MBC 101: Tumor Microenvironment with Dr. Amy Beumer
Have you ever wondered how our cancer metastasizes? Why is it that some treatments just don’t work? Can we as patients living with MBC alter cellular level activity? In this episode, you will hear the answers to these questions and more. Join us as we take a step back to the basics of tumor microenvironment with our guest, Dr. Amy Beumer, who will break down the science into smaller, digestible bites. In this lively discussion, Dr. Amy explains the how and the why of this tough topic. You will hear her say “This is fun” and use engaging, relatable metaphors like “Picture your neighborhood and that one neighbor…..” By the end, I assure you that you’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of tumor microenvironment than when you started.
Pull up a chair, listen in your car, or on your daily walk, we are with you wherever you listen to your podcasts. Terms and other resources are provided in the episode notes.
Protecting Our Loved Ones at Risk
Many with metastatic breast cancer fear for their children and siblings: How can we help them avoid the same diagnosis? Are there ways to minimize risk?
In this episode, host Martha Carlson speaks with her eldest child, who’s navigating personal and family risk factors despite no known genetic predispositions. Join us for this powerful and informative episode where we interview Dr. Sagar Sardesai from Ohio State University’s High Risk Breast Clinic.
Balancing a Healthy Lifestyle with Eating Chocolate Cake: A Conversation with Dr. Iyengar
There’s a lot of research about how diet and exercise can have a positive effect on survivorship for those with early-stage breast cancer, but about for those of us with MBC? In this episode, we are delighted to bring you a conversation with Dr. Neil Iyengar, a prominent oncologist and researcher known for his deep interest in how lifestyle affects a variety of outcomes. Emerging research and patient experiences are showing that exercise and diet can play a vital role in improving quality of life and may even enhance treatment outcomes. We discuss the science behind diet and exercise along with strategies for balancing lifestyle changes while prioritizing what matters most to us. Whether you’re a patient, a caregiver, or a healthcare professional, this episode is packed with valuable information and insights!
Report Back from SABCS 2023: Spotlight on the Latest in MBC
Today we are bringing you a special episode that we created in partnership with SHARE Cancer Support. It’s an audio version of a live webinar that was done this past February called Report Back from San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2023. SABCS is the world’s leading breast cancer research meeting where scientists, patient advocates, and others dedicated to working in the field of cancer gather. In this podcast, Dr. Timothy Pluard highlighted promising research, targeted therapy, the evolving treatment after CDK 4/6 inhibitors, liquid biopsy and more.
Understanding Progression: How to Identify & Treat ESR1 Mutations in HR+ MBC
Today we are bringing you a special podcast that we created in partnership with SHARE Cancer Support called Understanding Progression: How to Identify and Treat ESR1 Mutations in HR+ MBC. This episode was produced from a live webinar from this past October. There has not been a new endocrine treatment in decades and many of us find out the endocrine treatment no longer works for us because the cancer has mutated. Kate Vieira Pfitzer and Victoria Goldberg are excited to bring Dr. Virginia Kaklamani to you. You will hear her explain this common problem, how to test for it, the new treatment option that is now available as well as many of the ongoing clinical trials for HR+ MBC.
Report Back From ASCO 2023: What’s the Latest News in MBC Research?
Dr. Sherry Shen, breast oncologist from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, breaks down the recent research from the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2023 Annual Meeting. She will present new findings in Metastatic Breast Cancer research.
Report Back from ASCO 2022: What’s the Latest in MBC Research?
The biggest cancer conference in the world, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) 2022 annual meeting, was back in person after 2 years online during the COVID pandemic. Some of the research highlights presented this year are “practice-changing.” and received a rarely given standing ovation. What is practice changing in MBC? Get the answer to this question and a lot more in the report back from ASCO
Psilocybin-assisted Therapy: Patient Experiences
Welcome to the second episode in our series on the potential of psilocybin-assisted therapy to help us live as well as possible with metastatic breast cancer.
In this episode, we talk to two women with breast cancer who had legal access to psilocybin-assisted therapy. Journalist and writer Erica Rex participated in a clinical trial at Johns Hopkins after being diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. Mari Singfield, a young Canadian woman living with MBC, gained access through an exemption to Section 56(1) of the Canadian Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, a process facilitated by the organization, TheraPsil.
Both women shared with us the process that they went through to gain legal access to psilocybin-assisted therapy, what the treatment was actually like for them, and what, if anything, changed in their lives afterward.
Healing our Distress: The Potential of Psilocybin-assisted Therapy
Welcome to our series on the potential of psilocybin-assisted therapy to help us live as well as possible with metastatic breast cancer.
In this first episode, co-host and producer of this series, Dr. Paula Jayne and co-host Lynda Weatherby interview Dr. Boadie Dunlop, Director of the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program at Emory University. Dr Dunlop shares existing and emerging data on how psilocybin may help those of us living with MBC and discusses an upcoming pilot trial of psilocybin-assisted therapy at Emory University’s Palliative and Supportive Care Clinic.
MBC & Parenting Expert Panel
How does one even begin to bring up the topic of metastatic breast cancer to a child? On this third episode of our MBC & Parenting series, we’ll talk to three experts that can give us some insight and guidance on how to talk with our children in the most open and safe ways. First up, Co-host Martha Carlson and Senior Co-host Victoria Goldberg speak with Dr. Leeza Park, psychiatrist, clinical researcher, and Deputy Director for the Comprehensive Cancer Support Program at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill. Finally, Senior Co-host and Producer, Lisa Laudico and Co-host Martha Carlson have an illuminating conversation with Morgan Livingstone, Certified Child Life Specialist based in Toronto, Ontario Canada, and Amanda Celeste, Parenting Expert for Project Life, mother, wife, and teacher.
Report back from SABCS
Welcome to this bonus episode of Our MBC Life. It feels like a lifetime ago, but just a few weeks ago the world's largest breast cancer conference, the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, was held. Just after the symposium SHARE welcomed Dr. Neil Iyengar from Memorial Sloan Kettering to a webinar where he shared information from SABCS highlighting both early-stage and metastatic research.