660 00:34:10,960 --> 00:34:13,279 Speaker 1: More and more women are having their implants removed. Are 661 00:34:13,320 --> 00:34:17,480 Speaker 1: there any correlations between breast implant illness and breast cancer? 662 00:34:18,200 --> 00:34:19,120 Speaker 2: Not that I know of. 663 00:34:19,400 --> 00:34:23,000 Speaker 3: I have not seen any correlation between breast implant associated 664 00:34:23,040 --> 00:34:27,399 Speaker 3: illness and breast cancer. Breast implant associated illness is kind 665 00:34:27,400 --> 00:34:29,680 Speaker 3: of You're right, it's getting a lot more traction in 666 00:34:29,719 --> 00:34:33,399 Speaker 3: these last few years, but it's still a diagnosis that 667 00:34:33,719 --> 00:34:36,080 Speaker 3: they will do a full work up and make sure 668 00:34:36,120 --> 00:34:38,840 Speaker 3: that there's not something else that's causing these symptoms before 669 00:34:38,880 --> 00:34:41,799 Speaker 3: removing implants. But I think there's a growing body of 670 00:34:41,800 --> 00:34:45,719 Speaker 3: evidence that it's its own thing and should be considered earlier, 671 00:34:45,880 --> 00:34:48,239 Speaker 3: you know, before doing the whole million dollar workup in 672 00:34:48,320 --> 00:34:49,600 Speaker 3: women who have implants. 673 00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:51,640 Speaker 2: I can't believe. I was told. 674 00:34:51,680 --> 00:34:55,360 Speaker 1: I would remember hearing messaging when I was younger that said, 675 00:34:55,680 --> 00:34:59,759 Speaker 1: if you get breast implants, it reduces your chances of 676 00:34:59,760 --> 00:35:00,840 Speaker 1: get breast cancer. 677 00:35:01,480 --> 00:35:01,840 Speaker 2: Yeah. 678 00:35:02,000 --> 00:35:04,520 Speaker 3: I I've heard that as well from a few patients. 679 00:35:05,120 --> 00:35:06,879 Speaker 3: It really it doesn't change. 680 00:35:06,560 --> 00:35:07,319 Speaker 2: The risk at all. 681 00:35:07,840 --> 00:35:10,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think you know it doesn't, right, And when 682 00:35:10,840 --> 00:35:13,440 Speaker 3: someone has an implant and then they get a mammogram, 683 00:35:13,560 --> 00:35:15,959 Speaker 3: they sort of move the implant out of the way 684 00:35:16,040 --> 00:35:18,719 Speaker 3: and then get the native breast tissue in for the 685 00:35:18,800 --> 00:35:21,080 Speaker 3: mammogram and they're still able to see what's going on. 686 00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:24,799 Speaker 3: Sometimes having an implant, you know, that was placed for 687 00:35:24,840 --> 00:35:29,000 Speaker 3: an augmentation purpose, can change the treatment options that are 688 00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:31,640 Speaker 3: available to you if you do get diagnosed with breast cancer. 689 00:35:31,680 --> 00:35:34,879 Speaker 3: But it's not that's not a reason not to get 690 00:35:34,920 --> 00:35:37,959 Speaker 3: an implant for someone who wants one. 691 00:35:38,200 --> 00:35:43,520 Speaker 1: Speaking of moving the implant around, if someone's considering or 692 00:35:43,560 --> 00:35:47,880 Speaker 1: having to face being considering a mass sectomy or a 693 00:35:47,920 --> 00:35:53,120 Speaker 1: double mass ectomy, can you walk us through that process 694 00:35:53,320 --> 00:35:57,319 Speaker 1: and what that entails and the recovery. I mean that 695 00:35:57,480 --> 00:35:58,800 Speaker 1: sounds very scary. 