Simply Stated
- By Bill Lozon, Pamela Friedman
- Feb 01, 2001
The National Cancer Institute (NCI) estimates that about 1 in 8 women in the United States will develop breast cancer during their lifetime. Although this is a frightening number, it is not as frightening as the diagnosis of breast cancer itself. The impact of a breast cancer diagnosis on a woman can be devastating as she is inundated with treatment options and side effects as well as dealing with the aftermath of a mastectomy surgery.
Research has led to progress against breast cancer - better treatments, a lower chance of death from the disease and improved quality of life. Scientists are learning more about what causes breast cancer and are exploring new ways to prevent, detect, diagnose and treat this disease.
Awareness and Prevention
Surgery for Survival
While progress is being made in cancer research and preventative care, many women still must undergo breast mastectomy surgery. Surgery is the most common treatment for breast cancer, and there are several types depending on the location of tumors and the severity of the cancer, and each type has benefits and risks that will affect patients differently.
- Lumpectomy - During this procedure, doctors remove the cancer but not the breast. It is considered a breast-conserving surgery and consists of removing the cancer and some normal tissue around it. Often, some of the lymph nodes are removed as well.
- Segmental mastectomy - This surgery, also considered a breast-conserving surgery, involves removing the cancer and a larger area of normal breast tissue around it. Occasionally, some of the lining over the chest muscles below the tumor is removed as well as some lymph nodes under the arm.
- Total (simple) mastectomy - The surgeon removes the whole breast, while some lymph nodes under the arm may also be removed.
- Modified radical mastectomy - Women who undergo this procedure have the entire breast removed, most of the lymph nodes under the arm, and often the lining over the chest muscles. The smaller of the two chest muscles also may be taken out to help in the removal of the lymph nodes.
- Radical mastectomy - For years, this operation was considered the standard for women with breast cancer, but it is almost never used today except in rare incidences where the cancer has spread to the chest muscles. This operation includes removal of the breast, both chest muscles, all of the lymph nodes under the arm and some additional fat and skin.
Recovery from these surgeries can be a difficult time for women faced with psychological issues, physical changes and the need for various products to help them heal and feel whole again.
Rehabilitation is a very important part of breast cancer treatment, and health care teams recommend that women return to their normal activities as soon as possible. |
Rehabilitation is a very important part of breast cancer treatment, and health care teams recommend that women return to their normal activities as soon as possible. Recovery is different for each woman, depending on the extent of the disease, type of treatment and other factors.
Products for Support
Breast cancer changes a woman's life and the lives of those close to her. These changes can be hard to handle and it's common for the women to have many different and sometimes confusing emotions. Having helpful information and support services can make it easier to cope with these problems. Sometimes women who have had a mastectomy surgery are afraid that changes to their body will affect not only how they look, but also how other people feel about them. After a mastectomy, some women decide to wear a breast form or prosthesis, which often helps them feel more comfortable returning to regular routines and lifestyles.
Several considerations should be made when creating a breast form or prosthesis. Spinal curvature - often a problem associated with mastectomy surgeries - can sometimes be prevented if a woman is properly balanced between her natural breast and a prosthesis. Women not only want a breast form that resembles the actual breast in shape, size and color, but they also need a prosthesis that will help support the back and neck.
Realizing the changing needs of patients, manufacturers are trying to meet those needs by offering them products that resemble the natural appearance, feel and weight of a breast while restoring feminine shape and balance. Not only does the style of the breast form matter but the weight and temperature also are important factors when designing prostheses. Lightweight forms help alleviate back pain while cooler prosthesis offer more comfort for women, creating an ideal environment for women to wear the form longer making them more compliant.
Not only do breast forms help in the surgery recovery process - both physically and mentally - but post-mastectomy bras also are a vital item for women who choose to wear prostheses. Specialty bras can alleviate shoulder drop, which is a side effect of surgery, by changing the angle or tightness of the bra strap to conform to the body's natural tendencies, making it more comfortable for the woman to wear a breast form.
"I think sometimes the bra is forgotten. Regular bras don't always get the job done in a healthy way," said Louise Rose, vice president of Jodee Bra, Hollywood, Fla.
