Breastcancer.org Podcast

This podcast is the audio from a Breastcancer.org webinar. In this candid conversation, Marisa Weiss, MD, Michele Ley, MD, FACS, Pamela Munster, MD, and Rachel Swart, MD, PhD share what they each experienced when they went from the role of healthcare provider to patient. Despite their medical training, many years of helping patients, and deep knowledge about breast cancer, they too felt their life come to a screeching halt when they were diagnosed. They spoke honestly about how they managed treatment decisions, returning to work, how the experience changed their interactions with their own patients, what everyone can learn about advocating for yourself, and much more. Their hope is that by sharing their stories, they can help others coping with the same challenges, and empower everyone affected by breast cancer. Featured speakers: Marisa Weiss, MDChief Medical Officer, Breastcancer.org Michele Ley, MD, FACSBoard-Certified Breast Surgical Oncologist and Founder, Tucson Breast Health Specialists Pamela Munster, MDDirector, Early Phase Clinical Trials Unit, Co-leader of the Center for BRCA Research, and Co-Leader, Molecular Oncology Program, University of California San Francisco Rachel Swart, MD, PhDMedical Oncology and Hematology, Arizona Oncology

At the 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, Dr. Ian Tattersall, an oncodermatologist, was part of a panel focusing on body image, hair loss, and skin health after breast cancer treatment. Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Tattersall explain: some of the most common skin issues who is a highest risk for skin issues his advice for people who are experiencing skin issues

The 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium featured four days filled with new research findings, poster presentations, and educational sessions. Marisa Weiss, MD, founder and chief medical officer of Breastcancer.org, offers her take on the top results. Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Weiss explain: how giredestrant, a new oral SERD for early-stage, hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, may change practice a new use for Tukysa (chemical name: tucatinib) in metastatic HER2-positive disease the lifestyle factors that can affect breast cancer risk and steps people can take to keep their risk as low as possible

At the 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, Justin Johnson, PhD, presented a poster detailing the final results from three groups of people in a phase I trial on a vaccine to prevent triple-negative breast cancer. Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Johnson explain: why the vaccine targets the alpha-lactalbumin protein the safety and dose results of the study what’s next for the research

At the 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, Ann Partridge, MD, MPH, presented research on the Young, Empowered & Strong (YES) mHealth tool designed to better meet the emotional and physical health needs of young people who’ve received breast cancer treatment. Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Partridge explain: how people access the tool and how it works the specific symptoms the tool helped improve what’s next for the tool

At the 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, Dr. Jun Mao, an integrative medicine specialist and licensed acupuncturist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, presented research showing that both real and sham acupuncture can help improve cognitive function in women treated for breast cancer. Sham acupuncture mimics real acupuncture, but no needles pierce the skin. Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Mao explain: the complexities of chemo brain and why the causes are more than chemotherapy the results of the study his advice for people who would like to try acupuncture

At the 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, Whitney O’Connor, a two-time breast cancer survivor, licensed professional counselor, and founder of the Boobie Queen Company, presented a poster on the mental health tools she developed to help young women address any mental health and body image challenges they may have. Listen to the episode to hear Whitney explain: the phases of cancer survivorship framework she developed how the retreats her company sponsored used the framework to help young women heal emotionally how she plans to integrate healthcare providers into the framework

At the 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, Megan-Claire Chase, known online as Warrior Megsie, a fierce and funny breast cancer advocate, presented a poster on real-world patient and caregiver experiences with breast cancer risk of recurrence in the United States. Listen to the episode to hear Megan-Claire explain: why she and her colleagues wanted to do the survey the gaps in survivorship care the survey uncovered the support services patients and caregivers need

At the 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS), Dr. Tara Sanft, associate professor of medicine at the Yale School of Medicine and director of the Yale Survivorship Clinic, moderated a session called “Balancing Act: Hormone Replacement Therapy in Breast Cancer Care.” Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Sanft explain: the difference between systemic and local HRT why HRT decisions need to be nuanced and individualized for anyone with a history of breast cancer – there is no one-size-fits-all her advice to people with a history of breast cancer who are considering HRT

After surgery, many people with stage I to stage III hormone receptor-positive breast cancer take tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor for five to 10 years. This has been the standard of care for the last 25 years. At the 2025 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, UCLA scientist Dr. Aditya Bardia presented results on giredestrant, a new oral selective estrogen degrader/downregulator (SERD) that offered better disease-free survival — how long people live without the cancer returning – than tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor. Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Bardia explain: how giredestrant is different from the two other available SERDs if giredestrant could be combined with a CDK4/6 inhibitor giredestrant side effects what the results mean for people diagnosed with early-stage hormone receptor-positive breast cancer

