May 3, 2000
^Portland
(Dbseruer
Paye A3
^lorthxnò (Observer
Health/Education
Breast cancer hits men, too
Ç oN lIU BLTED S IORV
A patient o f N orthw est C ancer
Specialists, James Lowery turned his
tragedy into a bridge o f awareness as
he had educated and supported
others, with male breast cancer.
Diagnosed with the disease last year,
Low ery helped form a m onthly
support group called Bridging the
Gap: Male Breast Cancer Awareness
Group which meets the first Thursday
ofeverym onthat7pm . in the Legacy
Good Samaritan Hospital, 1040 NW
■22nd Ave., Conference Room D.
The first group o f its kind in the
United States, the support group
encourages men to talk about breast
cancer and learn the truth about it
being a difficult diagnosis. “ Because
it’s uncommon in men, many men will
be informed not to worry about a
lump or swel ling,” said Teresa Lyons,
the wife ofbreast cancer victim Dave
Lyons.
According to the American Cancer
Society, this year some 1,400 men will
be diagnosed with breast cancer and
400 men will dieofit. Both Lowery and
Dave Lyons noticed lumps in their
breasts years before it was diagnosed.
And for Lyons part o f the struggle
was finding a doctor who would take
him seriously.
Luckily for Lowery, once he saw a
physician, he received a mastectomy
w ithin w eeks and chem otherapy
about a month later form Northwest
C a n c e r S p e c ia lis ts ’ Dr. R alph
Weinstein. “My father is alive today
because ofNCS,” said Paula Beaulieu,
L ow ery’s daughter who lives in
Tigard. Dr. Weinstein who worked
with Lowery and hisdaughterbelieve
some doctors delay the diagnosis of
breast cancer because it is more
common among women and not on
doctors’ minds. “For both patients
and doctors, there needs to be more
awareness so there can be an early
diagnosis,” W einstein said. The
support group can help battle the
perception that men do not get breast
cancer and the stigma behind it.
So far, the cancer support group has
about five regular members and
several who come and go. Besides
sharing concerns and educating new
diagnosed victims, the group also
sponsors speakers, such as Dr.
Weinstein. Lyons and his wife also
plan on having barbecues and
organizing more events for members.
“Our goal also is to get out there and
tell men that they are not alone,”
T e re sa sa id .N o rth w e st C ancer
Specialists (NCS) is the largest
oncology physician group in the
Pacific Northwest. Northwest
Cancer Specialists currently
provides medical oncology,
gynecological oncology and
bone m arrow stem cell
transplantation in 10 locations
th ro u g h o u t P o rtla n d and
Vancouver. They also provide
p ro fe ssio n a l
o n co lo g y
services in The Dalles and in
Hood River, Oregon.
NCS physicians are board-
certified in internal medicine
and specially trained and
certified in medical oncology
(c a n c e r),
g y n e c o lo g ic a l
oncology and surgery, and
h e m a to lo g y
(b lo o d ).
Northwest Cancer Specialists
is affiliated with US Oncology,
the nation’s largest network o f
professionals dedicated to
oncology.
Advertise in
(The -JjJortlanh (Obscrucr
Call 288-0033
for rates
Saturday, May 6,10 am-4 pm FREE
Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center
5340 N Interstate Ave, Portland
(Trl-Met bus #5)
Information & discussion about Interstate MAX
★ Art, design & construction
Prostate cancer test benefits African-American men
★ Bike routes
★ Brownfields study
Cultures entertainment
★ Lillian Pitt’s Shared Spirits sculpture, masks, prints
f h e "free" PSA blood test is highly
accurate in detecting prostate cancer
in African-American men, the group
\vi th the highest rate of prostate cancer
in the world.
Study results published in the March
(ssue o f Urology indicate that the
fDA-approved blood test works as
ljeliably in African-American men as
(tdoes in white men.
J h e test can be used to help men
|v o i d u n n e c e ssa ry and c o stly
Ijiopsies.
Prostate-specific antigen exists in
several forms in the blood. Some forms
are bound to protein and others are
unbound, or “free.”
“ It is crucial that we can rely on our
most effective screening tools to work
equally weli on all men regardless o f
their race,” said study co-author Dr.
Kevin Slawin, assistant professor of
urology at BaylorCollegeof Medicine
and director o f the Baylor Prostate
Center at The Methodist Hospital.
The free PSA test is a follow-up to the
PSA test. It helps determine whether
slight elevations shown in the PSA
test will be o f the most benefit to
those at high risk for prostate cancer,
Slawin said.
“ W e d o n ’t know for sure why
African-Americans have a higher rate
o f cancer or why they tend to have
less favorable outcomes,” he said.
“However, early detection is currently
our best weapon in the fight against
prostate cancer.”
Researchers say African-American
men tend to develop prostate cancer
at a younger age.
When the cancer is diagnosed, it is
often m ore advanced and more
aggressive.
The free PSA test is used as a follow
up test for men who have a
moderately elevated level o f
PSA. O f this group o f men,
whites have a 25 percent risk of
having prostate cancer, while
the risk in African-American
men is from 30 percent to 50
percent.Before the free PSA
test on a multi-center study,
the largest to compare free PSA
test results between the two
races.lt was conducted in
seven m ajor U.S. m edical
facilities, using the Hybritech
free PSA assay manufactured
by Beckman Coulter, Inc.
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★ Stage II/Teen Artists (2 pm)
★ ATZINNEGAYALLI (3 pm)
Mexican pastries, coffee and juice.
Children encouraged!
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