FAQ about Going Beyond the Pink

  • Education

    Our Education Hub features information, articles, videos, and blogs on topics that a patient, survivor, or caregiver may need to know (or not even realize they need to know!) Visit our Education Hub for more information.

    Health and Wellness Workshops

    We provide special Live Workshops in the form of zooms, facebook lives, and youtube videos on important topics like nutrition, intimacy & cancer, gratitude journaling, and stress management. Find us on our social media!

    Visit our Facebook page

    Financial Assistance for Medical Expenses

    We have a Financial Assistance Program which is currently for patients and survivors residing in Brunswick, New Hanover, and Pender counties. Our program focuses on patients who make just above the cutoff for most other financial assistance programs but who still struggle to pay for out-of-pocket medical expenses. We've provided over $80,000 in financial assistance in our short 4 years! We also provide financial navigation services, helping patients identify other sources of financial support from other local, regional, and national programs.

    Support Items

    We provide patients with breast prosthetics, mastectomy bras, post-surgical clothing, port and post-surgical pillows, shower lanyards, caps/hats/scarves, a wide variety of cancer-related publications and educational handouts, and our online wig shop. We also offer a variety of moisturizers and lip balms to help with dryness from treatment.

    Care Bags

    We provide Care Bags to newly diagnosed patients packed full of useful items and educational materials they will need as they go through treatment and into survivorship. Typically, bags are given to newly diagnosed patients by their surgical oncologists when they are diagnosed. We currently work with physicians and other community partnerships such as the Zimmer Cancer Center, Wilmington Health, and Wilmington Surgical Associates to distribute the care bags right when they are needed most. Didn’t get one from your doctor? Request one here: Resource Request Form

  • You can access these free resources by visiting our Resource Hub and clicking on “Request Support Resources.” We recommend scheduling a free virtual appointment with a patient navigator to determine just what kind of resources you need, and some that you may not even realize that you need. You can also email info@GoingBeyondthePink.org or call (910)667-2111.

  • Interested in our financial assistance program? Sign up for a consultation with one of our oncology patient navigators here and download the application here: Financial Assistance Application

  • GBTP provides resources and financial assistance to those residing in New Hanover, Brunswick, and Pender counties. However, we have provided an extensive directory of financial assistance and resource programs outside of this radius. Check out those directories here:

    Resource Directory

    Financial Assistance Directory

  • Yes! You can schedule a virtual meeting with an oncology patient navigator here or email us at info@GoingBeyondthePink.org or call (910)667-2111. We can’t wait to hear from you!

  • Your donation helps ensure that breast cancer patients & survivors get relief from the overwhelm and fear of their diagnosis through the resources & information Going Beyond the Pink provides. Your support makes it all possible! Join us in this mission by donating here: Donate to GBTP

  • We are always looking for volunteers to help with tasks such as filling and packaging essential oil rollers, transporting produce boxes and care bags to clients, and helping out at events. You can sign up to be a volunteer by visiting the “volunteer” page on our website and filling out the accompanying form: Volunteer with GBTP

 

FAQs for the Newly Diagnosed

  • Adriamycin (doxorubicin) - hair loss, nausea, diarrhea, bone marrow suppression.

    Cytoxan (cyclophosphamide) - a taste of metallic, nausea, appetite changes, hair loss, low blood counts, abdominal pain, skin rashes, diarrhea, can cause a decline in fertility and can cause premature menopause.

    5-Fluorouracil - nausea, appetite changes, diarrhea, and low blood count. A change in pigmentation can occur as well.

    Taxol (paclitaxel) - an allergic reaction, hair loss, nausea, low blood counts, joint pain, weakness, numbness, and tingling.

    Taxotere (docetaxel) - hair loss, swelling in the legs, fluid build-up, tearing, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea.

    Source: https://www.youngsurvival.org/faqs/possible-side-effects

  • More than 85% of women with breast cancer have no family history of breast cancer. Women with no family history of breast cancer need to have good breast cancer screenings.

    Source: https://www.shscares.org/BreastHealth/FAQ.asp

  • Yes. Sometimes clinical trials give patients the chance to benefit from improved treatment methods before the new treatment becomes the standard of care for all breast cancer patients. It is important to ask about clinical trials before you receive any treatment, because certain treatments may disqualify you from some clinical trials.

    Source: https://www.youngsurvival.org/faqs/breast-cancer-clinical-trials

  • Following your diagnosis, you will receive specific screening recommendations including X-rays, CT Scans, MRIs, PET scans, or bone scans.

    If you think it has spread, you will most likely have these symptoms: sudden bone pain (hip or back area), an increased risk of bone fractures from things like a minor fall, an elevated level of calcium in the blood, or numbness and muscle weakness in an arm or leg.

