Breast cancer metastases / CINN brain screening event

In tonight’s Medical Watch — a diagnosis no one wants to hear … cancer and it’s spread. Now some advice on protecting the mind when breast cancer makes a run for the brain.

Kathy Southwick, breast cancer patient: “My then breast surgeon called to say it’s in your liver. We don’t do mastectomies if its in your liver do you understand?”

What Kathy Southwick didn’t understand is why her then-physician didn’t offer more treatment options for her stage 4 cancer. Read more

CINN seeking breast cancer patients for clinical trial on screening for brain metastases

The Chicago Institute of Neurosurgery and Neuoresearch is seeking patients with breast cancer to participate in a clinical trial to assess the potential value of routine screening to detect brain metastases.

Because early diagnosis and treatment have increased longevity in breast cancer patients, clinicians have detected an increase in the number of cancer patients with brain metastases, or cancer that has spread from the breast to the brain. Research indicates that approximately 20 percent of breast cancer patients suffer from brain metastases.

Although this disease progression is well known, many doctors do not screen for this in their breast cancer patients, according to Gail Rosseau, MD, neurosurgeon at CINN and lead investigator of the trial. The CINN clinical trial attempts to determine if MRI screening of breast cancer patients detects tumors before patients are symptomatic, which may improve quality of life, she said.

Eligible patients must have an initial primary diagnosis of high-risk and/or HER-2 positive breast cancer, defined as stage IV disease or HER-2 positive Stage III disease. Once enrolled, patients will receive one free Magnetic Resonance Image (MRI) of their brain. All costs associated with the initial brain MRI are covered by the study. Results of the MRI will be shared with the subject.

CINN will conduct annual follow up with each patient for five years.

To enroll in the study, call 773.250.0422. The study is funded by The CINN Foundation.