696 00:35:59,440 --> 00:36:01,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, sure, I'm happy to do that. 697 00:36:01,640 --> 00:36:04,960 Speaker 3: So I do see a lot of patients who have 698 00:36:05,320 --> 00:36:08,759 Speaker 3: chosen to remove one breast or both breasts, and that 699 00:36:08,840 --> 00:36:12,080 Speaker 3: decision is really a very personal decision, you know it. 700 00:36:12,360 --> 00:36:14,680 Speaker 3: I think that there's some patients that have a larger 701 00:36:14,760 --> 00:36:17,880 Speaker 3: cancer for which it would be a good idea, But 702 00:36:17,960 --> 00:36:21,279 Speaker 3: there's some who have small cancers that just, you know, 703 00:36:21,320 --> 00:36:23,359 Speaker 3: they don't want to get a mammogram on that side again, 704 00:36:23,440 --> 00:36:25,359 Speaker 3: or they don't want to get mamogram on either side, 705 00:36:25,400 --> 00:36:27,399 Speaker 3: and they just want to, you know, for their own 706 00:36:27,440 --> 00:36:29,640 Speaker 3: peace of mind. They tell me, you know, doctor Jambacar, 707 00:36:29,719 --> 00:36:33,320 Speaker 3: I'm going to be awake at night thinking about potentially 708 00:36:33,360 --> 00:36:36,359 Speaker 3: having to get another biopsy sometime in the future, and 709 00:36:36,400 --> 00:36:38,600 Speaker 3: I want to remove both breasts. And if that's the case, 710 00:36:38,640 --> 00:36:41,359 Speaker 3: then you know, that's your decision now, you know. 711 00:36:41,400 --> 00:36:43,400 Speaker 2: For me, I have a lot. 712 00:36:43,239 --> 00:36:46,680 Speaker 3: Of different tools to help my patients have the best 713 00:36:46,719 --> 00:36:49,440 Speaker 3: recovery possible, and one of them is something called an 714 00:36:49,520 --> 00:36:52,920 Speaker 3: experal peck block, which is like a numbing injection that 715 00:36:52,960 --> 00:36:55,600 Speaker 3: gets done to the muscle, the peck muscle, which is 716 00:36:55,600 --> 00:36:59,799 Speaker 3: the muscle that's behind the breast, and that medication lasts 717 00:36:59,840 --> 00:37:03,520 Speaker 3: for like seven days, and so typically my patients go 718 00:37:03,640 --> 00:37:05,680 Speaker 3: home the same day after a two to three hour 719 00:37:05,719 --> 00:37:08,680 Speaker 3: surgery and they're able to do their normal activities shower, 720 00:37:09,440 --> 00:37:12,359 Speaker 3: wash their hair, et cetera. The next day, and most 721 00:37:12,400 --> 00:37:15,920 Speaker 3: of them take zero opioid pills at all because of 722 00:37:15,920 --> 00:37:16,560 Speaker 3: that medication. 723 00:37:16,880 --> 00:37:19,160 Speaker 2: It blocks the pain receptors. 724 00:37:19,360 --> 00:37:21,880 Speaker 3: It blocks the muscle, it numbs the whole muscle, and 725 00:37:21,920 --> 00:37:24,560 Speaker 3: so it numbs the breast tissue in front of the muscle. 726 00:37:25,480 --> 00:37:28,960 Speaker 3: And it's really something that's been used that most places 727 00:37:28,960 --> 00:37:33,240 Speaker 3: in the country, but not everywhere it should be used everywhere. 728 00:37:32,800 --> 00:37:33,480 Speaker 2: In New Mexico. 729 00:37:33,640 --> 00:37:36,080 Speaker 3: Mine is actually the only hospital and the only surgeon 730 00:37:36,120 --> 00:37:39,560 Speaker 3: who's doing it, and I'm hoping to spread that message so. 731 00:37:39,560 --> 00:37:41,520 Speaker 2: More people do it. I know in La quite a 732 00:37:41,520 --> 00:37:44,360 Speaker 2: few people are doing it, but I think. 