This bonus episode is the audio of a Breastcancer.org ⁠⁠⁠webinar. Managing breast cancer treatment can be a long, complex process with unexpected obstacles. Some people experience a cosmetic or medical issue with their breast reconstruction that occurs soon after surgery or years later. If you’re unhappy with the cosmetic results of reconstruction after a mastectomy or lumpectomy — or you’re feeling pain, tightness, or changes in implant position — a corrective procedure may be beneficial for you.  In this webinar, three highly specialized breast surgeons discuss what to do when issues develop after getting implants or having a flap reconstruction – which is using your own tissue to rebuild a breast. They explain possible complications, how to find the right doctor for revision surgery, techniques to fix reconstruction issues, and paying for a corrective procedure.  Listen to the webinar to learn about options for managing discomfort, changes in shape, size, positioning of the breast, asymmetry, implant rupture, capsular contracture, fat necrosis, and more. And remember, If you notice symptoms that concern you, it’s best to see your doctor as soon as possible and ask if what you’re experiencing is normal for the type of reconstruction you had and other health factors that are specific to you.  Learn more about corrective breast reconstruction surgery. Featured Speakers: Marisa Weiss, MDChief Medical Officer, Breastcancer.org Anne Peled, MDBoard-certified Plastic Surgeon Co-director, Breast Care Center of ExcellenceSutter Health  Dhivya Srinivasa, MD, FACSDouble Board-certified General and Plastic SurgeonFounder, The Institute for Advanced Breast Reconstruction Sarosh Zafar, MDDouble Board-certified General and Plastic SurgeonCenter for Restorative Breast Surgery

Male breast cancer makes up about 1% of all breast cancer cases. The numbers are small, but it does happen. Jake Messier is living with metastatic breast cancer after first being diagnosed with stage II disease in 2023. Jake has very active Tik Tok and Instagram accounts (theguywithstage4breastcancer) detailing his experience with breast cancer. Listen to the episode to hear Jake explain: how he felt when he was diagnosed why and how he got a second opinion and moved his care to Dana Farber why he decided to be vocal about being a man with breast cancer why he started the Male Breast Cancer Research Foundation and what he hopes to accomplish with it

This bonus episode is the audio of a Breastcancer.org ⁠⁠webinar. Hair loss. Fatigue. Forgetfulness. Vomiting. Weight changes. Neuropathy. The possible side effects of chemotherapy for breast cancer can be concerning — especially because there’s no way to predict exactly how each person will react to treatment. It can feel overwhelming to manage it all, but there are steps you can take to help yourself. Watch this webinar to learn from experts about what to expect and how to prepare for short and long-term side effects. You’ll hear how to manage changes to your body and mind before, during, and after treatment. Get actionable advice on ways to reduce some side effects, and advocate for your care. Learn more about breast cancer chemotherapy side effects. Featured Speakers: Marisa Weiss, MDChief Medical Officer, Breastcancer.org Aditya Bardia, MD, MPH, FASCODirector, Translational Research Integration at UCLA HealthProfessor, Department of Medicine at UCLA Health Maryam Lustberg, MD, MPHDirector, Breast Center at Smilow Cancer HospitalChief, Breast Medical Oncology at Yale Cancer CenterAssociate Professor of Medicine, Yale LaShae Rolle, MPH, CPHPredoctoral Fellow, University of MiamiBreast Cancer Survivor Cara SapidaReporter, WPXI-TVBreast Cancer Survivor Ashley Patrick, PharmDRegistered Manager Onsite Pharmacy, Walgreens

Dr. Andrei Goga and his colleagues found that triple-negative breast cancer cells build molecular tunnels called gap junctions into nearby fat cells and use the fat cells’ energy for fuel. When the scientists blocked the gap junctions, the tumors stopped growing. Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Goga explain: how the study came about how the cancer cells connect to the fat cells how the process could work in metastatic TNBC what the results could mean for treating triple negative disease.

This bonus episode is the audio of a Breastcancer.org ⁠webinar. For many people, life after breast cancer isn't as easy as just moving on. Physical side effects may linger, and the emotional healing is ongoing. Fear of recurrence can affect our mental health and relationships even when we are doing our best to live in the moment. Listen to this webinar for an honest conversation between breast cancer survivors about realistically managing anxiety and stress, staying active, and finding a balanced healthy lifestyle. You’ll also hear from medical experts about survivorship care plans, and their perspective on making healthy choices without putting too much pressure on yourself to be perfect.  Special thanks to ArmorUp for Life for partnering with Breastcancer.org on the webinar. Read more about getting the best follow up care for you. Featured Speakers: Marisa Weiss, MDChief Medical Officer, Breastcancer.org Kevin Fox, MDEmeritus Professor of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania Loriana Hernández-AldamaFounder, ArmorUp for LIFE Charlene AbramsBreast Cancer Survivor and Advocate Carolyn TeschlerBreast Cancer Survivor and Advocate Epiphany Wallner-HaasBreast Cancer Survivor and Advocate

