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Boston Globe
30-06-2025
- Health
- Boston Globe
‘Game changing': How ‘breast cancer social media' is helping young women get diagnosed earlier
In the past several years, numerous high-profile women — including Thurston, 'There's much more out there making young women aware [of breast cancer] and the supports and resources there are,' said Dr. Ann Partridge, vice chair of medial oncology and director of the Program for Young Adults with Breast Cancer at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. 'Social media has really promoted that in very positive ways.' Advertisement The increased media attention comes as an array of cancers — including breast — are striking Advertisement Partridge said because young women don't get 'They also do worse from a psychosocial emotional standpoint,' Partridge said. 'You're dealing with a bigger problem medically, and then it has more implications psychosocially because of where she is in her life.' As beneficial as the cancer community on social media can be, Partridge warned against taking medical advice from influencers and putting too much stock in others' stories. She said what people share is almost always incomplete and everyone's experiences differ with the type of cancer they have and their treatment plan. Social media can also be rife with misinformation, said Dr. Cristina Pozo-Kaderman, a psychologist and the director of the But one of the benefits of increased awareness on social media, Partridge said, is young women knowing that breast cancer can happen in their age group. This, and hearing other people's stories, can help them advocate for themselves when medical professionals Advertisement 'For the vast majority of people who don't have a strong family history [of breast cancer], who don't have any other personal reason why they're at high risk, that's where it's much harder. And that's the majority of women who present with young-onset cancer,' Partridge said. On the flip side, influencers can also help women find out if they're high risk by spreading awareness about factors like family and personal medical history. Munn, for example, 'We encourage people to know their own risk factors, know their family history, and consider getting genetic testing if they have a strong family history,' Partridge said. For all women, Partridge said, it's important to know and listen to their body and advocate for themselves if something feels off. 'If it's not sitting right with you, stay on it and say, 'I'd feel more comfortable if I got a test,'' she said. Pozo-Kaderman said that even though incidence rates are rising, being diagnosed with cancer as a young adult is still relatively rare, meaning those affected are more likely to feel alone and go through unique challenges. 'When you're diagnosed as a young adult, you don't have this peer group or cohort that is going through similar types of things like you are,' said Pozo-Kaderman, author of 'Coping with Cancer in Early Adulthood: From Diagnosis to Treatment to Day-to-Day Life Changes, Navigating Your Cancer Journey,' due out in October. 'When they go to treatment, they look around and everyone is their parents' or grandparents' age.' Advertisement That's where social media can come in. With hashtags like Bethy Atkins, a 36-year-old Needham resident, partly credits other women's openness about breast cancer — and social media — for helping her catch the disease early and ultimately preserve her ability to have children. Atkins was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer when she was 31. Her first symptom was pain, and she immediately contacted her doctor. She took it so seriously because, in part, a woman she knew from college had publicly documented her own diagnosis in her early 20s on 'Because I knew someone who had this happen young, it was not so much of a shock,' Atkins said. Atkins also used social media to connect with women who had gone through fertility treatments after cancer treatment, 'I'm incredibly grateful I had other examples of people who had been able to get pregnant, because that was super important to me,' she said. Advertisement Another popular breast cancer hashtag — 'At that point, I was like man, this is tough — I'm not finding the support that I needed,' she said. So she turned to Twitter, now X, and at first used random hashtags like #cancer to connect with other young people. In July 2011, she and another cancer survivor created the #bcsm hashtag, which Staley said having social media when she was going through her first two treatments would have been 'game changing.' 'It's amazing the influencers you can find on Instagram and TikTok,' she said, '...people sharing incredible messages of support and awareness.' Atkins, who follows Thurston on social media, hopes the trend of influencers talking about early-onset breast cancer continues. Specifically, she wants young women to be encouraged to 'trust themselves and their bodies.' 'You might not have a friend or a sister who has been through this but see these girls talk about their treatment and diagnosis and their first symptoms,' she said. 'The more stories young women can hear about how other young women have protected their health and advocated for themselves and trusted their bodies, the better equipped we will be.' Advertisement Emily Spatz can be reached at
The Hindu
28-05-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Inadequate diagnostic services still a critical gap in cancer care in India: NAMS report
One of the critical gaps in cancer care in India is the lack of adequate diagnostic services, finds the latest report by the National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS), an advisory body to the Central government for health policy and planning. India is recording nearly 200,000 new cancer cases each year, the report adds. The 'NAMS Task Force Report on Breast Cancer in India' published recently notes that the proportion of patients diagnosed with breast cancer at a younger age is notably higher in India when compared with high income countries. Additionally, patients in India tend to present with later stage disease compared to the West. More than 60% of patients in India present at Stage 3 or 4, while around 60% of the patients in the U.S. are diagnosed in situ or at Stage 1. It adds that more than 50% of patients in India experience a delay of over three months before seeking medical care. In India, breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women, and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths. NAMS established a task force to prepare a report addressing this critical issue, and said that there was an urgent need for a comprehensive approach to effectively manage the disease. Gaps in diagnostic services, treatment modalities, and lack of awareness are among the shortcomings in cancer care in India, the report said. 'Breast cancer is treatable when diagnosed in its early stages. In India the survival rate for patients with breast cancer is lower compared to Western countries due to several factors, including the late-stage presentation, delayed initiation of definitive management, and inadequate or fragmented treatment,'' the paper states. The NAMS's task force is also looking into developing guidelines for stakeholders involved in combating breast cancer across the Indian population. Experts note that middle income countries, including India, are expected to be largely responsible for the increase in cancer incidence worldwide over the next 50 years. 'Sixty percent of the global population resides in Asia, which accounts for 50% of cancer cases and 58% of cancer-related deaths. Furthermore, India ranks third in accounting for cancer cases, following China and the United States of America. The projected cancer burden in India is estimated to reach 2.08 million by 2040, representing a 57.5% increase from 2020,'' the paper states. The NAMS report also finds that the landscape of cancer care in India has seen significant advancements in treatment modalities and preventive measures. 'Ayushman Arogya Mandir initiative currently has over 1,63,402 operational centres by the end of 2023. Within these centres, primary healthcare teams have conducted a staggering 10.04 crore breast cancer screenings, underscoring the programme's commitment to widespread outreach and accessibility,'' the report said.