733 00:37:44,200 --> 00:37:47,640 Speaker 3: That it is It's something that has been a huge 734 00:37:47,680 --> 00:37:51,080 Speaker 3: game changer, especially in the last couple of years since 735 00:37:51,200 --> 00:37:56,080 Speaker 3: the pandemic started, to make the recovery better for patients 736 00:37:56,120 --> 00:37:59,319 Speaker 3: who have breast cancer. And then you know, the next 737 00:37:59,400 --> 00:38:02,399 Speaker 3: day you could be walking around, showering, moving your arms, 738 00:38:02,400 --> 00:38:05,520 Speaker 3: doing all of your normal stuff. Usually you will feel 739 00:38:05,600 --> 00:38:08,640 Speaker 3: kind of sore for probably two or three weeks, but 740 00:38:08,760 --> 00:38:11,640 Speaker 3: this helps tremendously because it really takes the edge off 741 00:38:11,680 --> 00:38:15,520 Speaker 3: the first few days, and patients do sometimes need ice 742 00:38:15,560 --> 00:38:17,879 Speaker 3: pads or tilenyl and advil to kind of get them 743 00:38:17,880 --> 00:38:18,200 Speaker 3: through that. 744 00:38:20,239 --> 00:38:20,719 Speaker 2: And then the. 745 00:38:20,680 --> 00:38:23,879 Speaker 3: Reconstruction process, which sometimes can be started at the same 746 00:38:23,960 --> 00:38:28,160 Speaker 3: time as removing one or both breasts, sometimes needs to 747 00:38:28,160 --> 00:38:30,200 Speaker 3: be done in a separate surgery. It just sort of 748 00:38:30,239 --> 00:38:33,239 Speaker 3: depends on what type of reconstruction the patient chooses. 749 00:38:33,400 --> 00:38:35,880 Speaker 1: I see, so in some cases, if you have to 750 00:38:35,920 --> 00:38:38,720 Speaker 1: have your breast removed, you can have the reconstruction done 751 00:38:39,080 --> 00:38:40,920 Speaker 1: in that same operation. 752 00:38:40,880 --> 00:38:41,360 Speaker 2: You can. 753 00:38:42,040 --> 00:38:44,640 Speaker 3: But something I always counsel patients is, even if you're 754 00:38:44,680 --> 00:38:47,680 Speaker 3: able to start it at the same time, oftentimes there 755 00:38:47,760 --> 00:38:50,320 Speaker 3: is a second surgery or maybe in an office procedure 756 00:38:50,360 --> 00:38:54,239 Speaker 3: or something that's needed because remaking breasts is a work 757 00:38:54,280 --> 00:38:58,440 Speaker 3: of art and making sure everything's symmetric, either with the 758 00:38:58,480 --> 00:39:00,600 Speaker 3: side you still have left or making both sides of the 759 00:39:00,640 --> 00:39:04,640 Speaker 3: same like this not like this right, Like that's that's 760 00:39:04,640 --> 00:39:07,440 Speaker 3: a work of art, and it takes it takes a 761 00:39:07,560 --> 00:39:11,520 Speaker 3: very skilled plastic surgeon who's extremely dedicated to reconstruction to 762 00:39:11,560 --> 00:39:12,440 Speaker 3: do a good job. 763 00:39:13,080 --> 00:39:14,880 Speaker 2: And sometimes it can take. 764 00:39:14,719 --> 00:39:16,759 Speaker 3: You know, up to a year to do all the 765 00:39:16,760 --> 00:39:21,120 Speaker 3: procedures that are done to where the patient and the 766 00:39:21,120 --> 00:39:23,919 Speaker 3: plastic surgeon everyone's happy with how things are. 767 00:39:23,960 --> 00:39:25,520 Speaker 2: And so it's an art. 768 00:39:25,800 --> 00:39:28,480 Speaker 3: We don't want to rush that process, but sometimes it 769 00:39:28,520 --> 00:39:30,600 Speaker 3: can be started and most of it done, you know, 770 00:39:30,640 --> 00:39:32,319 Speaker 3: at the time of the mask stept tomy. 771 00:39:33,239 --> 00:39:37,320 Speaker 