Vim & Vigor - Fall 2019 - GMC - 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.

When in Doubt,
Get It Checked Out
It can be hard to keep up with breast cancer screening guidelines. With ongoing research,
advancement in diagnostics and different organizations, the recommendations are always changing.
For instance, the American Cancer Society says that women at average risk should have the
option to start screening at age 40, but it doesn't actually recommend annual mammograms
until 45. That annual schedule should continue until age 54, the society says, until women can
choose to switch to every other year. On the other hand, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
doesn't offer a solid opinion on mammograms before age 50. So where does that leave you?
"The best plan of action is to create your own screening schedule in consultation with your
doctor, taking your unique risks and family history into account," explains Jean-Claude Schwartz,
MD, a breast surgeon affiliated with Gwinnett Medical Center.
"That said, if you come across a change in your breast, don't wait or ignore it; go to the
doctor," emphasizes Dr. Schwartz.

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." ■

WEBSITE

Know Your Risk
In addition to age, weight,
diet and breast density, family
history and genetics are key
breast cancer risk factors. To
help you better understand
your risk, GMC has a
Hereditary Cancer & Risk
Assessment program. Visit
gwinnettmedicalcenter.
org/genetics to learn more.

FALL 2019

https://www.gwinnettmedicalcenter.org/services/cancer-care/hereditary-cancer-risk-assessment https://www.gwinnettmedicalcenter.org/services/cancer-care/hereditary-cancer-risk-assessment

Vim & Vigor - Fall 2019 - GMC

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