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WH - A Guide to Women's Health: Fall 2006
A Guide To
Womens Health
Fall 2006
You may be surprised to learn that an estimated 400,000 total knee replacements are performed each year in the United States—and that women account for nearly two-thirds of the cases. That's why we've devoted this month's feature article to the topic and included a look at a new gender-specific implant that is specially designed for the female anatomy and is available to women undergoing knee-replacement surgery at John Muir Medical Centers. Elsewhere in this issue, check the updates about John Muir Health's clinical trials on promising treatments for breast cancer, efforts to combat prescription drug addiction, comprehensive prenatal programs and more. It's news you can use to keep you and your family on the road to health. To take the first steps, please read on.
—J. Kendall Anderson
President and CEO,
John Muir Health
Visit the John Muir Women's Health CenterAre you looking for information you can trust about some of today's leading health and wellness issues? At our Women's Health Center, you'll find resources on everything from women and heart disease to childbirth education and menopause, as well as osteoporosis screenings and mammography. The center also offers classes, support groups, massage therapy and lactation services.
Stop by 1656 N. California Blvd., Ste. 100, in Walnut Creek. |
Women's Heart Program
Take heart: John Muir Health has developed a program that helps women identify their risk for heart disease and, when appropriate, refers them to their personal physician or a cardiologist for further tests.
The Women's Heart Program staff includes a cardiologist medical director, dietitian and nutrition team, cardiology nurse, and an exercise specialist. Women receive a comprehensive assessment to evaluate their risk and a proactive plan to follow to prevent a first heart attack or the progression of heart disease. The appointment lasts approximately one hour. There is a fee of $95.
To schedule your comprehensive risk assessment call (925) 941-7965. For more information about the Women's Heart Program, click here. More details are also available in this issue (see "Heart to Heart").
[back to top]Solving The Breast Cancer Puzzle
Important news: John Muir Health is inviting women to participate in two major clinical trials of leading-edge treatments for early-stage breast cancer.
"Almost all progress in treatment for cancer has been gained through clinical trials," says Michael Messer, M.D., Oncology medical director, John Muir Cancer Institute, Concord Campus.
"There are so many unanswered questions about breast cancer. It's vital that we participate so we can get those answers," adds Deborah Kerlin, M.D., medical director of the John Muir Breast Health Center. "Research helps identify better modalities for screening, diagnosis and treatment." Currently, fewer than 5 percent of breast cancer patients participate in clinical trials. In comparison, 90 percent of children with cancer participate in clinical trials, resulting in a nearly 50 percent improvement in survival since the 1970s.
One of the current trials at John Muir compares outcomes of partial- vs. wholebreast irradiation. The other investigates the efficacy of a genetic test that's designed to personalize treatment and predict which patients are most likely to benefit from chemotherapy. More details:
Partial-Breast Radiation
Trial name: NSABP B-39/RTOG 0413 Partial-Breast Radiation Trial
Where: Approximately 3,000 women will participate at 150 research sites.
What's being tested: The aim of this trial is to determine whether limiting radiation therapy (PBI) to only the tumor site following lumpectomy provides equivalent tumor control and survival compared to conventional whole-breast irradiation (WBI).
How the trial will be conducted: All participants in the trial will have a lumpectomy and then be randomized to either receive whole-breast radiation or partial-breast radiation.
Women who are assigned to the WBI group will receive standard radiation therapy (daily, five days a week for five to seven weeks). Those assigned to the PBI group will receive an accelerated course of radiation therapy (twice a day, five days over a one- to two-week period).
Who's eligible: At John Muir Health, the trial will enroll women ages 50 or older with early-stage (stage 0 or 1) breast cancer whose tumor size and other characteristics of their diagnosis match the study's requirements.
Personalized Treatment Trial
Trial name: TAILORx (Trial Assigning Individualized Options for Treatment [Rx])
Where: Sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, this trial will enroll more than 10,000 women at 900 sites in the United States and Canada.
What's being tested: This trial will examine whether genes that are often associated with risk of breast cancer recurrence can be used to assign patients to the most effective treatment with the fewest side effects.
How the trial will be conducted: TAILORx uses a new diagnostic test called Oncotype DXTM, which measures the levels of expression of 21 genes in breast tumors. According to researchers, this assessment can more precisely estimate a person's risk of recurrence than standard characteristics, such as tumor size and grade. Women in the trial will undergo Oncotype DXTM screening and then be given a recurrence score that's generated by genetic analysis. Based on the score, participants will receive chemotherapy plus hormonal therapy (the current standard of care) or hormonal therapy alone.
Who's eligible: Eligible enrollees include women recently diagnosed with cancer that has not spread to the lymph nodes and has certain characteristics (estrogen receptor and/or progesterone receptive positive, Her2/neu negative). Participants will be studied for 10 years, with an additional follow-up of up to 20 years after initial treatment.
For More InformationJohn Muir Clinical research Center performs Phase 2 and 3 clinical trials with investigational or already marketed medications and devices. As a member of the National Cancer cooperative groups, JMCRC participates in cancer trials sponsored by the Southwest Oncology Group, The National Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project and The Radiation Therapy Oncology Group. For more information, call JMCRC at (925) 674-2580. |
Copyright © 2006 by John Muir Health. WH is published quarterly by John Muir Health as a community service and is not intended for the purpose of diagnosing or prescribing. WH Editorial Advisory Board: American Heart Association and the Office on Women's Health, U.S. Public Health Service. Produced by DCP.