After being diagnosed with breast cancer, nearly everyone worries that the cancer will come back. But for some people, this fear is overwhelming and interferes with their ability to function and live their lives.  Clinical health psychologist Dr. Shelly Johns is studying the effect fear of breast cancer recurrence has on people’s lives and how they cope with that fear.  Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Johns discuss: the number of people have a fear of recurrence that warrants treatment how this fear affects people the coping strategies her study evaluated coping mechanisms anyone can use

This bonus episode is the audio of a Breastcancer.org webinar. When life is interrupted by breast cancer at a young age, there are distinct challenges and quality-of-life issues to manage.  It’s important to understand all the possible ways a diagnosis can impact the future, including fertility decisions, pregnancy care, career disruptions, parenting young kids, long-term survivorship concerns, sexuality, and more. This webinar is for patients, caregivers, advocates, and healthcare providers who want to understand and support the unique experiences of people diagnosed before age 45. Hear powerful personal stories, get expert insights, and learn about resources that can help you.  Featured Speakers: Jeanelle AdamsBreast Cancer Advocate, @elleviews Allie BrumelChief Operating Officer, The Breasties Brooks FuentesCommunity Support, Young Survival Coalition Hayley GullenAuthor, Illustrator, and Breast Cancer Survivor Melissa JenkinsCommunity Director, Breastcancer.org Athena JonesAward-winning Journalist and Breast Cancer Advocate Jasmine McDonald, PhDAssociate Professor, Columbia University Mackenzie McGrathVP, Programs, First Descents Megan Tesch, MD, MPHBreast Oncologist, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Dani TropsBreast Cancer Advocate, @dani_trops Marisa Weiss, MDChief Medical Officer, Breastcancer.org

According to a KFF poll, about one in eight, or 12%, of adults in the United States have used a GLP-1 medicine like Ozempic, Trulicity, Victoza, Mounjaro, Wegovy, or Zepbound. These drugs were originally developed to treat diabetes, but quickly started being prescribed for weight loss and other uses. While they seem like wonder drugs, GLP-1 medicines do cause side effects and have risks. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation are common side effects. The drugs also can cause dizziness, headaches, and elevated heartbeat.  Dr. Neil Iyengar is a breast medical oncologist who studies how diet and exercise can improve quality of life for people with breast cancer. He’s also prescribed GLP-1 medicines for the people he cares for. Listen to the episode to hear Dr. Iyengar explain: how GLP-1 medicines work the risks these drugs may pose for people receiving chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or a CDK4/6 inhibitor why he works closely with a weight loss specialist or endocrinologist when prescribing these medicines why the medicines work best when a person also makes lifestyle changes

This is a bonus episode of the audio of a Breastcancer.org ⁠⁠⁠⁠webinar⁠⁠⁠⁠. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an invasive subtype of breast cancer that can be harder to treat and is more likely to come back. But new research into understanding TNBC is helping some patients find more precise treatment options.  Learn about innovations in immunotherapy, genetic testing, and targeted therapies, why TNBC is different compared to other types of breast cancer, and what gives doctors hope about the future of care for people with TNBC. You’ll also hear from two inspiring breast cancer advocates who created TNBC resources for patients after their own diagnosis. Read more about triple-negative breast cancer. Featured Speakers: Maimah KarmoBreast Cancer Advocate and Founder, Tigerlily Roberto Leon-Ferre, MDCo-Leader of the Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Working Group and Associate Professor at Mayo Clinic Evelyn Taiwo, MDHematology and Oncology at New York Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital and Associate Professor at Cornell University Kelly ThomasBreast Cancer Advocate and Founder, TNBC Thrivers Marisa Weiss, MDChief Medical Officer, Breastcancer.org

Many people feel supported by Breast Cancer Awareness Month activities and pink merchandise. Others feel the month focuses on people who’ve been cured and leaves out people with metastatic disease. Some men with breast cancer feel the overwhelming pinkness of the month silences their experience. And others feel the pink labels on products linked to higher breast cancer risk, such as alcohol and cosmetics with ingredients like triclosan, are hypocritical.  This podcast is the audio from a special Virtual Community Meetup featuring guest moderator Kelly Grosklags. Listen to the episode to hear: what people like and dislike about Breast Cancer Awareness Month why some people feel pressure to be the face of breast cancer for the month why some people don’t like the words “survivor” or “warrior” ways to support people with breast cancer during October