Amy Robach
Here's what Dr. Weiss has said about ABC's Good Morning America's Amy Robach who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer following an on-air mammogram:
Comments
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Good for Dr. Weiss for pointing out that a BMX isn't the only option.
I just wish she had also explained the survival rate is the same whether one has a lumpectomy + rads or a MX. -
I get mildly irritated when celebrities/on-air personalities "come out" with their breast cancer diagnosis but then fail to give specifics. My opinion, if you're not going to come all the way out then just keep it to yourself. It's just another woman carrying the Komen "awareness" message of early detection saves lives. Reality: early detection saves lives ONLY if early stage. Meaningless for those diagnosed Stage 4 at outset. I wish Ms. Robach the best. -
Like Beesie, I'm always a little dismayed that the automatic response to a breast cancer diagnosis is double mastectomy.
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Was glad to see how sensitive Dr. Weiss was to the unknowns in the situation.
I was also surprised to hear about the BMX as part of the treatment, but we just don't know enough about the cancer to say if it is overkill or not. Though she has no family history, she could have a de novo BRCA mutation.
Agree that if she is going to tell us about her cancer and how she found it, it would be helpful for an explanation surrounding the treatment, which in this case is very significant and not usually the standard of care for early stage cancer.
The public is very influenced by these types of celebrity news events and it definitely influences their behavior. Myriad (the BRCA lab) saw very, very large increases to demand for its tests after Angelina Jolie came out with it, for example. -
I'm like melly1462 - I wanted details.
I was happy to see Amy Robach get the word out for early screening, and sad to hear she has been dx'd with "breast cancer", but I found myself wondering exactly what they found.
Do you think anyone else has this kind of curiosity?
Or is it just us BC sisters? -
LOL! I think most people who haven't been touched by bc in some personal way just think bc is one monolithic entity. I know I did before my own dx. The first thing I said when I was told they found DCIS and IDC was, " You mean there's more than one type of bc?" Seriously, I had no clue.
Caryn -
I was diagnosed with DCIS about 5 years ago, and I chose to have a lumpectomy and radiation. Hearing about these female celebrities who are choosing to have DMs, regardless of the diagnosis, is freaking me out! From what I read, Amy Robach doesn't even know what type of bc she has yet--and she's deciding on her treatment?! Of course, I'm assuming that because these women are celebrities, they're seeing some of the best doctors, which makes me worry that DM *is* the best option and something I should have done! Feeling anxious yet again! -
I’m much more of a lurker, but I read part of the GMA interview online, so I thought I’d share what I read. She mentioned that at this point she didn’t know what stage she was – specifically, she said that she didn’t know if it had spread or if she would need chemo.
I feel for her because I was in that same boat when I was diagnosed last year, shortly after my 37th birthday. While my biopsy results said it was DCIS, my MRI showed three other areas of enhancement in different quadrants of the same breast and one of my nodes lit up. This changed my initial treatment plan from lump + rads+ tamox to having a bilateral mastectomy (I was trying to have a baby and I would have been put on tamox if I kept either breast regardless of stage, which would have made having a baby impossible until I was about 40), but the doctors told me that they wouldn’t know until my full path results came back if I was stage 0, 1 or 2. I was happy to learn that my node lit up due to the trauma of the biopsy rather than cancer and that all areas showed DCIS. Frankly I don’t regret my aggressive surgical decision at all because they found ADH in the “clean” side, I was able to forgo tamox and I’m currently 6.5 months pregnant (what a difference a year makes!) In all honesty, she may not know what stage she is and there may be other reasons for her wanting to treat this with aggressive surgery. I admire her for coming out with her news before she knows specifically what she is dealing with. I found incredibly difficult to tell my coworkers in my small company about my cancer and I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to have all of my personal health details out in the public.
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Congrats Jenny! Yes, I agree. I think we don't know about Amy's dx. Possibly she had areas of concern -- DCIS or otherwise -- in several quadrants of a breast, or both breasts, which might necessitate Mx. Possibly she has extremely small breasts, which might make Lx more difficult. -
Thanks for the congrats, Bobogirl!
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Yeah, I am curious about her stats. Dr. Weiss is spot-on!
