Skip to main content
Sign In |
  Help (new window)
PVDA Ride for Life Dressage Show & Benefit for Breast Cancer

PVDA Ride for Life

Go Search
Home
Contact Us
  
PVDA Ride for Life > Documents and Pages > Quality of Life Research  


Quality of Life Research

View All Site Content

 

                                

Johns Hopkins Breast Cancer Center – Quality of Life Research Fund

 

Breast cancer patients are coping with long-term side effects from chemotherapy, radiation and hormonal therapy, as well as dealing with body image changes that, for some, can be quite devastating. The Johns Hopkins Breast Cancer Center is on the brink of innovative research focused specifically on post-treatment issues so that a breast cancer survivor does not just endure the disease and its treatment, but also has excellent quality of life going forward. Listed below are snapshots of these research initiatives.

 

1.  “Chemo Brain” -  A research program focused on studying the effects of chemotherapy on cognitive thinking and determining the impact soy products have on alleviating some of these symptoms.

 

2.  Nerve Regeneration - Women have several options today for breast reconstruction which is good news. The downside, however, is that although we can rebuild a “Memorex version” of the breast itself, it unfortunately will not have the same sensation ability the patient knew and enjoyed before surgical treatment. Research is focusing on various surgical techniques that may actually regenerate nerves from the breast—into the reconstructed breast—so that sensation can be restored.

 

3. Pain Management/Tissue Expanders - A research study focused on specific methods of pain control making the post-operative period for women undergoing mastectomy with tissue expander more tolerable. Some women complain of excruciating pain during the first 48 hours due to placement of the tissue expander underneath the muscle, causing a muscle spasm that is quite severe. By injecting medication directly to the pain source via a pain pump, it is expected to improve the immediate post-op period and turn it into a comfortable and positive one. Immediate funding is needed to get this study started. 80% of the funding has been received, but approximately $10,000 is still needed to supplement the cost of the actual drugs.

 

4. Lymphedema Study – The causes, prevention, and identification of those at risk for lymphedema still remain gray and unclear. Johns Hopkins is currently doing a pilot study on lymphedema and additional funding is needed upon completion in order to conduct additional research on this debilitating, chronic side effect of axillary node dissection.

 

5. Fear of Recurrence – Investigation into this issue is necessary in order to help women cope and manage this psychological problem that plagues them for life.

 

6. Adherence to Hormonal Therapy - It has been shown that approximately 40% of women become non-compliant after undergoing hormonal therapy for a year. Some of the factors contributing to non-compliance include negative side effects, expense of the drug, lack of understanding regarding the value hormones play in prevention and recurrence, and other related issues. Johns Hopkins wants to formally study these factors and develop ways to promote greater compliance via educational efforts and reduction of side effects.

 

 

Our Cause and How You Can Help

 

In 2008 alone, nearly 250,000 women and 2,000 men in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer. These numbers are on the rise due to the large population of baby boomers coming into mid-life. In addition to these numbers, forty-one thousand people will die this year of breast cancer.

 

The good news is 85% of people diagnosed today with breast cancer will become long-term survivors. With the development of new technology and state-of-the-art devices and techniques, 80% of women are good candidates for lumpectomy surgery. Those needing a mastectomy have a variety of state-of-the-art reconstruction options that promote quality of life for women who lose a breast to this disease. Breast imaging technologies are enabling us to identify breast cancer earlier than ever before.

 

Proceeds from the PVDA Ride for LifeTM benefit the Quality of Life Research Fund of the Johns Hopkins Breast Cancer Center (JHBCC). This fund focuses issues survivors deal with long-term after their treatments are completed.  Issues such as:

 

·         menopausal management without the choice to take HRT for symptom relief;

·         overcoming cognitive functioning problems associated with the effects of chemotherapy on the brain;

·         possibility of nerve regeneration in a reconstructed breast;

·         possibility of avoiding/managing debilitating side effects of auxiliary node dissection, including lymphedema;

·         adjusting to a new body image, altered by surgery and radiation, and coping with fear of recurrence;

·         developing improved techniques to prevent post-op surgical pain, as well as nausea and vomiting       for women undergoing reconstructive surgery; and

·         increasing adherence to hormonal therapy that reduces side effects and greater patient education on this effective treatment.

 

Additional research focuses on transitioning breast cancer patients back to their general practitioner and gynecologist for long-term care.  As the number of newly diagnosed patients increases, the number of oncology specialists is not keeping pace and we will soon be facing a critical shortage of oncology specialists.  This cancer paradigm shift requires careful research studies be conducted as soon as possible to prepare patients/survivors and health care professionals for the inevitable near future crisis mode.

 

Johns Hopkins and PVDA want to make a difference for people dealing with breast cancer – not just while they are experiencing the diagnosis and treatment, but well beyond, to keep them healthy, physically as well as emotionally, to ensure a survivor with good quality of life going forward for them and those who they love.

 

Funding through events like the PVDA Ride for LifeTM  is imperative.  Traditionally, these types of research initiatives are not funded by pharmaceutical companies.  Since its inception in 2004, the PVDA Ride for LifeTM   has raised over $81,000 to benefit the JHBCC.  Please help us raise the research dollars needed improve the quality of life of breast cancer survivors.

 

For examples of these and other studies at the JHBCC that may benefit from donations raised through the PVDA Ride for LifeTM , click here.