    Source: https://moffitt.org/cancers/breast-cancer/faqs/what-are-the-signs-that-breast-cancer-has-spread/

  • No, eight out of ten breast lumps are not cancer. Most are due to fibrocystic changes, a benign non-cancerous condition commonly found in most women’s breasts. If a woman detects any new lump in her breast, she should have it evaluated by a healthcare professional.

    Source: https://www.shscares.org/BreastHealth/FAQ.asp

  • No, inserting a needle into a cancerous lump does not "burst the bubble" and cause cancer to spread as many people think. There is no evidence that having a needle biopsy promotes the spread of cancer. The area surrounding the needle biopsy is completely removed during the cancer operation and this tissue is thoroughly examined to be sure that the margins are free of any cancer.

    Source: https://www.shscares.org/BreastHealth/FAQ.asp

  • At Going Beyond the Pink, you can contact Kara Kenan to help find the support that you need.

    For Financial Assistance Support you can find our websites Financial Assistance Program and see if you are eligible to apply.

    Other resources can also be found for financial assistance and other support programs.

  • Yes, for many reasons. One reason is so you can become more comfortable with your diagnosis and know that all the information you are getting is coming from not only one doctor, but two. Another reason is that if you feel as if your doctor is not hearing your concerns or if you feel as if you should be getting a different treatment, a second opinion can help.

 

FAQs about Breast Cancer Treatment

  • Surgery - Mastectomy (removes the whole breast), Lumpectomy (removes only the tumor and the tissue around it), Sentinel Node Biopsy ( removes one or a few of the first draining lymph-nodes (glands under the arm) to determine if the cancer has spread).

    Radiation Therapy - uses targeted, high-energy radioactive waves to destroy tumors.

    Chemotherapy - delivers anti-cancer drugs throughout the body to kill cancer cells.

    Hormone Therapy - uses drugs to prevent hormones from fueling the growth of the cancer cells.

    Targeted Therapy - prompts the body’s immune system to destroy cancer.

    Source: https://www.cancercenter.com/cancer-types/breast-cancer/questions

  • Surgery - short-term pain or discomfort to the treated area. The muscles of the arm tend to feel weak, and the skin in the area may feel tight. A condition called lymphedema may occur too, which is just where your lymph nodes in the affected area cause swelling in the arm.

    Radiation Therapy - skin irritation, fatigue, and breast pain. These conditions typically occur within the first few weeks of starting treatment and go away on their own. After about six months after the treatment ends.

    Chemotherapy - nausea, vomiting, fatigue, nerve damage, sore mouth, diarrhea, constipation, and decreased blood counts

    Hormone Therapy - hot flashes, vaginal discharge, dryness and irritation, irregular periods, decreased sex drive, and mood changes. Aromatase inhibitors can also cause joint and muscle pain, as well as an increased risk of osteoporosis.

    Targeted Therapy - nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, mouth sores, and rashes.

    Source: https://www.cancercenter.com/cancer-types/breast-cancer/questions

  • Chemotherapy may affect the functioning of the ovaries, reducing the number or quality of the eggs. It can also cause infertility in women who haven’t started menopause. It mainly depends on the type of chemotherapy drugs used, the dose is given, and your age. Radiation Therapy can sometimes pass through your healthy tissue and your organs near the cancer site may be affected. This could cause temporary or permanent infertility. You may want to consider options on preserving fertility before starting treatment.

    Source: https://www.cancercenter.com/cancer-types/breast-cancer/questions

  • Talk to your oncologists when side effects arise. You can ask your radiation therapist for a course of steroids to help alleviate swelling from radiation. You can also talk to your oncologist about switching to a different chemotherapy medication or a lower-dose prescription to help reduce the side effects. There are also preventive medications that can be used to protect against chemotherapy and radiation-induced heart and lung damage. You can also find resources to help you with nutritional counseling, meditation and yoga, and massage therapy.

    Source: https://moffitt.org/cancers/breast-cancer/faqs/what-are-the-signs-that-breast-cancer-has-spread/

  • Treatment is typically lifelong and is intended to provide symptom relief, good quality of life, and prolonged progression-free survival.

    Treatment that stabilizes tumor growth even without shrinking or eliminating it effectively controls the disease and this is considered a positive outcome.

 

FAQs about Metastatic Breast Cancer

  • There are several factors, including stage and subtype of breast cancer. Some factors that can increase the risk of metastasis include being diagnosed with aggressive types such as triple-negative breast cancer, presence of cancer in multiple lymph nodes, and a recurrence score of over 25 for hormone-positive breast cancer. Another factor can be how quickly or slowly the cancer is mutating.

