Around the Web

I took a break from the internet for most of last week (with the exception of this post)...

So this happened today. World, meet Luna.

A photo posted by Jen Campisano (@jencampisano) on Nov 11, 2014 at 1:55pm PST

Between chemo last Monday, Thanksgiving on Thursday, and family in town, I hardly turned on my computer. My dad and his wife came to visit for the week. We only debated a little bit about the recent elections, we ate turkey and pumpkin pie until our bellies ached, and we watched football (where Chris and Quinn cheered for the "Go Niners" and the rest of us celebrated the Seahawks).

And we adopted a dog.

It was exactly the week I needed. How about you? How did you spend your holiday?

Now to panic since it's December and I haven't started Christmas shopping yet. In the meantime, here's what caught my attention on the web over the past couple of weeks.

How Some Breast Cancers Become Resistant to Targeted Drugs

"The team determined that the tumors had developed six different mutations that led to drug resistance. But the result of all these mutations was the same: The tumors had lost the ability to express a protein called PTEN.

The findings suggest a new approach for combating drug resistance by taking advantage of the fact that not all PI3K inhibitors work using the same mechanism."

And What if We Could Drain Cancer's "Fuel Tank"?

They're not talking about dieting to starve a cancer cell.

"Blocking cancer cells' ability to generate the energy they need to grow and divide is an exciting new avenue for future cancer treatments. This research suggests that MCT inhibitors may be particularly effective against breast cancer 'stem cells' that can resist other treatments, and could prevent the cancer from coming back - but further work is needed to find out if these drugs can help patients. Cancer Research UK is funding trials of these drugs in a range of cancer types."

What if We Could Track Circulating Tumor Cells in the Bloodstream?

Before they settle down and form tumors, before they metastasize.

"Once they identified the cancer cells, the researchers were able to separate them from normal cells. This ability to isolate, culture and grow the cancer cells will allow researchers to zero in on the cancer cells that matter to the health of the patient. Most circulating tumor cells may not metastasize, and analysis of the cancer cells could identify those that will."

Are Preventative Surgeries Worth the Risk?

"For Mimi Cavalheiro, who is genetically at risk for both breast and ovarian cancers, the question of a diagnosis is not an “if” but “when.”

Cavalheiro is one of about 100 Bay Area women between 35 and 50 years old with the BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations who are participating in a clinical trial that is examining changes in cardiovascular health, bone density, sexual function, quality of life and other effects on women who go into early menopause."

And, Yet... New Analysis Shows the Risks for a Secondary Breast Cancer are Significant in Those with Gene Mutations

We're talking about the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations again here.

"Women who are genetically susceptible to breast cancer and develop it in one breast are at higher than average risk for a tumor in the other breast, and that risk may increase as time goes on, according to a new analysis."

Why Does Immunotherapy Work in Some Patients But Not Others?

Memorial Sloan Kettering scientists may have some answers.

"'For the first time, it might be feasible to develop a reliable diagnostic test to help guide treatment decisions by predicting who will respond,' says physician-scientist Timothy Chan, who led the research. The findings could also inspire new research that potentially may lead to more-powerful immunotherapies for melanoma as well as for other cancers."

A Test for Mutations in Blood Cancers Could Provide More Treatment Options

“This is really the way of the future,” Steensma said. “We are going to be practicing medicine not based on how cells look under the microscope, but rather on what makes a disease tick.”

My Anti-Resolution

2014 is well underway, and I feel like I'm lacking in resolutions. How about you? I think January naturally lends itself to moderation after the excesses of the holidays, but I don't know that the month needs to turn into a let's-all-feel-guilty-about-gluten, -dairy, and -alcohol party. Because a) that doesn't sound like a very fun party, and b) we carry enough guilt around with us without setting ourselves up for failure at the start of the year, right? Or maybe that's just me?

Yes, there is something incredibly rewarding about the post-holiday fridge clean-out, but that has less to do with giving-up-the-pie-for-breakfast habit and more to do with being able to find the milk on the shelf again. What does any of this have to do with cancer? Not much, unless you believe pumpkin pie gives you cancer.

{Photo credit}

On that note...

Since my diagnosis, I have gotten scores of advice regarding what to eat (or not), supplements to take, whether it's okay to have dessert or a glass of wine, all in the name of curing my cancer. There have been studies saying drinking more than three glasses of wine per week increases one's risk for breast cancer, and then studies saying survivors who drink slightly more are at a reduced risk for death from cardiovascular disease. No one tells you how any of these applies to Stage 4 patients. There are also studies suggesting higher starch intake is associated with increased breast cancer recurrence rates, so maybe I should resolve to avoid potatoes?

I used to get in a panic about it, because what if I did this to myself? What if I could make this go away based on what I ate? And maybe that is a possibility, but as a cancer patient, I've also had to balance my diet choices with what is actually palatable and with maintaining my weight, which I'm afraid would drop dangerously low if I cut out all carbs. For those of you keeping track, I'm proud to say I'm up 13 pounds from my lowest point last year. The holidays had their work cut out for them and they didn't disappoint.

I also struggle with the idea of how moderation fits into any diet that omits any food group in its entirety. Then again, if I knew going dairy-free or gluten-free or potato-free would cure cancer, I’d sign on in a heartbeat. For now, I just try to limit my intake of processed foods, drink 3 glasses or less wine a week (most weeks), and eat lots of organic veggies. For now, it seems to be working. For now, my blood work and weight and energy levels are pretty good.

After hearing it enough from various sources, though, I brought up the question of whether I should avoid all sugar to my oncologist. He told me, "All things in moderation." He explained he'd be more concerned about my sugar intake if I was obese, since fat cells produce estrogen. Because estrogen can fuel some breast cancer, including my own, excess weight can be dangerous. Otherwise, nothing wrong with a little pumpkin pie now and then.

So I haven't come up with much in the way of resolutions, but I am a sucker for a clean slate (or fridge, as the case may be), which for me is the beauty of a new year. That we get to let go--of excess, of guilt, of whatever isn't serving us or helping us be our best selves. To a small degree, we give ourselves the freedom to start over.

For me, this year anyway, my goal is to be gentler with myself. Think of it as an anti-resolution. (I'm starting a trend here, I can feel it.) My goal is to not feel guilty about having a scone for breakfast or sharing a quesadilla with Quinn for dinner--in fact, to enjoy it for who I get to share the meal with. To not beat myself up for not writing as much as I'd like, since it would often come at the expense of putting Quinn to bed and I don't want to miss that time, although I am trying to finish my book this year. To not feel so abnormal when I get fed up with my two-year-old's defiance or lose my cool and yell. Turns out, other moms feel this way (and yell at their kids sometimes), too.

I've only been at it a week, but somehow, by being gentler on myself, I've found more space to breathe, which in turn (I think) is helping me be a kinder, gentler parent and maybe even spouse. After years of practice, I'm finally, finally able to carry a little more of my yoga off the mat and into my everyday life (the trick is in the breathing, really). I have a feeling 2014 is going to be a good year.

Tell me, what are your resolutions (or anti-resolutions) for the year?