Its interesting though........When I was diagnosed, I saw my breast surgeon first, but he sent me to an oncologist right away, and suggested I see a plastic surgeon too.....he said I want you to get "all your ducks in a row" before we make any decisions regarding surgery. At that point, he knew I had multi-focal (2 tumors, close together) disease, ER/PR+, Her2 negative......
So, I saw my oncologist five days later. Again, no rush to surgery. She ordered an oncotype first, which came back (10-12 days later) and it was smack dab in the middle of the intermediate range at 25. Together, we made the decision that chemotherapy was probably in my best interest because I was 42 years old.
At that point, I had to make a decision to have chemotherapy before surgery or after surgery. I decided to have chemotherapy first for a number of reasons......one of them being that it would give me more time to make a rational decision. To make a decision regarding surgery without the "fear factor". Our hopes was that the chemotherapy would shrink the two tumors I had in my small breast to the point where a lumpectomy would be adequate.
Being on these boards for 2 years, and talking to many BC patients in the last 2 years, I know of very few patients whose treatment plan was like mine???. It seems like most women see a surgeon and decide on lumpectomy/BMX and then after surgery (depending on results) you see an oncologist. It seems to be that most women are "rushed" into making a decision about surgery......and often times, a mastectomy is done out of fear.
In the end, I chose to have a double mastectomy......I had a good response to chemotherapy ,but not a complete response. Because of small breasts, my breast density, and my strong family history, I had a mastectomy and ended up having them take the left one too. I figured if my right breast could make this much cancer, so could my left at some point.........I ended up having the surprise of two positive sentinel nodes, so this cancer was a little bugger.......
I know that cutting of my breasts does not DO ANYTHING to prevent me from having a metastatic recurrence.....I get that and maybe, in retrospect, it was overkill??
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My prayers for Amy and family. We here on the forum feel for her in a way that others cannot. So we are naturally more interested, and eager to get all the information. Others may come here seeking information that appears missing in this story. If one (particularly a journalist) is held up as a model for others, the least that can be done is to provide adequate information to back up claims such as, "Amy, your life was saved by this procedure."
I personally have these questions before I can weigh knowledgeably in at the water cooler:
She says it's not staged yet. Could it be that there's been biopsy/prelim staging that she didn't talk about, and what she means is that she won't know final staging till post-op? If it's really not yet staged, this essentially a BMX biopsy. Is this not the height of "pink panic" - and perhaps even unethical for a surgeon?
She says the mammogram identified the cancer. Am I wrong or is this impossible? Even BIRADS 5 should be biopsied, yes? Again, perhaps what she means is that the mammogram identified (that which an unmentioned biopsy confirmed as) cancer.
Timing speculations: Articles state mammo on Oct 1, dx "a few weeks" later, and surgery Nov 14. If late stage disease were suspected, would surgery not be done sooner? She herself calls the BMX decision "aggressive," perhaps also indicating earlier stage disease?
Last question: she says she put off this mammogram for a while then finally had it done. Conservative recommendations start screening at age 40. She is 40. (???) -
I thought this post on Dr Susan Love blog was interesting re the Robach diagnosis
Alpineartist: Re ??? on 'putting off' mammogram when recommendation is for 40…I think the recommendation is (or was at least in my day 10 yrs ago) to get a 'baseline' btwn 35-40 and then get annuals beginning at 40…I think I had my first at 37 or something, "baseline", then waited tip 40 for annuals. Have no idea but perhaps that's what she meant re "putting off"…?
Also, many are commenting that she 'rushed' into a decision somehow. Just because she only announced this news to the world days before her surgery doesn't mean it was rushed at all. She could have known about - in fact it's kind of likely - she knew about the cancer for several weeks now. It was only announced the other day because she was leaving ABC News for undisclosed amount of time for surgery and as yet to be confirmed/ determined treatment. I'm sure there was no 'rush' and she made her decision with all the deliberateness she needed. It took me just under 3 weeks from diagnosis to bilateral surgery. And two weeks of that was just waiting for the OR appt. I knew pretty soon after diagnosis exactly what I wanted/needed. Was quite deliberate and thoughtful as to the reasons. Have never regretted it or looked back. Why the judgment on Ms Robach as anything less?
