The purpose of the entire Q&A
section of our website is to help you gain knowledge and information during
your time of need. But it is only the starting point to helping you understand
your journey ahead. Here are 4 more helpful pieces of information.
#1 - Contact
WIN ABC
The Women's Information Network Against
Breast Cancer can:
 Mail
you free literature on a range of topics including surgery, radiation therapy,
chemotherapy, eating hints, and pain control.
Provide
names and addresses of doctors or cancer centers that provide second opinions.
Provide
fact sheets on current issues and controversies that show up in the daily
news media.
Give
you access to Physician Data Query (PDQ), a computer information center
that provides the most up-to-date information on treatments for most types
of cancer.
Give
you information on clinical trials.
#2 - Follow-Up Care
After your breast cancer treatment is completed,
you will need to have regularly scheduled follow-up care. Because you have
had breast cancer in one breast, you are at increased risk of developing
breast cancer again. To be sure that the cancer has not returned, your
checkups will include physical exams and mammograms. You also may have
blood tests, chest x-rays, bone scans, or other tests. If you find any
unusual changes in your treated area or in your other breast, or if you
have swollen lymph glands or bone pain, you should call your doctor as
soon as possible.
#3 - Clinical Trials
People who join clinical trials have a
chance to benefit from new research and to make a contribution to medical
science. Each study is designed to answer a scientific question on how
to prevent, detect, or treat cancer. Studies place a portion of the patients
in a "control group." These study participants receive the standard treatment
so that their results can be compared with those of participants who receive
the new treatment. During the trial, you may not know in which group you
have been placed. Clinical trials take time. Until a trial is over, the
true value of the new treatment will not be known. There may also be unknown
side effects. If you are thinking about joining a clinical trial, you will
receive written material that will help you decide whether to join. You
can quit the trial at any time.
#4 - Helpful, Off-site Resources (more)
 American Association of Health Plans
Lange Productions
Lifetime Online New Attitudes
FDA Certified Mammography Facilities
BREAST BIOPSY MAKING A DECISION ABOUT BREAST CANCER
TREATMENT OPTIONS EMOTIONAL HEALING HELPFUL INFORMATIONNeed help understanding the pathology report? Download a list of definitions here. (This form is in PDF format. You must have Acrobat Reader to view and print from your browser.)
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