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IMAGINIS.COM BREAST HEALTH NEWSLETTER VOLUME 3, ISSUE 3 JANUARY 18, 2001 Thousands of breast cancer patients, survivors and healthcare professionals receive the Imaginis.com Breast Health Newsletter, which is published by email every week. If you would like to add the email addresses of your friends and family to the newsletter mailing list, please visit http://www.imaginis.com/newsletter/ If you have questions, comments or suggestions regarding this newsletter or about your subscription status, please email us at mailto:breasthealth@imaginis.com +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ SIEMENS PROUDLY SPONSORS IMAGINIS.COM Through its proud sponsorship of Imaginis.com, Siemens is dedicated to providing comprehensive information and service to improve and advance women's health. To learn more about Siemens involvement in women's health, please visit http://www.imaginis.com/siemens/ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ WOMEN'S HEALTH NEWS 1. FDA APPROVES FEMARA AS INITIAL TREATMENT FOR ADVANCED BREAST CANCER After a unanimous recommendation from its advisory panel in December, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the drug Femara (generic name, letrozole) as an initial treatment option for women with advanced breast cancer. The FDA’s decision was based on data that showed Femara may be more effective than tamoxifen, the standard drug used to treat advanced breast cancer. Click here to read more: http://www.imaginis.com/breasthealth/news/news1.12.01.asp 2. HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY (HRT) INCREASES BREAST DENSITY, DENSITY DECREASES AFTER HRT IS DISCONTINUED The results of a newly published study confirm previous findings which show that the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can increase breast density in some women, making breast cancer more difficult to detect with screening mammography.  However, the researchers also found that breast density usually decreases again after HRT is discontinued.  According to Carolyn M. Rutter, PhD and her colleagues, the study provides important new information that women and their physicians should consider when beginning or discontinuing HRT.  The study also reinforces the belief that women on HRT should be closely monitored by physicians with regular physical breast exams in addition to annual mammograms and monthly breast self-exams. Click here to read more: http://www.imaginis.com/breasthealth/news/news1.17.01.asp 3. YOU'VE HEARD OF THE CAT SCAN? NOW, HERE'S THE DOG SCAN: CANINE HELPS WITH CANCER DETECTION Dogs have been trained to detect bombs, sniff out drugs, and even smell gas leaks in pipelines 20 feet below the ground. But can canines detect cancer?  Well, in Tallahassee, Florida, a 43-pound Standard Schnauzer named George has been trained to successfully detect melanoma (a type of skin cancer) on humans. In one case, George pointed out a mole that had previously been examined by three different doctors and biopsied twice. After doctors finally removed the lesion and sent it to the pathology laboratory for a cell-by-cell analysis, they discovered that the patient had Stage II melanoma. If the mole had been left alone for another year, the patient could very well have died from skin cancer. Click here to read more: http://www.imaginis.com/breasthealth/news/news1.15.01.asp +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ "Has anyone who has taken tamoxifen gained a lot of weight from the drug? I've heard that you gain lots of weight, but just want to know if it's true." -recent post from patient breast health discussion, http://www.imaginis.com/discussions/ Click here to visit the Imaginis discussions: http://www.imaginis.com/discussions/ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ BREAST CANCER ADVOCACY 1. DONATE FREE MAMMOGRAMS TO UNDERPRIVILEGED WOMEN The Breast Cancer Site was founded to offer free mammograms to underprivileged women across the United States. Screening mammograms help detect breast cancer in its earliest stages when the chances for survival are the greatest. With a simple daily "click" at The Breast Cancer Site, users help provide mammograms to those in need. Proceeds benefit the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. Click here to learn more: http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/ To learn more about organizations involved in raising breast cancer awareness and funds for research, please visit http://www.imaginis.com/breasthealth/links/advocacy.asp +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ IMAGINIS BOOKSTORE - CURRENT FEATURE "Lymphedema: A Breast Cancer Patient's Guide to Prevention and Healing" by Jeannie Burt, Gwen White, and Judith R. Casley-Smith (2000) provides clear information on what lymphedema is, how it occurs, and describes treatment procedures to suit a range of needs; http://www.imaginis.com/bookstore/breasthealth/survival.asp#lymphedema Please visit the patient or professional sections of the Imaginis bookstore for nearly 150 books on breast health, breast cancer, and related women's health topics: http://www.imaginis.com/bookstore/ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ HAVING TROUBLE ACCESSING THE LINKS IN THIS NEWSLETTER? To view the full articles, click on the underlined links (web addresses) following each summary. America Online (AOL) users may need to copy and paste the links in this newsletter into a web browser to view them. In some cases, the links following the summaries may not successfully retrieve the webpages if the address extends to more than one line. If this occurs, please copy the full text of the link and paste it into the address box in a web browser. Please note, Imaginis does not send "spam" email and will unsubscribe anyone upon request (see link below). +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: INFORMATION IN THIS NEWSLETTER, WITHIN THE IMAGINIS.COM WEBSITE OR IN OTHER SITES LINKED TO FROM THE IMAGINIS.COM WEBSITE SHOULD NOT BE USED FOR SELF-TREATMENT. THE INFORMATION FOUND IN THIS NEWSLETTER, IN THE IMAGINIS.COM WEBSITE AND IN WEBSITES LINKED TO FROM THE IMAGINIS.COM WEBSITE SHOULD BE USED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED TO BE USED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT BY A MEDICAL DOCTOR. USE OF THIS NEWSLETTER IS SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF USE FOUND ON IMAGINIS.COM AT http://www.imaginis.com/guestbook/agreement.asp . IMAGINIS.COM DOES NOT ENDORSE AND HAS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CONTENT OF ANY OTHER SITES LISTED ON IMAGINIS.COM, AND PROVIDES LINKS AND REFERENCES MERELY AS A CONVENIENCE TO ITS USERS. SEEK IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION IF YOUR CONDITION IS URGENT.

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