Re: Call to speed access to innovative advances for all breast cancer patients

[Guest guest]

I am a little confused by this message.

> Surgeons can now reconstruct a breast immediately

> after the cancer is removed using artificial implants

> or even the body's own tissue (autologous tissue

> reconstruction) or a combination of tissue

> reconstruction and implants. Breast reconstruction is

> a complex procedure that needs to be performed by a

> skilled plastic surgeon, unfortunately not all

> patients have access to surgeons who can carry out

> these new techniques.

This is pretty much the reconstruction I had after my mastectomy.

Now that the implant was ruptured I now have the decission to make

whether to have an explant, or replace the damaged implant with a

replacement.

The other day someone wrote that " perhaps the implant companies were

right, the implants are safe and all of the contamination is caused

by the doctor " . Not all women get health issues from their implants,

does anyone know the deciding factor??

I guess I would like to know, if you had breast cancer and had to

have a mastectomy how many of you would have reconstruction done? In

other words would all of you choose not to have the implant put in to

maintain your body image?

Polly Schmidt

>

> http://www.news-medical.net/?id=16939

>

> Call to speed access to innovative advances for all

> breast cancer patients

> Medical Procedure News

> Published: Tuesday, 28-Mar-2006

>

> Breast cancer specialists and advocates at the 5th

> European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-5) called for

> patients to have equal and speedy access to new breast

> cancer treatments and procedures, as soon as they are

> validated by comparative clinical trials.

> Doctors and patient groups fear that women across

> Europe are not getting timely access to new drugs and

> devices that could help prolong their survival and

> well-being. Recent advances in intra-operative

> radiation therapy and reconstructive surgery to the

> breast have been made accessible quickly to women in

> the United States, but even getting on to the relevant

> clinical trial has proved almost impossible for their

> European counterparts.

>

> Last year Italian and English studies demonstrated the

> feasibility of intra-operative radio- therapy. They

> found that delivering radiation directly to the open

> breast during surgery appeared to be potentially as

> effective as six weeks of external radiotherapy.

> Patients had their breast cancer surgically removed

> and their radiotherapy treatment all in one stay in

> hospital. The new treatment also limited radiation

> exposure to the rest of the patients' skin and other

> organs, preventing further tissue damage. However,

> there are only a few centres across Europe that can

> carry out intra-operative radiotherapy and many

> patients cannot benefit from these advances. Patients

> are still facing long waiting times and have to travel

> long and tiring distances to radiotherapy centres.

>

> The psychological impact of having a breast removed

> due to cancer has been well documented. However, new

> advances in reconstructive breast surgery can

> significantly improve a patient's confidence and

> well-being; unfortunately these surgical techniques

> are not available to all European patients. Breast

> surgeons can now perform a mastectomy that removes the

> malignant tumour and surrounding breast tissue whilst

> sparing the nipple. Nipple saving surgery can vastly

> improve the look and feel of the breast and improve a

> patient's self confidence.

>

> Surgeons can now reconstruct a breast immediately

> after the cancer is removed using artificial implants

> or even the body's own tissue (autologous tissue

> reconstruction) or a combination of tissue

> reconstruction and implants. Breast reconstruction is

> a complex procedure that needs to be performed by a

> skilled plastic surgeon, unfortunately not all

> patients have access to surgeons who can carry out

> these new techniques.

>

> Another topical example of complexity in access to

> treatments is the case of the drug trastuzumab

> (Herceptin.). Currently the drug is licensed by the

> EMEA (European Medicines Agency) for women with

> advanced stage breast cancer but not for those with

> the early stages of the disease. The recent results of

> four large clinical trials showed a significant

> reduction in breast cancer recurrence for women with

> HER2 positive breast cancer, when given the drug

> post-surgery. Breast cancer doctors claim that the

> results of the four trials are sufficiently compelling

> to recommend adjuvant trastuzumab as a standard option

> after surgery in appropriate patients. The lagtime

> between the announcement of the results of the

> clinical trials and the submission of the applications

> by the industry, the lack of clear definition of

> 'appropriate patients', the diversity of the national

> healthcare systems (even within the EU) and their

> heterogeneous policies of reimbursement may prevent

> hundreds of patients enjoying the benefits of this

> drug when they need it.