1: Wow, so interesting. Well, first of all, how often should 772 00:39:37,320 --> 00:39:41,560 Speaker 1: we be giving ourselves self exams, which means feeling around 773 00:39:41,680 --> 00:39:45,960 Speaker 1: the breast for any unusual lumps that are new. 774 00:39:46,200 --> 00:39:49,960 Speaker 3: Right, I'm kind of like, I'm not a huge proponent 775 00:39:50,000 --> 00:39:53,600 Speaker 3: for self breast exams. I think that it's important to 776 00:39:53,640 --> 00:39:56,319 Speaker 3: be kind of aware of what your breasts feel like, 777 00:39:56,480 --> 00:39:58,920 Speaker 3: you know, once every few months, kind of examine yourself 778 00:39:58,920 --> 00:40:02,359 Speaker 3: in the shower. But you know, I think that the 779 00:40:02,480 --> 00:40:05,280 Speaker 3: old teachings that you should be doing a self breast 780 00:40:05,280 --> 00:40:09,000 Speaker 3: exam once a month isn't really what we follow now 781 00:40:09,080 --> 00:40:14,120 Speaker 3: because self breast exams don't catch cancers very often, and 782 00:40:14,480 --> 00:40:17,799 Speaker 3: more often than not is the imaging that catches it. 783 00:40:18,360 --> 00:40:20,560 Speaker 3: So for me, you know, with my patients, I really 784 00:40:20,560 --> 00:40:25,040 Speaker 3: stress the importance of regular mammograms and if you are 785 00:40:25,160 --> 00:40:27,520 Speaker 3: high risk, getting enrolled in a high risk breast clinic 786 00:40:27,560 --> 00:40:30,520 Speaker 3: where they can watch you more often. But just in general, 787 00:40:30,560 --> 00:40:33,319 Speaker 3: having an awareness of what your breasts feel like, you know, 788 00:40:33,320 --> 00:40:37,239 Speaker 3: once every few months, I think is totally okay. And 789 00:40:37,280 --> 00:40:40,520 Speaker 3: I also often have patients that come seeing me after 790 00:40:40,560 --> 00:40:42,640 Speaker 3: having being dinosed so the breast cancer say, you know, Douc, 791 00:40:42,680 --> 00:40:44,920 Speaker 3: I didn't feel anything. I don't really do breast exams, 792 00:40:44,920 --> 00:40:46,839 Speaker 3: And I tell him, you know, no reason to feel 793 00:40:46,880 --> 00:40:48,960 Speaker 3: bad about that, Like that's okay, you went and got 794 00:40:48,960 --> 00:40:51,360 Speaker 3: your mammogram and now we're here, so I'm really happy 795 00:40:51,400 --> 00:40:52,360 Speaker 3: that you got your mammogram. 796 00:40:54,120 --> 00:40:57,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, because sometimes it is an indicator to someone that 797 00:40:57,800 --> 00:41:01,239 Speaker 1: something might be awry, so it is the impetus for 798 00:41:01,280 --> 00:41:03,120 Speaker 1: them to go into the doctor. What are some other 799 00:41:03,840 --> 00:41:07,839 Speaker 1: warning signs, say, we're not checking our breast warning even 800 00:41:07,880 --> 00:41:10,520 Speaker 1: if we do, we didn't feel Are there other signs 801 00:41:11,120 --> 00:41:12,319 Speaker 1: that women should be aware of. 802 00:41:13,360 --> 00:41:18,319 Speaker 3: Yeah, so nipple discharge, like new onset nipple discharge on 803 00:41:18,320 --> 00:41:22,080 Speaker 3: one side in particular, especially if it's bloody, that's something 804 00:41:22,120 --> 00:41:25,200 Speaker 3: that you need to get some breast imaging for. And 805 00:41:25,320 --> 00:41:27,879 Speaker 3: oftentimes breast pain. You know, if you feel a new 806 00:41:27,960 --> 00:41:30,920 Speaker 3: pain somewhere, especially if it's just in one spot