NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In an effort to ensure that all women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer are well-informed about their treatment options, a new group called The BC5 Project has been formed. The consortium, which includes representatives of the corporate and academic communities as well as practicing physicians, seeks to empower women to take an active role in choosing the therapy best aligned with their health and lifestyle needs.
"Over the past 20 years, the call-to-action regarding mammography screenings has increased the number of cases of early stage breast cancer detected in the U.S.," said Catheryn Yashar, MD, Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology, the University of California San Diego. "However, once diagnosed, it's not uncommon for many women to make treatment decisions without a complete understanding of all the therapies available to them or fully understand the implications of the options they are offered. The goal of The BC5 Project is to provide women and their healthcare champions with as much information as they need in order to feel powerful and knowledgeable when discussing treatments with their doctors; and ultimately deciding on what makes the most sense for their personal care,"
The BC5 Project plans to leverage the expertise of thought leaders in the medical community by making information available that explains the lifestyle implications as well as the relative benefits of treatment choices that include 5-day radiation therapy, breast conservation therapy, mastectomy and others. The group will offer sources who will be available for commentary, interviews and opinions about early stage breast cancer treatment options, and will also be a resource for qualified content, in the form of editorials, articles, tips, infographics, video Q&As and more.
"The fact is that treatment for early-stage breast cancer has evolved dramatically – especially the science around surgical and radiation treatment options, but this has not been broadly communicated," said Yashar. "We hope to change that."
For more information, visit www.bc5project.com.