>

> Dr Alberto Costa, President of the EBCC-5 conference

> comments, " Action needs to be taken so that women in

> different countries have equal and quick access to new

> and better treatments and procedures. It is

> regrettable that so many women are still not receiving

> the treatment that gives them the best chance of

> survival and best quality of life. "

>

> http://www.fecs.be

>

[Guest guest]

I have never been implanted and thus don't have any implanted-related

illnesses but I would opt to reconstruct as best as possible without the use

of an implant. Personally, I wouldn't want to further jeopardize my life

and/or health with the use of an implant.

Kenda

>> Surgeons can now reconstruct a breast immediately

>> after the cancer is removed using artificial implants

>> or even the body's own tissue (autologous tissue

>> reconstruction) or a combination of tissue

>> reconstruction and implants. Breast reconstruction is

>> a complex procedure that needs to be performed by a

>> skilled plastic surgeon, unfortunately not all

>> patients have access to surgeons who can carry out

>> these new techniques.

>

> This is pretty much the reconstruction I had after my mastectomy.

> Now that the implant was ruptured I now have the decission to make

> whether to have an explant, or replace the damaged implant with a

> replacement.

>

> The other day someone wrote that " perhaps the implant companies were

> right, the implants are safe and all of the contamination is caused

> by the doctor " . Not all women get health issues from their implants,

> does anyone know the deciding factor??

>

> I guess I would like to know, if you had breast cancer and had to

> have a mastectomy how many of you would have reconstruction done? In

> other words would all of you choose not to have the implant put in to

> maintain your body image?

>

> Polly Schmidt

>

>

>

>

>

>>

>> http://www.news-medical.net/?id=16939

>>

>> Call to speed access to innovative advances for all

>> breast cancer patients

>> Medical Procedure News

>> Published: Tuesday, 28-Mar-2006

>>

>> Breast cancer specialists and advocates at the 5th

>> European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-5) called for

>> patients to have equal and speedy access to new breast

>> cancer treatments and procedures, as soon as they are

>> validated by comparative clinical trials.

>> Doctors and patient groups fear that women across

>> Europe are not getting timely access to new drugs and

>> devices that could help prolong their survival and

>> well-being. Recent advances in intra-operative

>> radiation therapy and reconstructive surgery to the

>> breast have been made accessible quickly to women in

>> the United States, but even getting on to the relevant

>> clinical trial has proved almost impossible for their

>> European counterparts.

>>

>> Last year Italian and English studies demonstrated the

>> feasibility of intra-operative radio- therapy. They

>> found that delivering radiation directly to the open

>> breast during surgery appeared to be potentially as

>> effective as six weeks of external radiotherapy.

>> Patients had their breast cancer surgically removed

>> and their radiotherapy treatment all in one stay in

>> hospital. The new treatment also limited radiation

>> exposure to the rest of the patients' skin and other

>> organs, preventing further tissue damage. However,

>> there are only a few centres across Europe that can

>> carry out intra-operative radiotherapy and many

>> patients cannot benefit from these advances. Patients

>> are still facing long waiting times and have to travel

>> long and tiring distances to radiotherapy centres.

>>

>> The psychological impact of having a breast removed

>> due to cancer has been well documented. However, new

>> advances in reconstructive breast surgery can

>> significantly improve a patient's confidence and

>> well-being; unfortunately these surgical techniques

>> are not available to all European patients. Breast

>> surgeons can now perform a mastectomy that removes the

>> malignant tumour and surrounding breast tissue whilst

>> sparing the nipple. Nipple saving surgery can vastly

>> improve the look and feel of the breast and improve a

>> patient's self confidence.

>>

>> Surgeons can now reconstruct a breast immediately

>> after the cancer is removed using artificial implants

>> or even the body's own tissue (autologous tissue

>> reconstruction) or a combination of tissue

>> reconstruction and implants. Breast reconstruction is

>> a complex procedure that needs to be performed by a

>> skilled plastic surgeon, unfortunately not all

>> patients have access to surgeons who can carry out

>> these new techniques.

