ADVISORY

U-M experts available on Elizabeth Edwards’ cancer diagnosis

ANN ARBOR—The University of Michigan has faculty members who can speak about various topics related to Elizabeth Edwards’ diagnosis of breast cancer. They include:

Laurel Northouse, Mary Lou Willard French Professor of Nursing, studies the emotional effects of a cancer diagnosis on a patient and his or her family. Northouse has found that when a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, it is emotionally difficult for the spouse and family members as well—sometimes even more so for the loved ones. She has developed a program that involves home visits and phone calls to the cancer patient and her significant other. She can be reached at (734) 615-4016, lnortho@umich.edu.

For more on Northouse: http://ipumich.temppublish.com/public/experts/ExpDisplay.php?ExpID=569

Dr. Lisa Newman, associate professor of surgery, is director of the Breast Care Center at the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center. Newman can discuss improvement in breast cancer treatment and survival rates. In her practice, she performs innovative surgical techniques, including sentinel lymph node biopsy. One new approach to treatment involves neoadjuvant chemotherapy, in which a patient gets chemotherapy before surgery to shrink her tumor. In some cases, this allows a woman to undergo breast-conserving lumpectomy instead of mastectomy. To set up an interview with Newman, contact Nicole Fawcett at (734) 764-2220 or nfawcett@umich.edu.

Penny Pierce , associate professor of nursing, studies women’sdecision-making processes when confronted with breast cancer. Her research describeshow women’s values and preferences influence the treatment choices they makeas well as long-term satisfaction. The Army Breast Cancer Research Program isfunding her research examining the decision making of women with recurrent breastcancer to better understand how women make choices when cancer returns. Pierceaims to help women make choices that are scientifically sound, consistent withtheir values and preferences, and that lead to better psychological and physicaloutcomes. Pierce can be reached at pfpierce@umich.edu.For more on Pierce: http://ipumich.temppublish.com/public/experts/ExpDisplay.php?ExpID=604

More resources:

The U-M Comprehensive Cancer Centeroffers comprehensive diagnostic, treatment and support services dedicated to cancer patients, in an environment that reflects our mission of the conquest of cancer through innovation and collaboration. http://www.cancer.med.umich.edu/

An illustrated guide to breast self examination, presented by the Cancer Center: http://www.cancer.med.umich.edu/learn/bcexamillustrate.htm

The National Cancer Institute ‘s breast cancer resources: http://www.nci.nih.gov/cancertopics/types/breast