Vim & Vigor - Fall 2019 - CH - 13

For these reasons, the American
Cancer Society recommends women
stay at a healthy weight throughout
their lives.
"Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, while
evidence has not shown that it will prevent breast cancer, will certainly help
reduce the risk," Brown says.
3 Lack of exercise. Regular physical activity appears to reduce breast
cancer risk, particularly in postmenopausal women.
It's not clear exactly how that works,
but it may have something to do with
the effect of exercise on body weight,
inflammation, hormones and energy.
The American Cancer Society suggests that adults get at least 150 minutes
of moderate-intensity physical activity
(brisk walking, leisurely riding a bike,
vacuuming) or 75 minutes of vigorous
activity (jogging, swimming laps, hiking
uphill) each week.

Evolving Treatments

Just as researchers' understanding of
breast cancer has changed, so, too, have
treatment options.
Instead of using a one-size-fits-all
approach for breast cancer cases, physicians are increasingly tailoring their
approaches to each patient.

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"What we're finding out about breast
cancer is breast cancer is not one disease," Lichtenfeld says. "It's many
diseases. And we are now developing
the tools to understand each woman's
breast cancer."
Treatment usually involves some
combination of surgery, chemotherapy,
radiation, hormone therapy and targeted
therapy, according to Susan G. Komen.
Louis-Dreyfus' treatment included
surgery and chemotherapy, which led to
difficult side effects, including nausea,
diarrhea, neuropathy in her hands and
feet, and sores on her face and in her
mouth, The New Yorker reported.

That derailed the actor's initial plan
to keep working on Veep during her
treatment. After the star consulted
with a doctor, the show went on hiatus, and Louis-Dreyfus took to posting
updates on social media, including a
December 2017 picture of IV bags at
a hospital with the caption, "Getting
ready for the holidays with my awesome Xmas cocktail."
She has used her status to help
people in need by raising money for
the AiRS (Alliance in Reconstructive
Surgery) Foundation, which helps
breast cancer patients pay for reconstructive surgery.
"There are plenty of women who
decide not to get reconstruction, which
is fine," Louis-Dreyfus told InStyle.
"But if you want it and can't afford it,
that's heartbreaking to me."
Now healthy, Louis-Dreyfus remains
optimistic about her post-breast cancer, post-Veep life, which is to include at
least two films set for release in 2020,
a Pixar animated comedy and a family
drama co-starring Will Ferrell.
"I'm not someone who likes looking
back," she told InStyle. "I look forward.
That's how I operate. We'll finish an
episode, and I am just ready for the
next thing." ■

Screening Time
One in every 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Regular mammograms are an important tool
used in prevention and detection. Staff at the Women's Diagnostic Centers of Community Healthcare
System understand that screening can be an anxious time. The centers, located in East Chicago, Hobart,
Munster, St. John and Valparaiso, provide 3D mammography and offer same-day appointments with
same-day results.
"Breast tomosynthesis, or 3D mammography, creates a series of images that show 'slices' of the
breast for easier viewing of finer details," says Mary Nicholson, MD, regional director of breast imaging
services for Community Healthcare System. "This allows the radiologist to better identify and characterize individual structures without the confusion of overlapping tissues."
The radiologist reviews the scan images while the patient waits, preventing the need for a return visit.
Risk assessments are performed with mammography screening at all sites. Women at higher risk are
informed of additional screening and treatment options available based on their assessment results.
"With each screening mammogram, women are empowering themselves by protecting their health,"
says Janushi Dalal, MD, fellowship-trained breast radiologist on staff at Community Healthcare System's
Women's Diagnostic Centers.

APPOINTMENTS

Need a
Screening?
3D mammography is available at all of the Women's
Diagnostic Centers of
Community Healthcare
System. For a screening
appointment, including a
weeknight or Saturday, call
800-809-9828.

FALL 2019

Vim & Vigor - Fall 2019 - CH

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