>>

>> Another topical example of complexity in access to

>> treatments is the case of the drug trastuzumab

>> (Herceptin.). Currently the drug is licensed by the

>> EMEA (European Medicines Agency) for women with

>> advanced stage breast cancer but not for those with

>> the early stages of the disease. The recent results of

>> four large clinical trials showed a significant

>> reduction in breast cancer recurrence for women with

>> HER2 positive breast cancer, when given the drug

>> post-surgery. Breast cancer doctors claim that the

>> results of the four trials are sufficiently compelling

>> to recommend adjuvant trastuzumab as a standard option

>> after surgery in appropriate patients. The lagtime

>> between the announcement of the results of the

>> clinical trials and the submission of the applications

>> by the industry, the lack of clear definition of

>> 'appropriate patients', the diversity of the national

>> healthcare systems (even within the EU) and their

>> heterogeneous policies of reimbursement may prevent

>> hundreds of patients enjoying the benefits of this

>> drug when they need it.

>>

>> Dr Alberto Costa, President of the EBCC-5 conference

>> comments, " Action needs to be taken so that women in

>> different countries have equal and quick access to new

>> and better treatments and procedures. It is

>> regrettable that so many women are still not receiving

>> the treatment that gives them the best chance of

>> survival and best quality of life. "

>>

>> http://www.fecs.be

>>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Opinions expressed are NOT meant to take the place of advice given by licensed

> health care professionals. Consult your physician or licensed health care

> professional before commencing any medical treatment.

>

> " Do not let either the medical authorities or the politicians mislead you.

> Find out what the facts are, and make your own decisions about how to live a

> happy life and how to work for a better world. " - Linus ing, two-time

> Nobel Prize Winner (1954, Chemistry; 1963, Peace)

>

> See our photos website! Enter " implants " for access at this link:

> http://.shutterfly.com/action/

>

>

[Guest guest]

I wanted to answer a portion of this letter that brings up the

suggestion that " perhaps the implant companies were

> right, the implants are safe and all of the contamination is

caused by the doctor... "

It would be nice to believe that implants truly are safe, but I just

don't think that is a viable statement to believe, given the

information available on silicone toxicity. The many, many studies

and anecdotal reports that exist on animals and people harmed by

exposure to silicone are too numerous to be coincidental. These

cover many segments of medicine, not just plastic surgery. You can

see just a sampling of them in our files section. And then go to

our links section....you will find ALL KINDS of people out there

that KNOW implants are not safe, from immunologists to

toxicologists, epidemiologists, lawyers, rheumatologists....and the

thousands upon thousands of women smart enough to make the

connection when everyone was saying " It's not the implants. "

There may be a subset of women in the entire population that are

able to have implants in their body for a period of time without

incident. I think that has alot to do with genetics and total toxic

burden load along with the liver's ability to detoxify either

efficiently or not. I don't think by any means that the implant

companies are right, that implants are safe....contamination may be

a big part of it, but then why do other people with silicone

implants of many kinds get sick too? Why do silicone joint implants

cause bone destruction? Why did those who got silicone injections

get deathly ill? Loose silicone by itself is definitely dangerous--

they've admitted that much, haven't they?

Public relations is a powerful tool. By suggesting over and over

again that silicone is inert or harmless or does not cause disease,

doubt has been taken hold. Don't let it sweep you down its dark

path...that was exactly the tool Satan used in the garden....

I wish you well...I truly do. I hope our cancer survivors will

answer your important question.

Patty

--- In , " northdak76 " <northdak76@...>

wrote:

>

> I am a little confused by this message.

>

> > Surgeons can now reconstruct a breast immediately

> > after the cancer is removed using artificial implants

> > or even the body's own tissue (autologous tissue

> > reconstruction) or a combination of tissue

> > reconstruction and implants. Breast reconstruction is

> > a complex procedure that needs to be performed by a

> > skilled plastic surgeon, unfortunately not all

> > patients have access to surgeons who can carry out

> > these new techniques.

>

> This is pretty much the reconstruction I had after my mastectomy.

