City of Hope Orange County leads “Pink is Powerful” breast health initiative

This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, City of Hope Orange County physician leaders and breast cancer experts — joined by health leaders at Orange County Health Care Agency, CalOptima Health and physicians in the community — are wearing pink lab coats as a public call to action for women to get a screened and as a show of support for all women impacted by the disease.

The distinctive attire is part of City of Hope Orange County’s regionwide mammogram advocacy initiative to address the urgent need for breast cancer screening amid rising incidence rates in younger people and communities of color. In a first-ever ceremony at City of Hope Orange County Lennar Foundation Cancer Center, physicians and health care providers from City of Hope Orange County, county and state agencies, and community partners, were “coated” with pink lab coats in recognition of their commitment to breast health. 

“Today is about empowering women to put their health first and get a mammogram,” said Annette Walker, M.H.A., President, City of Hope Orange County. “A mammogram isn’t just a medical test. It’s a declaration of your commitment to yourself, to your loved ones, and to your future.” The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently changed its guidelines to recommend women of average risk start screening mammograms at age 40 instead of the previously recommended age of 50.

“The early detection and treatment that I’ve seen in my family mirrors what we’re seeing out in the community,” said Donald P. Wagner, Chairman, Orange County Board of Supervisors. “It is survivable. It is easier — now more than ever — to find it, treat it and get on with life.”
“You don’t have to be alone. We have great [breast cancer] experts here in Orange County,” said Regina Chinsio-Kwong, D.O., County Health Officer/Chief Medical Officer, Orange County Health Care Agency. “You can get seen. You can get treated. You can have a great survival rate.”

“We are very committed to pushing down late-stage cancer discovery,” said Richard Pitts, D.O., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer, CalOptima Health. “How do you do that? Screening, screening and more screening.”

“City of Hope Orange County has a dedicated team who follows women at high risk for breast and other cancers,” said Jennifer Tseng, M.D., Medical Director, Breast Surgery, City of Hope Orange County. “In my own field of breast cancer surgery, we are conducting groundbreaking clinical trials using advanced technologies to ensure procedures are less invasive, and help women return to their lives both healthy and self-confident. If you are diagnosed with breast cancer, it’s important to receive care from an expert who only focuses on breast cancer. It can make a lifesaving difference.”

Grateful patient and breast cancer survivor Kommah McDowell shared her personal story of being diagnosed at age 29 with two aggressive types of breast cancer simultaneously — triple negative, inflammatory breast cancer. It was 2005 and McDowell, engaged to be married with a career ahead of her and no family history of breast cancer, was shocked. 

“I am a walking miracle,” McDowell said. “My treatment was successful because of City of Hope’s researchers and doctors who focus solely on cancer. Considering I had two rare forms of breast cancer, my life depended on their expertise and our strong doctor-patient partnership.”

Rising incidence rates in some populations require action.
 
The American Cancer Society (ACS)’s newly released 2024 Breast Cancer Statistics find breast cancer mortality rates overall have dropped by 44% since 1989 thanks to advances in early detection and treatment, averting approximately 517,900 breast cancer deaths.

However, not all women have benefited from this progress, notably American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) women, whose rates have remained unchanged over the past three decades. The new ACS data shows breast cancer in women under 50 years has increased in AAPI women by 50% since 2000, surpassing the rate in young Hispanic, AIAN, and Black women to become the highest rate alongside White women (both 86 per 100,000). Black women have the highest death rate from breast cancer.

Also concerning is the continued upward trend in breast cancer incidence, rising by 1% annually during 2012-2021, with the steepest increase in women younger than 50 years (1.4% per year) and Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) women of any age (2.5%-2.7% per year).  It is estimated that more than 310,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S. in 2024.

Advances offer hope for patients with breast cancer.

Not all breast cancers can be prevented, but treatment breakthroughs are proving highly effective. New chemotherapy and targeted therapies, hormone therapies, novel surgical techniques, innovative radiation approaches and new prevention strategies have been key in reducing breast cancer deaths. There are more than 4 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S.; and when women are diagnosed with breast cancer in its earliest stage, the five-year overall survival rate is 99 percent. 

Given how many mothers, sisters and daughters are impacted by this disease, it is crucial for women to be proactive with their breast health, do their self-exams and get their mammograms on time.

If breast cancer is suspected, precise breast cancer tests are crucial for treatment planning. It is important to seek care from a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center where the experts specialize in the patient’s exact type of cancer. In addition to regular mammogram screenings, NCI-designated cancer centers like City of Hope offer a comprehensive cancer risk assessment program focused on family history and genetics for patients.

First in research. First in treatment. First in survival. When it comes to cancer, it’s Hope First. Call (888) 333-HOPE (4673).|