5 Things You Need to Know About Breast Cancer

Protecting Your Future Beyond Today’s Breast Cancer Diagnosis

A breast cancer diagnosis is a life-altering moment, filled with questions about treatment, prognosis, and the road ahead. While initial therapies are increasingly effective, a crucial truth often goes unmentioned: breast cancer can recur, sometimes years after initial treatment.

This emphasizes the importance of not just tackling the present disease, but also safeguarding future treatment options. Understanding how your tumor tissue is preserved can literally change the trajectory of your cancer journey.

1. Recurrence is a Real Concern: The Long Shadow of Breast Cancer

While great strides have been made in breast cancer treatment, the risk of recurrence, where cancer returns after a period of remission, is a significant concern. For women with early breast cancer, approximately 7% to 11% experience a local recurrence within the first five years after treatment [1]. However, recurrence risk can persist much longer, particularly for hormone receptor-positive cancers. Studies have shown that the cumulative incidence of recurrence can be as high as 16.6% even 32 years after primary diagnosis for some types [2]. This long-term risk underscores the need for continuous vigilance and access to advanced diagnostic tools should the cancer return.

2. The Hidden Flaw of FFPE: Compromising Your Future Options

The current standard for preserving tumor tissue after biopsy or surgery is formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE). While FFPE excels at preserving tissue structure for routine pathology, it is a significant drawback when it comes to advanced molecular testing. The formalin fixation process chemically alters and fragments DNA, RNA, and proteins within the tissue. Research indicates that up to 70% of DNA extracted from older FFPE blocks can be fragmented, impacting accurate sequencing [3]. RNA integrity also suffers, making robust gene expression profiling challenging.

This degradation is not just a scientific nuisance; it directly affects your ability to benefit from the latest in cancer care. These damaged biomolecules can lead to:

• Inaccurate or incomplete genomic testing results: Limiting the identification of specific mutations that could be targeted by personalized drugs.
• Reduced eligibility for cutting-edge clinical trials: Many trials require high-quality, intact tissue for biomarker analysis, excluding patients whose FFPE samples are too degraded. Estimates suggest that only a small fraction of FFPE samples are suitable for the advanced molecular analysis needed for many precision medicine trials.

3. Cryopreservation: The Superior Choice for Future Care

In stark contrast to FFPE, cryopreservation involves freezing live tumor tissue at ultra-low temperatures, preserving its biological integrity. This method essentially “pauses” the tissue, maintaining the quality of DNA, RNA, proteins, and even viable cells.

The statistical superiority is clear: cryopreserved samples yield significantly higher quantities and better quality DNA and RNA, leading to more reliable and comprehensive molecular profiling [4]. This means:

• Higher success rates for advanced genomic testing: Enabling a deeper understanding of your tumor’s unique biology.
• Increased eligibility for innovative clinical trials: Accessing new therapies that demand high-quality tissue for biomarker testing.
• Potential for living models: Cryopreserved cells can be used to create organoids (mini-tumors) or patient-derived xenografts for ex-vivo drug testing, directly guiding treatment decisions.

Most cancer patients are simply unaware that this superior method exists and is an option they can choose.

4. Own Your Tissue, Own Your Future: The Power of Patient Control

Once your tumor tissue is removed, it often becomes the property of the hospital or pathology lab. This can limit your control over its future use, which is critical in an era of rapidly evolving cancer science. Taking ownership and control of your tumor tissue is paramount. This allows you the freedom and choice to:

• Direct your tissue to specialized labs for advanced analysis.
• Explore new treatment pathways outside of initial standard protocols.
• Potentially contribute to research while directly benefiting from discoveries.

Imagine having the power to leverage your own unique biological blueprint for better, more precise treatment options, even years down the line.

5. Beyond Tissue: The Holistic Approach to Empowered Cancer Care

Navigating a cancer diagnosis is overwhelming. Beyond tissue preservation, comprehensive support can significantly ease the journey and enhance treatment effectiveness. This includes:

• Understanding your Medical Records: Medical records are complex. Having them transcribed and summarized into plain English empowers you to understand your condition, communicate effectively with your medical team, and share information with family and caretakers.
• AI Analysis & Clinical Trial Matching: The volume of medical research is immense. AI can analyze your medical records and properly preserved tissue data to match you with ongoing or planned clinical trials, opening doors to more treatment options you might never find otherwise.
• Advanced Genomic Testing: Identifying the precise genetic mutations in your tumor, especially for tough or rare cancers, is the foundation of precision medicine. This testing can pinpoint personalized treatments tailored to your unique disease, minimizing trial-and-error.

Specicare: Empowering Your Cancer Journey

This is where Specicare.com steps in as a leader in patient-centric cancer care. Specicare offers a comprehensive suite of services designed to empower you with control and access to the best future options:

• Cryopreservation and Storage: Specicare is at the forefront of cryopreserving and storing your tumor tissue and blood samples, ensuring the highest quality for future advanced testing and use.
• Medical Records Transcription & Summarization: They provide clear, plain-English summaries of your electronic medical records, making complex information accessible.
• Clinical Trial Matching: Specicare matches your tissue specimens and medical records to ongoing or planned clinical trials, actively exploring more treatment options for you.
• Advanced Genomic Testing: They offer cutting-edge genomic testing to identify potential precision, personalized treatments for challenging cancers and rare diseases.

In the face of breast cancer, don’t let outdated practices limit your future. Taking proactive steps, especially regarding your tissue preservation, can be the most important decision you make for your long-term health and access to the evolving world of personalized cancer medicine. You have the right to own and control your future care.

References:

1. Cleveland Clinic. “Breast Cancer Recurrence: Rates, Signs & Treatment.” (Referenced from search results)
2. Pan, H., et al. “The Incidence of Breast Cancer Recurrence 10-32 Years After Primary Diagnosis.” PMC, 2019. (Referenced from search results)
3. AACR Journals. “Accuracy of Molecular Data Generated with FFPE Biospecimens: Lessons from the Literature.” Cancer Research, 2015. (Referenced from search results, specifically the ~70% fragmentation leading to issues)
4. ResearchGate. “DNA Quantity and Quality Comparisons between Cryopreserved and FFPE Tumors from Matched Pan-Cancer Samples.” MDPI, 2024. (Referenced from search results, specifically the 4.2-fold increase in DNA yield and 223% increase in DNA quality number from cryopreserved tissue).