> Now that the implant was ruptured I now have the decission to make

> whether to have an explant, or replace the damaged implant with a

> replacement.

>

> The other day someone wrote that " perhaps the implant companies

were

> right, the implants are safe and all of the contamination is

caused

> by the doctor " . Not all women get health issues from their

implants,

> does anyone know the deciding factor??

>

> I guess I would like to know, if you had breast cancer and had to

> have a mastectomy how many of you would have reconstruction done?

In

> other words would all of you choose not to have the implant put in

to

> maintain your body image?

>

> Polly Schmidt

>

[Guest guest]

Polly,

I'm still recovering from breast cancer. I can tell

you, without a doubt that I would never choose breast

implants following cancer - based on what I've seen

happen to women with breast implants over the past 14

years! . . . In addition to the problems we discuss,

anyone who has had breast cancer has to be watched

carefully to be sure cancer doesn't reoccur. Breast

implants can obscure a new growth until it's too late!

There are all kinds of losses one must deal with in

life . . . In comparison with many losses, a breast is

a minor loss. . . Especially when one can wear

undergarments that completely cover the issue.

To put it in a different context, if your husband lost

one, or both testicles to cancer, would you rather he

have silicone testicle replacments (and risk the same

problems our implant sisters have experienced), or

just be thrilled he's still here - even without a

testicle?

As I see it, if your loved one can't love you just as

much without a breast, he's not the right one!

Hugs,

Rogene

[Guest guest]

Polly,

The doctors I spoke to at University of Arkansas

Medical Science all felt that breast implants are

dangerous from the aspect of hiding future cancers. .

.. They didn't appear to have a clue about the problems

we see here.

Most doctors follow the edits of the AMA! . . They

can't get in trouble that way!

Love,

Rogene

--- northdak76 <northdak76@...> wrote:

> I am a little confused by this message.

>

> > Surgeons can now reconstruct a breast immediately

> > after the cancer is removed using artificial

> implants

> > or even the body's own tissue (autologous tissue

> > reconstruction) or a combination of tissue

> > reconstruction and implants. Breast reconstruction

> is

> > a complex procedure that needs to be performed by

> a

> > skilled plastic surgeon, unfortunately not all

> > patients have access to surgeons who can carry out

> > these new techniques.

>

> This is pretty much the reconstruction I had after

> my mastectomy.

> Now that the implant was ruptured I now have the

> decission to make

> whether to have an explant, or replace the damaged

> implant with a

> replacement.

>

> The other day someone wrote that " perhaps the

> implant companies were

> right, the implants are safe and all of the

> contamination is caused

> by the doctor " . Not all women get health issues

> from their implants,

> does anyone know the deciding factor??

>

> I guess I would like to know, if you had breast

> cancer and had to

> have a mastectomy how many of you would have

> reconstruction done? In

> other words would all of you choose not to have the

> implant put in to

> maintain your body image?

>

> Polly Schmidt

>

>

>

>

>

> >

> > http://www.news-medical.net/?id=16939

> >

> > Call to speed access to innovative advances for

> all

> > breast cancer patients

> > Medical Procedure News

> > Published: Tuesday, 28-Mar-2006

> >

> > Breast cancer specialists and advocates at the 5th

> > European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-5) called

> for

> > patients to have equal and speedy access to new

> breast

> > cancer treatments and procedures, as soon as they

> are

> > validated by comparative clinical trials.

> > Doctors and patient groups fear that women across

> > Europe are not getting timely access to new drugs

> and

> > devices that could help prolong their survival and

> > well-being. Recent advances in intra-operative

> > radiation therapy and reconstructive surgery to

> the

> > breast have been made accessible quickly to women

> in

> > the United States, but even getting on to the

> relevant

> > clinical trial has proved almost impossible for

> their

> > European counterparts.

> >

> > Last year Italian and English studies demonstrated

> the

> > feasibility of intra-operative radio- therapy.

> They

> > found that delivering radiation directly to the

> open

> > breast during surgery appeared to be potentially

> as

> > effective as six weeks of external radiotherapy.

