WE INTERRUPT THIS BLOG.....

As part of my commitment to Army of Women as a supporting blogger AND as the NYS Troop Organizer (sounds really really important, right????), I want to see the counter on the home page continue to climb.  Truthfully, I hope we can begin to step it up.  This laid back pace doesn't really fit with my NY State of Mind.  Just sayin......


Since the primary goal is filling studies, there will be days I will interrupt my regularly scheduled insanity to get the word out about new studies.  Today's broadcast will be seen in its entirety.  Tomorrow.  This is more important.  And, if you think this ingenious idea doesn't work, two studies were filled in the past week!   


The response to this study within the first day was overwhelming.  If you never had breast cancer but you did have a biopsy done which, thankfully was negative, can I ask you to consider donating some of your time?  This is a study that can be done from your computer and with a telephone.  You can reside anywhere in the USA.  You don't have to leave your home.


Can you do a phone interview? Answer a written questionnaire?  Are you willing to have your pathology slides from that biopsy sent to MD Anderson?  Hell, you already did the hard part.  Those slides are just sitting in no man's land.  


What's that I hear? Yes, Yes and Yes!  Ok... scroll down to read all of the details to see if you fit the rest of the criteria..... Wait, I think I just heard someone say they had a cancer diagnosis but they know a relative that may just fit the ticket.  Pass the info along?


Let's close this one out, too.  I have an affinity for Things In Threes.  

The Overview:

Alongside the research team at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, the Army of Women has just launched Phase 2 of the Discovery of Early Markers of Breast Cancer Study to investigate whether the amount of DNA damage seen in the cells of normal breast tissue might indicate future breast cancer risk.  They’ve already collected data and tissue samples from women who had a benign biopsy but then went on to develop breast cancer. 

NOW, they need women who had a benign breast biopsy but did NOT go on to develop breast cancer!

We need women anywhere in the United States who had a benign breast biopsy after January 2000 and have NOT been diagnosed with breast cancer. Some women who have had a benign breast biopsy are at higher risk of developing breast cancer than women who have not had a benign breast biopsy. However, there is currently no way to determine which women who have had a benign breast biopsy will actually go on to develop the disease. We have recruited for this study in the past and now need your help for the next phase. The researchers are now looking for women who had a normal breast biopsy but have NOT had breast cancer. Please read on to learn more about what’s involved and who can participate. If this study isn’t a good fit for you, please pass it on to anyone you know who might be interested! What’s the study about? A research team at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center is investigating whether the amount of DNA damage seen in the cells in normal breast tissue may be an indicator of future breast cancer risk. Previously, the researchers recruited women who had had a benign breast biopsy and then went on to develop breast cancer. NOW, they need women who had a benign breast biopsy but did NOT go on to develop breast cancer. By recruiting women who did develop breast cancer and women who did not, they will be able to look for markers in the breast cells that might be an indicator of breast cancer risk. What’s involved? If you agree to participate in the Discovery of Early Markers of Breast Cancer study (Phase 2), you will be asked to fill out a questionnaire about your reproductive history, smoking history, and family health background. You will receive and then return the questionnaire by mail (at no cost to you). You will then need to ask your doctor or pathologist for two things: the pathology slides from your benign breast biopsy and a block of your paraffin embedded benign breast tissue. (You will be given a detailed instruction sheet to give to your doctor or pathologist to explain what is needed and why.) You will mail these items to the researchers, at no cost to you. If you prefer, you can give the research team permission to request the pathology slides and tissue block from your doctor. The researchers need to enroll 400 women in this study. Who is conducting the study? Dr. Isabelle Bedrosian and Dr. Abenaa Brewster, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX Where? Anywhere in the US (all participation is handled in the mail) Who can participate? You can sign up for the Discovery of Early Markers of Breast Cancer study (Phase 2) if you match ALL of these MAIN categories: • You are a woman over the age of 18 • You have had screening mammograms performed • You have NOT been diagnosed with breast cancer (including DCIS) • You had a benign breast biopsy after January 2000 • You were NOT pregnant or breastfeeding when you had the benign breast biopsy • You were NOT using birth control pills or menopausal hormone therapy when you had the benign breast biopsy • You have NOT tested positive for the BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 mutation (if known) • You live in the United States After you RSVP, the research team will ask you additional questions to be sure that this study is a right fit for you. Yes, Sign Me Up No Thanks Recruit a Friend In case those boxes aren't clickable..... Go directly to the study page on the Army of Women website.  Click right HERE!