I do agree though that the line about "mammogram saving my life' is annoying, particularly because as Dr Love says one really has no idea if that is the case. It's kind of misinformation in the absence of any other information. If only she left out the touting of the mammogram (reminiscent of Andrea Mitchell). In any event, I believe today was Amy Robach's surgery. Hope it went well and the results of testing are all as positive as can be for her. -
Pamala: please don't make the mistake of thinking that because people are 'celebrities' they see the best doctors. I don't mean to publicly slam anyone, but let's just say that some, or at least one, celeb's bc docs that have been in the news are not impressive to me at all. No doubt they've impressed some rich celebs, but there you are.
Now. generally speaking rich and powerful people DO see md's who are among the best doctors. But not nec. Hollywood celebs…! On a personal note my entire extended family has been less than impressed with our own personal experience situations involving cedars sinai. Look, it's a famous place, filled with celebs…but is that the best hospital in the LA area? Hardly. Just sayin'. Just my two cents, Manhattan best doctor snob that I am!!!! ;o) Clearly, many rich people with ability to make many more choices in life disagree with me…but please please, don't assume a rich celeb's choices are 'better' because their doctor is necessarily 'better'.
What a celeb might be concerned with more than you is a certain cosmetic thing. They may have different real considerations. And obviously, in Angelina Jolie's case, she had a genetic mutation. If you don't have the BRCA gene, then that's that. Angelina got her BMX because of that, and it was a very sound decision.
Ms.Robach: we have no idea. There are many, many possibilities that could have led to her decision, but it's useless to speculate about them. One of which could be that she doesn't care about the stats on survival: it may be that the only thing she's thinking is that she never, ever wants to go through a mammogram and breast cancer surgery again insofar as she can control it. Even if her statistical odds of local recurrence or new bc are very low: they are real, they are there, and she might want to assert as much control over the situation as possible. She is young, her life is threatened, she has two small kids, this is entirely reasonable to me. I don't understand why this perfectly understandable reasoning is so discounted by so many. Overall survival is one thing. I understood perfectly well that my overall survival re the bc I was diagnosed with would not be affected in any way by my decision to do a BMX. It was other reasons. There are valid reasons women have BMX w/o BRCA and without 'needing' to. It doesn't mean we don't understand overall survival stats, or that we are rushed or ill informed or operating out of fear, in the most insulting way that is meant. Because of course there are a lot of things we do, and don't do, out of fear, and that's good! -
Jessica - great post! completely agree. Some women take chemo for a small risk reduction, same with radiation. It seems that those choices are validated more, not necessarily by those of us who have been diagnosed but by others on the "outside". -
I just looked at the latest People magazine today and there is a short article in it about Amy Robach - it does state that she has had a biopsy, so her comment about staging is the same situation we all face, we don't know the extent of staging until we know post-op pathology, nodal status, etc., and what this information means in terms of treatment. -
I am disappointed-
I really enjoy these boards and have communicated with so many caring courageous people--- yet 2 weeks in a row there have been "newsworthy" breast cancer stories ( this one and our dancing doctor) and in our community people have posted some pretty critical posts.
Her reality- She had a reluctant on-air mammogram obviously in October for breast cancer awareness which so many on here don't care for (strongly dislike). Imagine doing this for "news" and finding out you have cancer.
If I have learned nothing else from getting breast cancer I have learned not to assume anything or judge anybody- I was diagnosed with IDC no one was filming me or even paying attention. I ultimately decided on lumpectomy with SNB and radiation but strongly considered BMX to just try and drastically reduce any risk.
I have heard everything from- I know people who had lumpectomy and did not live to regret it to people who had lumpectomy with radiation and are going strong 20yrs out.
We all are faced with making a decision we can live with- This woman is no different its just all public- I don't judge her I pray for her and her family. -
Great post wyo!
I couldn't agree more with everything you've said.
