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Hats, Hats, Hats and Me!
Anita Fownes, Victoria, BC
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Im currently in chemotherapy and experiencing hair loss. I now wear head cover - never am I hatless/or cap less because my scalp feels bereft without coverage.
From family and friends, I have now quite an array of hats and scarves resulting in some really creative looks. I even pose for photos in case someone wants a gallery of Anitas chapeaux!
On a walk up town this week, I tested out an elegant burgundy-rust pleated hat that my son and his wife gave me. I was afraid it might blow off in the windy days in Victoria. Just in case, I tucked a second cap in my backpack to be prepared for any eventuality. Thankfully, the hat stayed anchored securely throughout the walk.
For my chemotherapy treatment I wore a lovely silk black/ecru scarf wrapped around a navy cap. The first time I wore this creation, I left the ends dangling down my back and, of course, the scarf fell around my eyes how embarrassing!
Two cotton-printed kerchiefs illicit the highest enthusiasm from my husband, Ron he loves colour and prints. The Molly Maids dust cap look is his favourite. I also opt for the Aunt Jemima look.
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I purchased a turbanna of bright blue, which is very good for cold/windy walks or hikes. Its a bulky look though I havent yet mastered the 12 options of how to wear this weird thing. My son-in-law calls this my long-john hat because the design includes two arms that wrap around the head to create the styles.
For night wear - yup, theres a cap for every occasion I have a cotton cap with blue lace trim its my favourite because its light, doesnt need a knot and stays on without prompting.
I anticipate that I have about eight more months to obsess about hats as other chemotherapy colleagues tell me thats how long hair takes to grow to the length one might wish to unveil for viewing!
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RADIOFREQUENCY ABLATION AND BREAST CANCERDr Ivo Olivotto
Leader, Radiation Oncology, BC Cancer Agency-Vancouver Island Centre
Radio-frequency ablation (RFA) is a novel therapy designed to ablate (kill) cancer cells in the breast without surgery. Under local anesthetics and using ultrasound guidance, an RFA probe is passed through the breast and into the cancer lump. The RFA probe is a needle about the size of a ball-point pen refill, which contains seven sharp wires. Once the probe gets to the cancer the sharp wires are extended and pierce the cancer lump. The probe is connected to a radio-frequency generator. The machine is turned on for about 15-20 minutes and cooks a 3cm diameter sphere (a bit larger than an inch) of breast tissue. The goal is to use RFA to kill cancer inside the breast without the need for breast surgery. There are only a few (<10) centers in the world using RFA for breast cancer.
A research team in Victoria, BC led by surgeon Dr. Allen Hayashi, recently completed the first Canadian study of RFA in women with breast cancer. Between January and October 2002, 22 women with a core-biopsy proven invasive breast cancer smaller than 2cm diameter had RFA as part of a research study funded by a grant from the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation BC + Yukon Chapter. The research was to determine whether RFA was tolerable to women, effectively killed breast cancer cells and whether RFA could be used instead of surgery.
The study was a success in many ways. It introduced a new procedure for BC women with breast cancer in the context of careful evaluation. Women felt only mild to moderate discomfort during the procedure. Only 1 patient had a 5mm skin burn and 95% would be willing to have RFA again. The RFA definitely killed all the cancer cells within the ablation zone. However, as part of the study all patients also had a wide-excision of the RFA zone and some surrounding normal breast tissue as they would with a standard lumpectomy. Nearly a quarter of the women were found to have at least tiny foci of cancer outside the ablation zone in what seemed to be otherwise normal breast tissue.
These findings suggest that although RFA is easy on women and does kill cancer cells, it can not yet be used as the sole treatment to the breast. However, RFA may be as effective as lumpectomy to kill visible cancer in the breast. It is known that women who have a lumpectomy and no radiation to the breast have a 20-35% risk of cancer recurrence in the breast, but after lumpectomy plus radiation less than 10% of women have a breast recurrence. The rate of recurrence without radiation is similar to the rate of microscopic disease seen outside the RFA ablation zone. A next step in determining the role of RFA in breast cancer is to study RFA plus radiation as an alternative to surgical excision plus radiation. A study protocol with this design is under development. For now, surgical removal plus radiation to the breast remains the standard therapy for invasive breast cancer.
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