Biomedical Horizons Inc., Jackson, Mich., manufacturers products such as its wonderstrap line, which are hypoallergenic pads that women can put their bra strap through to prevent slippage.
While manufacturers attempt to help patients lead more comfortable lives with various products, they also need to educate themselves on breast cancer, treatment procedures, psychological issues and the needs of survivors so they can better serve their clientele.
Sales with Sensitivity
Both manufacturers and home medical equipment (HME) providers need to stay informed on the latest trends in dealing with breast cancer. New advances are being made, not only in the product arena, but also in surgical advances and survival rates.
Mastectomy surgeries are no longer restricted to complete breast removal so it is important for HME providers and manufacturers to stay updated about new surgical procedures. In doing this, the development of new products will begin answering the needs of all breast cancer survivors and not just a select few.
HME providers can help by maintaining a variable stock of breast forms, supports and bras so women are able to find what they need. With all the emotional confusion that survivors undergo, these women need to know there are products available for them, and that finding them is not a difficult or embarrassing task.
Simply stated, manufacturers and HME providers can be successful in the post-mastectomy market by remembering the three key elements: survival, support and sensitivity. |
By staying informed, providers can offer their clients truly customized service. Women are sometimes frightened and scared at the idea of obtaining a prosthesis, which often can be detrimental because they postpone shopping for breast forms when it is a necessary part of their recovery. If HME providers are knowledgeable about what cancer survivors need, they can help put their customers at ease, making the process less threatening.
Many manufacturers offer their distributors training programs to better educate them about new breast forms as well as customer sensitivity. HME providers and manufacturers also can attend seminars held at different trade shows, attend conferences that directly relate to the post-mastectomy market or review Web sites to stay informed on new trends in the industry.
Simply stated, manufacturers and HME providers can be successful in the post-mastectomy market by remembering the three key elements: survival, support and sensitivity.
Prevention Equals Quality Care
Breaking the Mold in Breast Cancer Awareness
While quality care and service is a necessity in the post-mastectomy market, prevention plays the most vital role for breast cancer awareness. Many companies and health care facilities are drawing on new and innovative marketing ideas to spread the word about preventative measures women can take to detect the early signs of breast cancer.
North Memorial Medical Center in Minneapolis recently teamed up with GeigerBevolo Inc. to create an entire marketing campaign focusing on education and prevention. According to the American Cancer Society, more than 2,800 women in Minnesota will be diagnosed with breast cancer in a given year. North Memorial decided to take action and make people aware of the devastating impact breast cancer can have.
An opportunity to sponsor the awareness campaign "Fashion Targets Breast Cancer" arose and North Memorial jumped at the opportunity to be a part of it. With the help of a local marketing firm, the medical center created a health services program that included advertising, marketing materials and a breast cancer kit. Saks Fifth Avenue participated by housing all the materials in a giant breast awareness campaign. During four days of shopping, Saks donated two percent of all sales from the 62 national Saks stores plus one perent of sales from the 45 Off Fifth stores to the campaign.
The Minneapolis Saks Fifth Avenue store added a special evening kick-off event to salute breast cancer survivors and provided a private shpping night with a 10 percent discount to the 250 attendees. Local restaurants donated food and beverages and two local jazz celebrities performed. The event raised nearly $15,000 for the Twin Cities Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
GeigerBevolo proposed further marketing ideas to help the four day event be more successful. They created a 12-foot central information display located on the high traffic skyway level, and shoppers could pick up a free breat health awareness kit at the display and from various check-out counters. The kit inlcluded a chance to win a $500 shopping spree, a self-examination shower card, reminder stickers for the calendar, a brochure with tips on early breast cancer detection and a guide to North Memorial's breast health services.
"The kit was meant to be small enough to fit into a purse - discrete, but somehting you would save and maybe file on a shelf or in a drawer," explained Scott Geiger, co-founder of GeigerBevolo.
By the end of the month, more than 4,000 kits had been distributed as a result of the campaign. It is marketing strategies like these that health care providers and home medical equipment dealers can utilize to help spread the word about breast cancer while answering the needs of breast cancer survivors.
It's an exciting feeling when you know the work you've done can make a huge difference in people's lives," said Chris Bevolo, co-founder of GeigerBevolo.
This article originally appeared in the February 2001 issue of HME Business.