Breast Cancer Conversations

Breast Cancer Conversations is a podcast produced by Survivingbreastcancer.org where we inject positivity into the very fabric of a breast cancer diagnosis. Breast Cancer Conversations provides education, and inspiration, and offers hope. You will hear stories from those diagnosed with breast cancer, interviews with medical professionals, and thought-leadership emerging from the oncology field. Welcome to our breast cancer community! Welcome to the conversation.

Breast Cancer Conversations is a health podcast hosted by SurvivingBreastCancer.org, with 313 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

SurvivingBreastCancer.org hosts Breast Cancer Conversations, a health show with 313 episodes published.

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  Breast Cancer Conversations

  313. Tamoxifen Changed My Body: The Side Effects We Don't Talk About with Lindsey Campbell

  Sep 20, 202625 min

  Love the podcast? Send us a text! For many people with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, taking a daily medication like tamoxifen can become part of life for years. But what does it actually feel like to live with the side effects day after day? In this candid episode of Breast Cancer Conversations , Laura Carfang sits down with Lindsey, who was diagnosed with DCIS at age 37 after finding a lump herself. Following surgery and radiation, Lindsey began taking tamoxifen—and quickly discovered that the experience involved much more than simply taking a pill every morning. Lindsey shares the difficult fertility conversation she and her husband faced before treatment, why she took a trip before starting tamoxifen, and how she has learned to adjust her expectations of what her body can do. Laura shares her own experience with endocrine therapy and the complicated emotions that can come with years of treatment—even when you understand why you're taking the medication. The conversation ultimately becomes about more than tamoxifen. It's about learning to give yourself grace when your body changes, letting go of the expectation that you should simply "go back to normal," and realizing that you still deserve to take up space exactly as you are. Support the show Listener Feedback Please share a review with us! If this episode resonated with you, we invite you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify and share some stars! You can also click the link in the show notes that says "Love this episode? Send us a text" to share feedback. Messages are completely anonymous. If you would like us to follow up directly, please include your email address in your message so we can respond. Latest News: Join our Mailing List - New content drops every Monday! Discover FREE programs, support groups, and resources from SurvivingBReastCancer.org! Enjoying our content? Please consider supporting our work .

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  Breast Cancer Conversations

  312. It's Urgent, But It's Not an Emergency" Dr. Troso Sandoval on a New Breast Cancer Diagnosis

  Sep 14, 202648 min

  Love the podcast? Send us a text! Your scans came back. The portal posted results before anyone called. There are four appointments on the calendar and a vocabulary nobody taught you — and underneath it all, the feeling that you're already behind. Dr. Tiffany Troso-Sandoval spent 25 years treating women's breast and gynecologic cancers, much of it at Memorial Sloan Kettering. Her first piece of advice is the one nobody expects: slow down. Breast cancer treatment is urgent, she says, but it is not an emergency. It does not have to be solved in the next thirty-seven seconds — and the decisions you make in a panic are rarely the ones you'd make in a week. In this conversation with host Laura Carfang, Dr. Troso-Sandoval walks through what to do in the first 48 hours, why breast cancer is not one disease but many, and what she's actually looking at when she reads your pathology report — tumor size, margins, lymph nodes, Ki-67, receptor status — before she ever walks into the room. She explains hormone receptors and HER2 in plain language, why chemotherapy sometimes comes before surgery, and how Oncotype and MammaPrint answer the question so many people are carrying: do I even need chemo? She's also frank about the parts of oncology that aren't in the guidelines — that she doesn't treat an 84-year-old the same as a 34-year-old with identical pathology, and that treatment plans get built around whether your daughter can drive you. And there's one thing she circles back to make sure it's said out loud: if you're of childbearing age, fertility has to come up at the first visit. Not the third. Dr. Tiffany Troso-Sandoval — drtiffanytroso.com Her book, Calming the Cancer Chaos: An Oncologist's Guide for Women to Understand, Organize, and Take Control of Their Cancer Care , is out now and includes a free companion workbook. Disclosure: Dr. Troso-Sandoval discusses her book and private practice in this episode. SurvivingBreastCancer.org received no payment and earns no commission. About SurvivingBreastCancer.org We're a nonprofit providing evidence-based education, emotional support, and well-being resources to everyone touched by breast cancer — at every stage. 400+ programs a year, all virtual and 100% free. https://www.survivingbreastcancer.org Subscribe for new conversations every week, and share this with someone who needs it. ⚠️ This video is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Dr. Troso-Sandoval is not your physician and cannot advise on individual cases; treatment standards described here are general and evolve rapidly. Please talk with your own oncology team about your diagnosis and treatment plan. Support the show Listener Feedback If this episode resonated with you, we invite you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. You can also click the link in the show notes that says "Love this episode? Send us a text" to share feedback. Messages are completely anonymous. If you would like us to follow up directly, please include your email address in your message so we can respond. Latest News: Join our Mailing List - New content drops every Monday! Discover FREE programs, support groups, and resources from SurvivingBReastCancer.org! Become a Breast Cancer Conversations+ Member! Sign Up Now. Enjoying our content? Please consider supporting our work .