NZ Herald
12-05-2025
- Health
- NZ Herald
Petra Bagust and top designers unite for breast cancer fundraiser: $49,900 raised
A total of $49,900 was raised to help fund scientists who are in the process of researching, diagnosing and treating cancer. 'There is that initial funding before it goes to human trial that has to be undertaken by universities or institutes, and the government can't fund all the research... so this is keeping scientists in the labs,' Bagust said. To date, more than 8000 guests have attended the fashion show events and have helped raise close to $4 million for Breast Cancer Cure, a not-for-profit charity solely focused on funding research to find a cure. 'You let the scientists loose to come up with the most incredible solutions to this tremendously problematic disease that impacts so many,' Bagust said. According to Breast Cancer Cure, about 3600 New Zealanders are diagnosed with breast cancer each year — approximately one person every three hours. Currently, there is no cure for the disease that affects one in nine women across their lifetime and, on average, 25 Kiwi men per year. 'We are not supposed to and we can not do anything on our own, so to find a solution to the disease, we need to unite,' Bagust said. Hair director for the fashion show, Dylan Quinn said about 110 audience members were treated to a Paris-worthy event, with looks of 'high fashion' that could come 'straight off a global runway'. 'It's great to bring something Paris fashion week worthy to Hawke's Bay.'
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Wegmans recalls chicken nuggets over possible bone fragments
Wegmans issued a recall on Jan. 24 for frozen chicken nuggets sold in its stores due to contamination with possible bone fragments. The products are 46-ounce plastic packages containing 'Wegmans Family Pack Fully Cooked Breaded Chicken Breast with Rib Meat' and a best if used by date of Aug. 26, 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service. The Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a public health alert for the chicken nuggets on Jan. 27 to 'ensure that consumers are aware that this product should not be consumed.' The FSIS said it was notified of the issue after Wegmans recieved 'multiple consumer complaints of bone fragments in the frozen fully cooked breaded chicken breast nugget product.' No injuries have been reported due to the consumption of the product, according to the FSIS. The item was produced solely for Wegmans and was distributed at the store's locations in Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, D.C., according to the FSIS. The affected packages have a UPC code of 0-77890-25210-9, according to Wegmans, and have an establishment number of 'P-33944' inside the USDA mark of inspection, according to the FSIS. The FSIS urged customers with the product in their freezers not to consume it, and to throw it away or return it to the place of purchase. Customers with the affected products can return the items to Wegmans for a full refund, the supermarket chain said. Wegmans did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the recall from For more information, customers can contact Wegmans at 1-855-934-3663. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Check Your Freezer: Wegmans Recalls Chicken Nuggets Due to Bone Fragments
If you have chicken nuggets in your freezer, you may want to check the label. Wegmans Food Markets has recalled its frozen chicken nuggets because the product may be contaminated with bone fragments, according to the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). On January 27, FSIS issued a public health alert for the product, alerting consumers that the product may be contaminated with extraneous material. The recall affects Wegmans Family Pack Fully Cooked Breaded Check Breast With Rib Meat, packaged in 46-ounce resealable plastic bags. The chicken nuggets have an establishment number of P-33944 and best-buy date of date of August 26, 2025 printed on the packaging. The product was distributed to retail locations in the following states: Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Related: FDA Recalls Nearly 20,000 Cases of Milk Over Spoilage Concerns FSIS was notified of the issue after Wegmans received multiple complaints of consumers finding bone fragments in the product. There have been no confirmed reports of injury following the consumption of the chicken nuggets, but FSIS advises anyone concerned about an injury to contact a healthcare provider. Although the recalled chicken nuggets are no longer available for purchase, they may still be in consumers' freezers. If you have the product in your freezer, throw it away immediately or return it to the place of purchase. Individuals with questions about the recall should call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or send a question via email to MPHotline@ Customers can also contact Wegmans Food Markets at 855-934-3663. Read the original article on Martha Stewart