not 807 00:41:31,040 --> 00:41:34,520 Speaker 3: the whole breast. Whenever I see patients with breast pain, 808 00:41:34,680 --> 00:41:36,839 Speaker 3: I go ahead and order an ultrasound just to check 809 00:41:36,920 --> 00:41:38,960 Speaker 3: it out and make sure there's nothing going on as well. 810 00:41:39,719 --> 00:41:42,360 Speaker 3: And then also if you have any kind of skin changes, 811 00:41:42,520 --> 00:41:46,080 Speaker 3: so skin looks kind of stick in one spot, nipples, 812 00:41:46,160 --> 00:41:49,160 Speaker 3: kind of itching and scaling, all of that stuff should 813 00:41:49,160 --> 00:41:50,880 Speaker 3: be checked out with breast imaging. 814 00:41:52,600 --> 00:41:54,839 Speaker 2: Such a good information. I didn't know any of that. 815 00:41:55,360 --> 00:41:55,719 Speaker 2: Thank you. 816 00:41:57,120 --> 00:42:00,400 Speaker 1: What is the one thing you would say that you 817 00:42:00,520 --> 00:42:04,120 Speaker 1: hope our listeners take away from this conversation that we've 818 00:42:04,120 --> 00:42:05,160 Speaker 1: had today. 819 00:42:05,200 --> 00:42:07,719 Speaker 3: I think you've already sort of touched on it, which 820 00:42:07,760 --> 00:42:11,480 Speaker 3: is that it's so important for women to advocate for themselves. 821 00:42:12,360 --> 00:42:16,879 Speaker 3: So if you have a high risk family history, ask 822 00:42:16,960 --> 00:42:19,080 Speaker 3: your primary care doctor to refer you to a hig 823 00:42:19,120 --> 00:42:21,920 Speaker 3: risk breast clinic so you can talk about genetic testing, 824 00:42:22,000 --> 00:42:25,680 Speaker 3: maybe get diagnosed with something like Bracco one and two 825 00:42:25,840 --> 00:42:27,640 Speaker 3: if that's running in your family. 826 00:42:27,400 --> 00:42:29,160 Speaker 2: Or just be watched more closely. 827 00:42:30,440 --> 00:42:34,000 Speaker 3: And if you feel a lump, advocate for yourself to 828 00:42:34,040 --> 00:42:37,120 Speaker 3: get some type of imaging, a mammogram, an ultrasound, something, 829 00:42:37,200 --> 00:42:40,120 Speaker 3: because no one's physical exam is good enough. So it's 830 00:42:40,160 --> 00:42:42,680 Speaker 3: really important for women to use our voices because we 831 00:42:42,719 --> 00:42:47,880 Speaker 3: already don't get heard enough. So advocate for yourself, educate yourself. 832 00:42:48,719 --> 00:42:51,279 Speaker 3: And that's really my mission. I try to post a 833 00:42:51,280 --> 00:42:54,000 Speaker 3: lot of stuff on social media so that way I 834 00:42:54,040 --> 00:42:55,840 Speaker 3: can help women advocate for themselves. 835 00:42:56,160 --> 00:42:58,799 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean it's so easy. I've been in this 836 00:42:58,880 --> 00:43:01,560 Speaker 1: position to be in the doctor's office and them to 837 00:43:01,640 --> 00:43:04,879 Speaker 1: tell you whether something's wrong or something's not wrong. Either way, 838 00:43:06,280 --> 00:43:09,440 Speaker 1: I think to myself, well, they're the doctor, they must know. 839 00:43:10,320 --> 00:43:11,759 Speaker 1: I guess I'll just go with that. 840 00:43:12,440 --> 00:43:16,080 Speaker 3: Well, here's the dirty little secret we don't know. And 841 00:43:16,239 --> 00:43:20,160 Speaker 3: as a doctor, like we you know, physical exam and 842 00:43:20,239 --> 00:43:22,719 Speaker 3: looking at how a patient looks and trying to put 843 00:43:22,719 --> 00:43:25,520 Speaker 3: the pieces together with what they're telling