Although I may not have made the same choice as others, I absolutely support their personal decisions. However, I do find myself cringing at the judgements of our "Celebrity" Sisters, and don't understand why they "cop such a beating", from what is usually a very nurturing supportive community. -
I just saw the update on Amy Robach's diagnosis. She says that a secondary malignant tumor was found during her mastecomy surgery that wasn't seen on the mammogram, MRI or ultrasound. I thought an MRI would pick it up. I just had a lumpectomy and started chemo Nov 14. I had an Mammogram and ultrasound right before my lumpectomy which just showed the one tumor on the right breast and that there was nothing on the left side. This makes me wonder if I have something on the left side that wasn't detected my an MRI. Makes me nervous if MRI's can't be trusted. Any thoughts ladies? -
Septmom...No imaging modality for any organ is 100% correct. While some imaging uncover incidental finding, there are many situations where imaging will be a "false negative." It happens. Try not being fearful. If you have confidence in your team, then rest assured you will do well! -
I've been reading about Amy robachs oncologist who sounds great. Does anyone know who her breast or plastic surgeon is?
Jsrose -
Really? Who is her oncologist,supposedly? Assume NYU, something made me think she went to NYU for treatment - something mentioned in something I read perhaps? Not sure. Could be wrong. -
Anyway, it doesn't really matter. Lots of well known people with BC choose a variety of places/institutions and doctors here in NY. I could be wrong, but I think Cynthia Nixon was at St Lukes/Roosevelt and Robin Roberts originally at Lenox Hill. As I said, I could be totally wrong but I think something I read about each of these women after the fact mentioned their surgeon/place of surgery. Who knows if 'all' their treatment was at the same one place. If you have a serious health issue, being in NYC and having financial resources- along with great health insurance- gives anyone several good choices! -
looks like she will be co hosting The View tomorrow. -
She is going to need chemo , cause there was some infilltation on her sentinal lymph node
. This might meant stage 2b now. It seemS she might be hormone positive cause she said something about taking it for ten years.
Does anyone knows what did Giuliana Rancic had ? It look a lime dcis , but cant fine anything. What is the follow up for dcis?
S -
My understanding is that Giuliana Rancic had an early stage invasive cancer, and tumors in each breast.
With DCIS, if one has a lumpectomy and if the cancer is ER+/PR+, usually 5 years of Tamoxifen will be recommended. Not everyone chooses to take it, however. After a BMX for DCIS, no further treatment is needed. -
Certainly, everyone wishes Amy the best.
I'm also one who is dismayed, tho, by celebrities who jump on the mammogram and/or Komen bandwagon almost immediately after diagnosis when they are running more on emotion than educated information. It took me at least a year after diagnosis to sift through mounds of information and get a grasp on what bc entails. I also agree that celebrity bc details are often sketchy. Do they dumb down the facts so the viewing public doesn't get bored with too much technical information?
I received an email from Pink Ribbon Blues with the following article, which I posted in the stage iv forum. I thought it raised several very good points, one being: "The greatest myth serving the early detection belief system is that breast cancer is a single, homogeneous disease that always behaves in the same way, progressing from early to late to lethal (stage 0, 1, 2, 3, 4). How true! Many women believe if they are diagnosed with stage i or ii bc, it's caught 'early' and they can 'beat' it.
Amy Robach Story Spreads Heartfelt Misinformation About Breast Cancer « Pink Ribbon Blues
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Devine...thanks for providing the link to Sulik's column. Both her book, Pink Ribbon Blues and the late Handel Reynold, MD's book, The Big Squeeze outline the screening mammography controversy and should be read by ALL. A harder book to read, but certainly the best, IMHO is H. Gilbert Welch, MD/Ph.D's book, Overdiagnosed. He will be presenting this week at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, so MAYBE alert ENTERTAINMENT media producers and writers MIGHT be slightly enlightened...and MAYBE think twice before writing columns or having guests appear who might continue the myth. What I scratch my head about is that most media outlets have medical correspondents. ABC's medical correspondent is Nancy Snyderman, MD. I wonder what her thoughts are about screening mammography and what she thought of the interview of her colleague, -
I think that article answers my question that biology thrumps stage . Is sad how this people spread misinformation.
I was one that thought that early detection was key . -
Ariom, I so agree with you. Instead of being critical of "celebrities" I think we should recognize that often they have no control what so ever about how they are being quoted or how they are being presented. I am certain they would love to have as much control over their situation as we do. And their fears are just as real. And as for People magazine . . . before my diagnosis, these details would have been skimmed over by me in a heartbeat. Now that i have bc, I will not expect scientific facts from the entertainment media, including how bc is depicted in movies, etc. I will go to the scientific community for my research.
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