Five New Breast Cancer Controversies

At the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium last week, there are five new breast cancer discoveries controversies. I know a couple of people who was there and hope to hear more from them but this is what I have for opinions so far:

1. Claim: Chemobrain starts before starting chemotherapy.Results were presented to show that in a study women who had not gone through chemo were showing the symptoms - which can also be caused by worry and fatigue. Hello, if you are diagnosed with cancer, have surgery, and are facing chemotherapy perhaps you might be a tad bit worried and tired?

My take on this is that first of all this study was done by people who don't believe chemo brain is real. Symptoms of chemobrain could also be the same as those caused by worry and fatigue. But the difference with chemobrain is the symptoms do not go away once you stop stressing and get some rest. There is a difference.

2. Claim: Taking Tamoxifen for ten years is better than five years. First of all this isn't new. This is just a new study that they are showing results. My take is that more testing is needed as it goes against what has previously been shown.

3. Claim: Doubling the dose of fulvestrant is better. I have no opinion here as I do not know anything about this drug.

4. Claim: Twice as long is not better with Herceptin. My take is this is only confirming previous research.

5. Claim: Avastin isn't indicated for breast cancer. My take is this is not new. This has been resolved a while back.

Let me just say I am not a doctor or researcher, I am merely a patient. I admit I am not perfect so I could be wrong and these are my opinions.

So overall, We have one new claim that I, and many other women with chemobrain, disagree with completely. One claim I can't say anything about. And three claims is that I say are not new.

Hmmm.... I think I need some more proof to show that these are truly new and breakthroughs in some way. But I am not buying most of these.

Pink transparency needed

Consumers are becoming skeptical about the pinkification of products. There was a research study done - marketing not medical - titled "Consumers Question Intent and Impact of Breast Cancer Cause Marketing". It was done as part of Cone Research's Trend Tracker Series. 

Here are a few tidbits from it:

"Although three-quarters (74%) of Americans state they are more likely to purchase a breast cancer-related product or service during October over others, with price and quality being equal, they are becoming desensitized and increasingly skeptical.

• 77 percent of consumers think some companies support the breast cancer cause solely for corporate gain
• 68 percent say very few breast cancer cause promotions stand out to them, given the large number of programs in the marketplace
• 30 percent do not know whether their purchases actually benefit the cause"

And here's some more:

"2012 Breast Cancer Cause Marketing TrendsCone Communications’ has identified five leading trends from the breast cancer cause marketing efforts this October, including:

• Diversifying nonprofit partners: No longer do one or two large nonprofits rule the breast cancer space in October. As the breast cancer cause undergoes increased scrutiny, brands are turning to distinct partners for a unique approach and impact. Nonprofits shining through include: Breast Cancer Research Foundation and Young Survival Coalition, among other niche organizations.
• Putting a face on the issue: Whether featuring real-world cancer survivors as campaign models, as in Ford’s Warriors in Pink “Models of Courage,” or naming products after breast cancer victims, such as Caribou Coffee’s “Amy’s Blend,” brands are connecting with consumers through true-life stories, quite literally putting the faces of breast cancer, not the brand, front and center.
• Shifting from the grocery aisle to the beauty aisle: “Pink” once seemed centralized to food and beverage products, but today the fashion and beauty industry is taking center-stage. From cosmetics, to jewelry, to apparel, the bulk of this year’s campaigns are coming from the beauty world.
• Going beyond donations: Some brands, like Avon and Novartis, are providing more than just dollars toward the cause – they are creating opportunities for people affected by breast cancer to connect to critical emotional support through online communities and social networking.
• Curating collections: Companies such as Sephora and Macy’s are offering carefully selected “suites” of products in support of breast cancer, giving consumers a wider selection of items to purchase and maximizing opportunities to capture support.

So perhaps the average consumer is over pinkified as well.