    Source: https://www.kucancercenter.org/cancer/cancer-types/breast-cancer/breast-cancer-types/metastatic-breast-cancer/faq

  • Endocrine therapy, targeted therapy, chemotherapy, HER2 targeted drugs, PARP inhibitors, etc.

    There are also emerging immunotherapy options based upon stimulation of the immune system to attack the tumor.

    There are also clinical trials available, where you can try a new treatment and possibly benefit.

    Source: https://www.kucancercenter.org/cancer/cancer-types/breast-cancer/breast-cancer-types/metastatic-breast-cancer/faq

  • Yes. Decades ago, very few patients with MBC lived past 5 years. With new treatments and research, even though MBC has a high mortality rate and cannot currently be cured, more people are living longer and are thriving.

    Source: https://www.kucancercenter.org/cancer/cancer-types/breast-cancer/breast-cancer-types/metastatic-breast-cancer/faq

 

FAQs about Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

  • These tumors tend to be more aggressive and grow at a rapid rate.

    One major challenge in treating these tumors is that they have no known targets and currently are the only way to treat them is to use chemotherapy.

    Another major challenge is that even when treated with chemotherapy, they may or may not respond, and even when they do the response is sometimes short lived.

    Source: https://news.cancerconnect.com/breast-cancer/dr-ramaswamy-answers-questions-about-triple-negative-breast-cancer-E5_GC7cMSk--A9Ro6iv23g

  • Main questions you should ask is whether an appropriate clinical trial exists for your diagnosis or if genetic testing should be a consideration.

    Source: https://news.cancerconnect.com/breast-cancer/dr-ramaswamy-answers-questions-about-triple-negative-breast-cancer-E5_GC7cMSk--A9Ro6iv23g

 

FAQs about Surgery

  • Before surgery – your physician will discuss whether breast reconstruction is an option for you to consider. If you do choose this, it can either be provided right after the total mastectomy or it can be scheduled for a later date.

    During surgery – you will be put under general anesthesia and the surgeon will remove your entire breast, including the nipple, while your axillary lymph nodes in the armpit region are left intact.

    After surgery – your blood pressure, heart rate, and other vitals will be monitored closely. You will typically stay in the hospital for 1-3 days. During this time a professional will help you learn exercises and give you other information that will help in your recovery.

    Source: https://moffitt.org/cancers/breast-cancer/faqs/what-are-the-signs-that-breast-cancer-has-spread/

 

General FAQs about Breast Cancer

  • Mammography misses about 12 percent of cancers. This means that even though a mammogram is read as normal, about 12 cancers in 100 will not be detected. A thorough breast exam by an experienced health care provider can identify most of the “missed” cancers. This helps to ensure that the woman has no serious disease in her breast.

    Source: https://www.shscares.org/BreastHealth/FAQ.asp

  • Breast ultrasound can be very helpful when evaluating the breast; however, it is limited in its ability to find small, subtle changes throughout the breast. It is important to note that currently, nothing is more sensitive than mammography in finding early breast cancer. It has been estimated that mammography alone can decrease mortality rates from breast cancer by 30 percent by finding cancers at their earliest stage.

    Source: https://www.shscares.org/BreastHealth/FAQ.asp

  • No. Having a mammogram is very safe and creates a little risk to a woman. The amount of radiation obtained while getting a mammogram is very small and considerably less than the amount you get driving in a car for 20 minutes or flying in an airplane.

    Source: https://www.shscares.org/BreastHealth/FAQ.asp

  • No, injury is not associated with the development of breast cancer. Often a woman will injure her breast only to find cancer shortly thereafter. The reality is that cancer is more prone to bruising and bleeding.

    Source: https://www.shscares.org/BreastHealth/FAQ.asp

  • No. Extensive studies have been done on the risk factors for developing breast cancer and no evidence links antiperspirant use to breast cancer.

    Source: https://www.shscares.org/BreastHealth/FAQ.asp

  • Recent studies have shown that taking hormones, particularly the combination of estrogen and progesterone, is associated with an increased risk for the development of breast cancer. This risk seemed to be most prevalent after four to five years of hormone use. Currently, it is recommended that if hormone replacement is necessary, it should be used only to treat hormone-depletion symptoms associated with menopause and should be used for the shortest time possible.

    Source: https://www.shscares.org/BreastHealth/FAQ.asp

  • Pain is usually associated with benign, non-cancerous conditions of the breast and is rarely a sign of breast cancer. It has been estimated that pain is associated with breast cancer less than 10 percent of the time. Breast pain is usually caused by hormonal fluctuations that cause breast tissue to swell and become inflamed. It can also be caused by infection, trauma, or even arthritis.

    Source: https://www.shscares.org/BreastHealth/FAQ.asp