Of Mammograms and Men

A study by MSK researchers published this month in Breast Cancer Research and Treatment and reported by AuntMinnie.com found that men at increased risk for breast cancer could benefit from screening mammograms.

The authors performed a retrospective review of 163 asymptomatic men at increased risk for breast cancer due to family history, personal history, or BRCA1/BRCA2 genetic mutations. After reviewing 806 screening mammograms done over nearly 7 years, the authors calculated a cancer detection rate of 4.9 per 1,000 mammograms, comparable to average-risk women. This indicates that screening mammography could be a useful tool in the high-risk male population, though the authors state that larger studies are needed to strengthen this conclusion. There are currently no guidelines on the use of screening mammography in men.

Taking Pride in LGBTQ+ Care

Pride Month may be over, but LGBTQ+ healthcare needs do not end with the month of June. An article in AM New York addresses some steps MSK and MSK staff have taken to provide high-quality care to LGBTQ+ patients.

Nelson Sanchez, MD. Source: Ethan Kavet

Nelson Sanchez, MD. Source: Ethan Kavet

In the article, MSK’s Dr. Nelson Sanchez discusses the training he provides colleagues, including best practices for gathering patient information on sexual orientation and gender identity and how to appropriately examine transgender patients. He also notes that MSK has begun adding gender identity and sexual orientation fields to electronic medical records to further improve quality of care.

Learn more about LGBTQ+ healthcare at MSK.

Chronic Pain in Cancer Survivors: A Closer Look at Prevalence

A new research study published in JAMA Oncology has found that about 35% of cancer survivors live with chronic pain. One of the study’s authors is Dr. Robert Sidlow, MD, MBA, Head, Division of Survivorship and Supportive Care; Associate Chair, Patient Care Operations at MSK.

Dr. Robert Sidlow Image credit: MSK Digital Assets Library

Corresponding author Changchuan Jiang, MD, MPH, a medical resident at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s and Mount Sinai West, told Science Daily that the study is the “first comprehensive estimate of chronic pain prevalence among cancer survivors” and that the study results “highlight the important unmet needs of pain management in the large, and growing cancer survivorship community.”

The study also found that the prevalence of chronic pain is highest among certain types of cancer survivors – including bone (54.0%), kidney (52.3%), throat-pharynx (47.9%), and uterine (44.5%) cancers.

Jiang, C., Wang, H., Wang, Q., Luo, Y., Sidlow, R., & Han, X. (2019). Prevalence of Chronic Pain and High-Impact Chronic Pain in Cancer Survivors in the United States. JAMA oncology.