you. It's those 844 00:43:25,560 --> 00:43:28,799 Speaker 3: are great tools, but they're not everything. And if you, 845 00:43:29,280 --> 00:43:32,640 Speaker 3: as someone who's seeing a doctor, feel in your gut 846 00:43:32,719 --> 00:43:35,000 Speaker 3: that you know they're not hearing me, they don't know 847 00:43:35,040 --> 00:43:37,560 Speaker 3: the whole story, something must still be wrong. Like, don't 848 00:43:37,560 --> 00:43:39,400 Speaker 3: be afraid to get a second opinion. You know what 849 00:43:39,400 --> 00:43:43,440 Speaker 3: we talked about earlier. Find a female physician that will 850 00:43:43,480 --> 00:43:44,520 Speaker 3: be willing to listen to you. 851 00:43:45,120 --> 00:43:49,040 Speaker 2: Yes, go, ladies. We need more female doctors, more female surgeons, 852 00:43:49,840 --> 00:43:51,919 Speaker 2: more females everywhere we do. 853 00:43:52,160 --> 00:43:55,319 Speaker 3: We absolutely do in every field, we will benefit from 854 00:43:55,360 --> 00:43:56,240 Speaker 3: having more women. 855 00:43:56,760 --> 00:44:00,520 Speaker 1: Before I let you go, doctor Amani, I want to 856 00:44:00,560 --> 00:44:05,040 Speaker 1: know what was your last I choose me moment. 857 00:44:05,960 --> 00:44:08,960 Speaker 3: I would have to say that it was today doing 858 00:44:09,000 --> 00:44:14,680 Speaker 3: this podcast. So I spoke to my clinic team and 859 00:44:14,760 --> 00:44:18,200 Speaker 3: I was like, listen, I have this really exciting opportunity 860 00:44:18,280 --> 00:44:21,560 Speaker 3: to be on Jennygart's podcast. I'm really excited about meeting her. 861 00:44:21,760 --> 00:44:24,680 Speaker 3: So if you can just make sure that I can 862 00:44:24,680 --> 00:44:27,399 Speaker 3: get home on time so I can participate. And that's 863 00:44:27,440 --> 00:44:30,960 Speaker 3: how I'm choosing me. And they made it happen and 864 00:44:31,040 --> 00:44:33,120 Speaker 3: I was able to be here today. So I'm so 865 00:44:33,200 --> 00:44:35,880 Speaker 3: excited for this opportunity. Thank you so much for having 866 00:44:35,880 --> 00:44:36,200 Speaker 3: me on. 867 00:44:36,640 --> 00:44:37,360 Speaker 2: Oh I love that. 868 00:44:37,600 --> 00:44:40,400 Speaker 1: I love that because this is the greatest opportunity for 869 00:44:40,440 --> 00:44:42,680 Speaker 1: you to educate more women, and I know that that's 870 00:44:42,680 --> 00:44:43,360 Speaker 1: so important to you. 871 00:44:44,120 --> 00:44:44,680 Speaker 2: Yes, it is. 872 00:44:44,760 --> 00:44:47,319 Speaker 3: That's definitely my mission, not just in my clinic, but 873 00:44:47,360 --> 00:44:50,640 Speaker 3: also the women out there on social media to try 874 00:44:50,680 --> 00:44:54,640 Speaker 3: to help them, help empower them to advocate for themselves. 875 00:44:55,440 --> 00:44:59,160 Speaker 1: As the mother of three women, I thank you from 876 00:44:59,200 --> 00:45:01,439 Speaker 1: the bottom of my heart for all that you do 877 00:45:02,040 --> 00:45:04,520 Speaker 1: and the education that you're dispensing to people. 878 00:45:05,040 --> 00:45:07,920 Speaker 3: Well, I really appreciate everything you're doing and all of 879 00:45:08,000 --> 00:45:12,400 Speaker 3: the information you're providing through your podcast and helping me 880 00:45:12,520 --> 00:45:16,040 Speaker 3: have this platform to talk to women and so we 881 00:45:16,120 --> 00:45:18,680 Speaker 3: can get more women to get their mammograms. 