A Journalist Gives Back In The Fight Against Cancer
- Fox News journalist Jennifer Griffin is hosting the Prevent Cancer gala on Thursday.
- Griffin had triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive form of the disease which accounts for 20% of all breast cancers.
- It's called triple-negative because it does not have any of the main drivers of breast cancerthe estrogen receptor, the progesterone receptor, and the HER2 receptorand doesn't respond to the currently available treatments that target them.
- Women aged 45 to 54 with an average risk of breast cancer should get mammograms annually. Women with a family history of the disease or the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation should begin screening earlier.
The Harvard-educated journalist who is a national security correspondent at the Pentagon began her career at Fox News in 1999, corresponding from Jerusalem. She is married to Greg Myre, and the pair share two daughters together.
Read MoreIt is my honor to be emceeing Thursday's #PreventCancerGala. This organization has been paving the way for us since 1985 and continues to be at the forefront of cancer prevention and early detection. Thank you, @preventcancer, for making a difference in the lives of so many. pic.twitter.com/cJb0vq9Up0
— Jennifer Griffin (@JenGriffinFNC) September 13, 2022
The Prevent Cancer Foundation is the only U.S.-based nonprofit organization solely dedicated to cancer prevention and early detection, according to its website.
Fans and admirers praised Griffin’s work for the organization. Deana on Twitter writes, “Jennifer you are absolutely gorgeous! Wow! What a great cause to stand for!” Twitter user Jamie says, “Thank you for you tremendous reporting and support of such an important cause !”
Griffin’s Cancer Battle
Griffin, 53, was diagnosed with stage 3 triple-negative breast cancer at just 39 years old in 2009. At the time, she says she noticed a lump in her breast while she was breastfeeding her son, which was first brushed off as a blocked milk duct.
However, it turned out to be breast cancer, which she has a family history of. Griffin underwent 17 rounds of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, and radiation treatments and was declared in remission in 2010.
Triple-negative breast cancer is an aggressive form of the disease, which accounts for 20% of all breast cancers. It's called triple-negative because it does not have any of the main drivers of breast cancerthe estrogen receptor, the progesterone receptor, and the HER2 receptorand doesn't respond to the currently available treatments that target them. However, experts tell SurvivorNet that the disease often responds well to chemotherapy.
What is Triple Negative Breast Cancer?
Chemo For Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Griffin started chemotherapy for her stage III triple-negative breast cancer within days of her diagnosis. Taking fast action like that can be lifesaving.
Dr. Elizabeth Comen. a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering told SurvivorNet in an earlier interview that chemotherapy is still the most effective treatment plan for women battling the disease.
"If a woman has triple-negative breast cancer, meaning she is not hormone-receptor-positive or HER2-positive, then the first line is really to give unless it's part of a clinical trial is really to offer chemotherapy," explained Dr. Comen.
"Triple-negative breast cancers are most responsive to chemotherapy at the outset. Of course, there are many other options that a woman may be able to explore, including immunotherapies as part of a clinical trial and other targeted therapies that may be appropriate depending on what clinical trials are available where she is being treated."
Once treatment is over, a lifetime of monitoring begins for women like Griffin.
"We know that breast cancer can come back years, even decades, later. So, what sort of monitoring do we do? In the beginning, when a woman has recently completed her treatment, I usually see women every three to four months to do a breast exam," said Dr. Comen.
"They will get imaging every year or every six months, depending on, in conjunction with the surgeon or radiologist what may or may not be appropriate for imaging. We may do blood work about once a year."
Dr. Comen said she also uses those visits to talk to the women and see how they are feeling and anything that seems off.
"Do they have a pain that hasn't gone away in months? Or, Do they have shoulder pain now and again when they play tennis? But it goes away. It gets better, and it comes back months later, and then gets better," said Dr. Comen.
"There are different types of aches and pains that we think about and that we look for with patients."
Chemo For Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Family History & Breast Cancer
It's worth noting that 10% of breast cancers are hereditary. Knowing whether you're at increased risk of a breast cancer diagnosis can be a helpful way to catch the disease quickly and in the early stages, which provides more treatment options. In order to learn about your risk, it's recommended women go through genetic testing to learn about possible gene mutations which could make them more at risk of breast cancer.
In a genetic test, your doctor will ask you about your family history and details on the types of breast cancer you or your family members had. From there, hereditary tests are done through a saliva or blood test.
"The real question of who is going to qualify for genetic testing is, to be honest, a moving target," says Dr. Ophira Ginsburg, Director of the High-Risk Cancer Program at NYU Langone's Perlmutter Cancer Center. "Nowadays, you can even self-refer and ask for testing. We encourage only those who have a family history to really get that kind of service if you need it."
Screening for Breast Cancer
When it comes to breast cancer, mammograms save lives. Mammograms look for lumps in the breast tissue and early signs of cancer.
Early detection is critically important and it can mean broader treatment options as well.
For women with an elevated risk of breast cancer this means they either have a history of breast cancer in the family, or they have the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation they should begin screening even earlier, before age 45.
While getting a mammogram, ask about dense breasts, which may obscure cancer. The technician will be able to determine whether or not you have dense breasts.
When Should I Get a Mammogram?
Contributing: SurvivorNet staff
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