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  Breast Cancer Conversations

  312. Men Get Breast Cancer Too: The Symptom Vic Almost Dismissed

  Aug 30, 202641 min

  Love the podcast? Send us a text! When Vic Clevenger's mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, he and his brother had a thought that many men probably share: At least we're not women. We don't have to worry about breast cancer. Years later, Vic learned firsthand just how wrong that assumption can be. It started with what looked like a stain on his shirt. When Vic realized fluid was coming from his nipple, he initially assumed it was probably a cyst, pimple, or something minor. His fiancée encouraged him to get it checked. Even then, Vic says his concerns were initially dismissed because male breast cancer was considered "too rare." But Vic knew something wasn't right and sought another opinion. A mammogram and biopsy ultimately confirmed breast cancer. In this episode of Breast Cancer Conversations , Vic joins Laura Carfang for an honest—and often surprisingly funny—conversation about male breast cancer, self-advocacy, genetic testing, masculinity, body image, and learning to live fully after a cancer diagnosis. Vic shares his experience undergoing a double mastectomy and radiation, taking ongoing hormone therapy, and later discovering that he carries a BRCA2 mutation. His family's genetic testing also challenged another common assumption: hereditary breast cancer risk doesn't only come from your mother's side of the family. In this episode, we discuss: Yes, men can get breast cancer The unexpected symptom that led Vic to seek medical care Why nipple discharge or other breast changes shouldn't be ignored What happened when Vic's concerns were initially dismissed Having a mammogram and biopsy as a man Vic's experience with a double mastectomy and surgical drains Body image and the emotional impact of mastectomy for men Using humor to navigate cancer and recovery BRCA2 mutations and understanding family history Why family history on both sides matters The importance of genetic counseling and testing when appropriate Fear of recurrence and life after treatment Why some men may delay going to the doctor How breast cancer organizations can make male patients feel more included Why self-advocacy and second opinions can matter Vic's perspective on getting a "second lease on life" Vic also shares an important challenge for healthcare providers and cancer organizations: don't make men hunt for information about male breast cancer. While male breast cancer is uncommon, the people diagnosed with it deserve information, resources, and support that recognize their experiences. And Vic's message to other men is one worth sharing: If you notice something different in your body, don't ignore it. Get it checked. And if you don't feel like your concerns are being taken seriously, keep asking questions. Because breast cancer isn't exclusively a women's disease. Support the show Listener Feedback If this episode resonated with you, we invite you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. You can also click the link in the show notes that says "Love this episode? Send us a text" to share feedback. Messages are completely anonymous. If you would like us to follow up directly, please include your email address in your message so we can respond. Latest News: Join our Mailing List - New content drops every Monday! Discover FREE programs, support groups, and resources from SurvivingBReastCancer.org! Become a Breast Cancer Conversations+ Member! Sign Up Now. Enjoying our content? Please consider supporting our work .

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  Breast Cancer Conversations