> > Patients had their breast cancer surgically

> removed

> > and their radiotherapy treatment all in one stay

> in

> > hospital. The new treatment also limited radiation

> > exposure to the rest of the patients' skin and

> other

> > organs, preventing further tissue damage. However,

> > there are only a few centres across Europe that

> can

> > carry out intra-operative radiotherapy and many

> > patients cannot benefit from these advances.

> Patients

> > are still facing long waiting times and have to

> travel

> > long and tiring distances to radiotherapy centres.

>

> >

> > The psychological impact of having a breast

> removed

> > due to cancer has been well documented. However,

> new

> > advances in reconstructive breast surgery can

> > significantly improve a patient's confidence and

> > well-being; unfortunately these surgical

> techniques

> > are not available to all European patients. Breast

> > surgeons can now perform a mastectomy that removes

> the

> > malignant tumour and surrounding breast tissue

> whilst

> > sparing the nipple. Nipple saving surgery can

> vastly

> > improve the look and feel of the breast and

> improve a

> > patient's self confidence.

> >

> > Surgeons can now reconstruct a breast immediately

> > after the cancer is removed using artificial

> implants

> > or even the body's own tissue (autologous tissue

> > reconstruction) or a combination of tissue

> > reconstruction and implants. Breast reconstruction

> is

> > a complex procedure that needs to be performed by

> a

> > skilled plastic surgeon, unfortunately not all

> > patients have access to surgeons who can carry out

> > these new techniques.

> >

> > Another topical example of complexity in access to

> > treatments is the case of the drug trastuzumab

> > (Herceptin.). Currently the drug is licensed by

> the

> > EMEA (European Medicines Agency) for women with

> > advanced stage breast cancer but not for those

> with

> > the early stages of the disease. The recent

> results of

> > four large clinical trials showed a significant

> > reduction in breast cancer recurrence for women

> with

> > HER2 positive breast cancer, when given the drug

> > post-surgery. Breast cancer doctors claim that the

> > results of the four trials are sufficiently

> compelling

> > to recommend adjuvant trastuzumab as a standard

> option

> > after surgery in appropriate patients. The lagtime

> > between the announcement of the results of the

> > clinical trials and the submission of the

> applications

> > by the industry, the lack of clear definition of

> > 'appropriate patients', the diversity of the

> national

> > healthcare systems (even within the EU) and their

> > heterogeneous policies of reimbursement may

> prevent

> > hundreds of patients enjoying the benefits of this

> > drug when they need it.

> >

> > Dr Alberto Costa, President of the EBCC-5

> conference

> > comments, " Action needs to be taken so that women

> in

> > different countries have equal and quick access to

> new

> > and better treatments and procedures. It is

> > regrettable that so many women are still not

> receiving

> > the treatment that gives them the best chance of

> > survival and best quality of life. "

> >

> > http://www.fecs.be

> >

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Polly,

I believe my illness was also caused by the chemicals in the

implants, because I reacted almost immediately. Perhaps in some

cases the problems are caused by bacteria introduced during surgery,

and definitely other times people get sick because of the bacteria

and mold that starts building up in and around the implant over

time. I don't know where you are located, but Dr. Feng in Cleveland

Ohio performs a procedure that does not involve an implant.

Here's her website: http://www.drfeng.com/procedures/index.html

DR. FENG SPECIALIZES IN THE FOLLOWING RECONSTRUCTIVE PROCEDURES:

TRAM FREE FLAP SURGERY:

Microvascular breast reconstruction using autogenous (one's own)

tissue from the abdomen. This procedure allows minimal disturbance

to the strength of the abdominal muscles, minimizes hernia

complications, and reduces the need for mesh to reconstruct the

abdominal wall.

BUTTOCK FREE FLAP SURGERY:

Microvascular breast reconstruction using autogenous (one's own)

tissue from the buttock. This procedure is especially useful for

patients who are thin and do not have excess tissue in the abdomen.

SILICONE DETECTION & IMPLANT REMOVAL:

Removal of problematic silicone implants and all residual material,

autogenous tissue replacement, and breast lift.

