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Preya Ananthakrishnan, M.D., F.A.C.S., a board certified surgeon who specializes in breast diseases, has joined the Breast Center at St. Vincent’s Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Ananthakrishnan has special interests in breast conservation, sentinel lymph node biopsy, oncoplastic reconstruction after lumpectomy, skin-sparing mastectomy, and nipple sparing mastectomy. Prior to joining the Breast Center at St. Vincent’s Comprehensive Cancer Center, Dr. Ananthakrishnan was an associate staff physician in breast surgery at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio.
Among the many honors she has received include the Arnold P. Gold Award for Humanism in Medicine in 2006. She has published several articles in medical journals and books, with the most recent being a comparison of the timing of breast reconstruction after mastectomy. She has presented original research posters at national breast cancer conferences.
Dr. Ananthakrishnan graduated with a medical degree from the University of Louisville School of Medicine in Louisville, Kentucky. She went on to do her residency training in general surgery at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey where she was the Administrative Chief Resident. She then completed a Breast Oncology Fellowship at John Wayne Cancer Institute in Santa Monica, California. Dr. Ananthakrishnan is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a member of the American Society of Breast Surgeons and the Society of Surgical Oncology.
Q: Is it important for women to get a mammogram?
A: A mammogram is the best screening tool we      have when looking for breast cancer. A      mammogram is one of the best ways to find      breast cancer early when it can be treated more      effectively.
Q: When is it recommended that women have      screening mammograms?
A: The American Cancer Society guidelines      recommend that women 40 and older should      have a screening mammogram every year and      continue or as long as they are in good health. If      a woman has a family history of breast cancer,      screening may actually start earlier.
Q: Why don’t women have mammograms sooner      then 40?
A: The breast tissue in younger women is extremely      dense which increases the chance for a false      positive in that population.
Q: What advice would you give to women?
A: Go for your annual mammogram. See your      doctor if you notice any changes in your breasts      such as lumps, changes in breast shape, or      dimpling of the skin. Also, if you have a family      history of breast cancer, talk to your doctor      about your options.
Q: Can men get breast cancer?
A: Certainly, men can get breast cancer, about 1%      of all breast cancers are found in men. Like      breast cancer in women, the risk for men is      actually higher if there is a history of breast      cancer in their family.
Q: What advice would you give to men?
A: Most importantly, men should be aware that      they can get breast cancer. If they notice      anything unusual in their breasts, including      lumps, they should take it seriously and have a      full work up by a doctor.
The Cancer Center is excited to announce the opening of two new clinical trials for patients with metastatic breast cancer:
The first trial is for HER2+ metastatic breast cancer, regardless of the ER/PR staining. The purpose of this study is to combine Herceptin with IPI-504, a new Heat Shock Protein (HSP), to see what effect it has on breast cancer. This HSP has been studied in many solid tumors with exciting results. The trial is open to patients with metastatic disease that is HER2+ and has had two prior Herceptin containing regimens for metastatic disease.
The second trial is for patients who are HER2 positive or negative with metastatic disease regardless of HER2 testing or ER staining that has been refractory to prior treatment regimens. The purpose of this study is to determine whether an experimental drug, Eribulin, causes less frequent or less severe neuropathy than a currently approved drug, Ixabepilone (Ixempra). This trial is open to people who have received prior taxane therapy and at least one prior cytotoxic chemotherapy regimen for advanced disease.
Please speak with your doctor to learn more about the eligibility requirements if you are interested in participating in a clinical trial.
Remember Thanksgiving is not just about the food, it is also a celebration of friends and family. Enjoy all of the parts of your Thanksgiving Day; maybe it is the parade, some time with a loved one, or time to play with the children in your family.
• Squash soup - Squash soup can be a great low fat starter if you make it that way. Leave out the heavycream and butter, squash is plenty flavorful on its own. Try using broth or skim milk instead.
• Turkey - Go for the white meat, skip the skin and go light on the gravy. Try replacing the gravy with a small amount of cranberry sauce, it is lighter in fat and calories than the gravy plus it is a great source of antioxidants.
• Stuffing - The name says it all. It is stuffed with fat, but it doesn’t have to be. Substitute chicken broth for ½ the fat in your stuffing recipe, add plenty of veggies like shallots, garlic, onion, carrots, celery or even butternut squash to add extra flavor. You will never miss the butter.
• Mashed potatoes or yams - Skip the cream or butter in the potatoes, use skim milk instead. You lighten the calories and add calcium, vitamin D and protein.
• Dessert - If there is ever a time to go for desert this is it. Choose one dessert and watch your portion. If you want to be really good there are plenty of low fat pumpkin pie recipes out there if you give a good look.