  309. Radiation for Metastatic Breast Cancer: Brain, Liver, and Bone Mets

  Aug 20, 202659 min

  Love the podcast? Send us a text! Listen to hear three very different perspectives on what radiation for metastatic breast cancer can really look like and what these women want others to know before starting treatment. Radiation can play a very different role in metastatic breast cancer than it does in early-stage disease. It may be used to treat a specific metastatic site, help control cancer in the brain, liver or bones, relieve pain, or—as you'll hear in this episode—become part of a much larger treatment strategy. In this episode of Breast Cancer Conversations , Laura is joined by Kacie, Sarah, and Joyce , three women living with metastatic breast cancer who have experienced radiation in very different ways. Sarah shares what happened after her breast cancer metastasized to her brain, including surgery, Gamma Knife radiation, being fitted for a radiation mask, hair loss, fatigue, seizures, and the emotional weight of undergoing treatment to the brain. Casey was diagnosed de novo metastatic with liver metastases and underwent cryoablation and SBRT (stereotactic body radiation therapy) as part of an aggressive treatment approach. She talks candidly about the long-term effects of radiation—including weakened ribs and fractures—as well as the scans that eventually showed her liver metastases disappearing. Joyce shares a different side of radiation: palliative radiation for painful bone metastases. She describes how radiation dramatically improved her hip pain, while also discussing gastrointestinal side effects and radiation burns that required additional care. Together, their stories offer an honest look at the questions many people have before radiation: What will treatment actually feel like? How do you know if it's working? What side effects might happen? What can make the experience easier? And how do you weigh side effects against the possibility of controlling cancer or improving quality of life? In this episode, we discuss radiation for metastatic breast cancer, SBRT, Gamma Knife radiation, brain metastases, liver metastases, bone metastases, palliative radiation, radiation masks and claustrophobia, fatigue, skin changes and burns, hair loss, pain relief, scan results, long-term side effects, and quality of life. Most importantly, this conversation shows why there isn't one universal “radiation experience.” The location being treated, type of radiation, treatment goal, and individual patient all matter. The experiences shared in this episode are personal and are not a substitute for medical advice. Talk with your oncology and radiation oncology teams about your individual diagnosis and treatment options. Support the show Listener Feedback If this episode resonated with you, we invite you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. You can also click the link in the show notes that says "Love this episode? Send us a text" to share feedback. Messages are completely anonymous. If you would like us to follow up directly, please include your email address in your message so we can respond. Latest News: Join our Mailing List - New content drops every Monday! Discover FREE programs, support groups, and resources from SurvivingBReastCancer.org! Become a Breast Cancer Conversations+ Member! Sign Up Now. Enjoying our content? Please consider supporting our work .

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  Breast Cancer Conversations

  308. Can a Blood Test Detect Breast Cancer Recurrence? Two Patients Share Their Signatera Experience

  Aug 15, 202649 min

  Love the podcast? Send us a text! What if a blood test could detect signs of breast cancer at the molecular level? Circulating tumor DNA, or ctDNA , is generating growing interest among people diagnosed with breast cancer, particularly those wondering about recurrence, treatment response, and what may be happening in the body before something appears on conventional imaging. One test you may have heard about is Signatera . In this episode of Breast Cancer Conversations , Laura Carfang talks with Shannon and Erin , two women with very different breast cancer experiences who both pursued Signatera testing. Erin was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer before her 35th birthday and began exploring Signatera after completing treatment and wondering how she would know if her cancer returned. Shannon was initially diagnosed with DCIS, later developed invasive disease, and is now living with oligometastatic stage IV breast cancer. Her Signatera results became one piece of a much larger diagnostic and monitoring picture. Together, they share the questions, emotions, uncertainty, and conversations with their healthcare teams that came with pursuing ctDNA testing. In this episode: What circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is What the Signatera test is designed to detect Why some breast cancer patients are asking about ctDNA testing Erin's experience asking her oncologist for Signatera testing Shannon's experience with changing Signatera results What can happen when blood test results and imaging don't seem to tell the same story Recurrence anxiety and the desire for more information Advocating for yourself while still partnering with your medical team What it means to live with oligometastatic breast cancer The emotional impact of waiting for test results The questions that remain as ctDNA testing continues to evolve This episode isn't about telling you whether you should—or shouldn't—get Signatera. It's an honest conversation about why patients are interested in this technology, what two women experienced when they pursued it, and why understanding both the possibilities and limitations of emerging testing matters. Important: The experiences shared in this episode are personal stories and should not be interpreted as medical advice. Talk with your oncology team about whether ctDNA testing is appropriate for your individual diagnosis and treatment plan. Support the show Listener Feedback If this episode resonated with you, we invite you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. You can also click the link in the show notes that says "Love this episode? Send us a text" to share feedback. Messages are completely anonymous. If you would like us to follow up directly, please include your email address in your message so we can respond. Latest News: Join our Mailing List - New content drops every Monday! Discover FREE programs, support groups, and resources from SurvivingBReastCancer.org! Become a Breast Cancer Conversations+ Member! Sign Up Now. Enjoying our content? Please consider supporting our work .

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