882 00:45:19,000 --> 00:45:21,719 Speaker 1: Yes, yes, thank you so much for your time. I 883 00:45:21,760 --> 00:45:26,600 Speaker 1: hope you have a great night you too. All right, 884 00:45:26,760 --> 00:45:28,120 Speaker 1: take and enjoy your flown. 885 00:45:28,960 --> 00:45:31,160 Speaker 3: Oh, thank you, just delicious. You got to give it 886 00:45:31,160 --> 00:45:31,840 Speaker 3: another chance. 887 00:45:32,239 --> 00:45:33,799 Speaker 2: I'll come and see you and we can have some 888 00:45:33,840 --> 00:45:35,799 Speaker 2: flawn together. I think that'd be a good idea. 889 00:45:36,160 --> 00:45:39,440 Speaker 3: That if you haven't been to Santa Fe recently been 890 00:45:39,480 --> 00:45:40,120 Speaker 3: to Santa Fe. 891 00:45:40,360 --> 00:45:42,200 Speaker 2: Oh my gosh, you're missing out. It is such a 892 00:45:42,239 --> 00:45:42,879 Speaker 2: magical city. 893 00:45:42,920 --> 00:45:45,040 Speaker 3: I got to tell you I moved here from Houston, 894 00:45:45,160 --> 00:45:47,680 Speaker 3: and I was like, oh my god, I strongly recommend 895 00:45:47,680 --> 00:45:48,000 Speaker 3: you come. 896 00:45:48,320 --> 00:45:52,359 Speaker 1: I love that of ringing endorsement. Yes Santa Fe, yes okay, 897 00:45:52,440 --> 00:45:55,560 Speaker 1: and mammograms yes both okay. 898 00:45:55,600 --> 00:45:58,080 Speaker 2: Thank you so much, thank you for having me on. 899 00:46:01,400 --> 00:46:04,000 Speaker 1: I want to thank doctor Ramani John Bacar for coming 900 00:46:04,120 --> 00:46:07,920 Speaker 1: on our podcast today. I know none of us like 901 00:46:08,000 --> 00:46:11,640 Speaker 1: to talk or think about cancer, but it is important 902 00:46:11,680 --> 00:46:15,200 Speaker 1: for all of us to understand the warning signs and 903 00:46:15,400 --> 00:46:18,759 Speaker 1: understand why it's crucial for us to get our mammograms. 904 00:46:19,320 --> 00:46:22,840 Speaker 1: As we continue to choose ourselves each week, I want 905 00:46:22,880 --> 00:46:25,200 Speaker 1: to challenge you this week. It's going to be an 906 00:46:25,239 --> 00:46:28,920 Speaker 1: obvious one, but maybe this conversation has inspired you. I 907 00:46:29,000 --> 00:46:32,360 Speaker 1: want to encourage you to have that I choose me 908 00:46:32,480 --> 00:46:37,080 Speaker 1: moment and get your mammogram. Or maybe you and a friend, 909 00:46:37,239 --> 00:46:39,640 Speaker 1: or you and your sister, or you and your daughter 910 00:46:40,480 --> 00:46:44,440 Speaker 1: go get them together, make a mammogram date out of it. 911 00:46:45,640 --> 00:46:48,799 Speaker 1: I encourage you to share your story and your mammogram 912 00:46:48,840 --> 00:46:51,320 Speaker 1: experience on our social media and use the hashtag I 913 00:46:51,400 --> 00:46:54,640 Speaker 1: Choose Me. Let's all inspire each other and be brave 914 00:46:54,840 --> 00:46:57,640 Speaker 1: and look out for each other and for our bodies. 915 00:46:58,200 --> 00:47:00,560 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to I Choose Me. You can check 916 00:47:00,560 --> 00:47:03,080 Speaker 1: out all of our social links on our show notes, 917 00:47:03,239 --> 00:47:05,560 Speaker 1: rate us, review the podcast, give us your comments, tell 918 00:47:05,600 --> 00:47:07,720 Speaker 1: us everything you want to tell us, and don't forget 919 00:47:07,760 --> 00:47:10,640 Speaker 1: to use the hashtag I Choose Me. I'll be right 920 00:47:10,680 --> 00:47:12,960 Speaker 1: here next week. I hope you choose to be here too,