Sis

> >

> > http://www.news-medical.net/?id=16939

> >

> > Call to speed access to innovative advances for all

> > breast cancer patients

> > Medical Procedure News

> > Published: Tuesday, 28-Mar-2006

> >

> > Breast cancer specialists and advocates at the 5th

> > European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-5) called for

> > patients to have equal and speedy access to new breast

> > cancer treatments and procedures, as soon as they are

> > validated by comparative clinical trials.

> > Doctors and patient groups fear that women across

> > Europe are not getting timely access to new drugs and

> > devices that could help prolong their survival and

> > well-being. Recent advances in intra-operative

> > radiation therapy and reconstructive surgery to the

> > breast have been made accessible quickly to women in

> > the United States, but even getting on to the relevant

> > clinical trial has proved almost impossible for their

> > European counterparts.

> >

> > Last year Italian and English studies demonstrated the

> > feasibility of intra-operative radio- therapy. They

> > found that delivering radiation directly to the open

> > breast during surgery appeared to be potentially as

> > effective as six weeks of external radiotherapy.

> > Patients had their breast cancer surgically removed

> > and their radiotherapy treatment all in one stay in

> > hospital. The new treatment also limited radiation

> > exposure to the rest of the patients' skin and other

> > organs, preventing further tissue damage. However,

> > there are only a few centres across Europe that can

> > carry out intra-operative radiotherapy and many

> > patients cannot benefit from these advances. Patients

> > are still facing long waiting times and have to travel

> > long and tiring distances to radiotherapy centres.

> >

> > The psychological impact of having a breast removed

> > due to cancer has been well documented. However, new

> > advances in reconstructive breast surgery can

> > significantly improve a patient's confidence and

> > well-being; unfortunately these surgical techniques

> > are not available to all European patients. Breast

> > surgeons can now perform a mastectomy that removes the

> > malignant tumour and surrounding breast tissue whilst

> > sparing the nipple. Nipple saving surgery can vastly

> > improve the look and feel of the breast and improve a

> > patient's self confidence.

> >

> > Surgeons can now reconstruct a breast immediately

> > after the cancer is removed using artificial implants

> > or even the body's own tissue (autologous tissue

> > reconstruction) or a combination of tissue

> > reconstruction and implants. Breast reconstruction is

> > a complex procedure that needs to be performed by a

> > skilled plastic surgeon, unfortunately not all

> > patients have access to surgeons who can carry out

> > these new techniques.

> >

> > Another topical example of complexity in access to

> > treatments is the case of the drug trastuzumab

> > (Herceptin.). Currently the drug is licensed by the

> > EMEA (European Medicines Agency) for women with

> > advanced stage breast cancer but not for those with

> > the early stages of the disease. The recent results of

> > four large clinical trials showed a significant

> > reduction in breast cancer recurrence for women with

> > HER2 positive breast cancer, when given the drug

> > post-surgery. Breast cancer doctors claim that the

> > results of the four trials are sufficiently compelling

> > to recommend adjuvant trastuzumab as a standard option

> > after surgery in appropriate patients. The lagtime

> > between the announcement of the results of the

> > clinical trials and the submission of the applications

> > by the industry, the lack of clear definition of

> > 'appropriate patients', the diversity of the national

> > healthcare systems (even within the EU) and their

> > heterogeneous policies of reimbursement may prevent

> > hundreds of patients enjoying the benefits of this

> > drug when they need it.

> >

> > Dr Alberto Costa, President of the EBCC-5 conference

> > comments, " Action needs to be taken so that women in

> > different countries have equal and quick access to new

> > and better treatments and procedures. It is

> > regrettable that so many women are still not receiving

> > the treatment that gives them the best chance of

> > survival and best quality of life. "

> >

> > http://www.fecs.be

> >

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Opinions expressed are NOT meant to take the place of advice given

by licensed health care professionals. Consult your physician or

licensed health care professional before commencing any medical

treatment.

>

> " Do not let either the medical authorities or the politicians

mislead you. Find out what the facts are, and make your own

decisions about how to live a happy life and how to work for a

better world. " - Linus ing, two-time Nobel Prize Winner (1954,

Chemistry; 1963, Peace)

>

> See our photos website! Enter " implants " for access at this link:

> http://.shutterfly.com/action/

>

>