A Historical Perspective and
the Rise of Pink Awareness
Gwen Akers
The Ashland Beacon

Whenever we wear pink for the month of October, what do we think of? Are we reminded of the people around us that are fighting breast cancer? This October, we are taking the time to reflect on breast cancer awareness month – and how we did not always wear pink during this month.
Breast cancer itself has been diagnosed since ancient times, beginning when Hippocrates (“the father of Western medicine”) first suggested that breast cancer was a systemic disease. His observations of the disease held for thousands of years until 1757, when Henri Le Dran, a French doctor, theorized that the surgical removal of the tumor could cure the illness. While this procedure was not attempted and until the 19th century, medical advancement and research has continued to gain ground. In 1957, we saw the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) formed to test the efficacy of various anticancer treatments and surgeries.
The biggest strides occurred in 1967 when the mastectomy was approved as a treatment option, and later again in 1976 with the use of radiation therapy. Since these days, both surgical and surveillance treatment and diagnosis have improved greatly.
Physician Assistant (PA-C), Lindsay Montgomery, is no stranger to working on the front lines with breast cancer patients.
Montgomery has worked at Kings Daughters Medical Center for several years, in both urology and now with breast cancer patients. Montgomery did not always plan to work with breast cancer patients, but after her mom’s diagnosis, and the introduction of herself to many of her future mentors, Montgomery had no doubts this was the path for her.
Currently, Montgomery works with high-risk patients who display a genetic predisposition or medical history that may put them at an increased risk. “Once those patients have been identified, they often link it to me, so I can do the surveillance for them,” explained Montgomery, who also helps her patients in connecting with other doctors and specialists to receive the support they need.
With her movement into caring for high-risk treatments, Montgomery has been studying just how the treatment of breast cancer has changed and evolved over the years.
After the introduction of radiation treatment in the 1970s, the next big step for breast cancer treatment came with the introduction of the drug “Herceptin,” which targets cancer cells and works to inhibit tumor growth. This medication generally works well for people with triple negative, or very aggressive cancers.
While chemotherapy treatment in itself is still not by any means easy, patients now have more options when it comes to treatment than they did in the past. According to Montgomery, modern medications can be taken in conjunction with chemotherapy to help with nausea, and even in some cases hair loss.
Really, what makes the difference to cancer patients is the care they receive. Montgomery and her team have been working diligently for years to create a supportive environment for their patients in everything that they do.
“I get to see them from the very beginning to where they walk in the door, and they have been diagnosed. I get to see them have their surgery. I get to see them, and I'm involved in the surgery. Then afterward, I see them postoperatively, help make sure that they are going to radiation, going to chemo, whatever next mode of treatment that they might require, and then at the end, I'm getting to do their mammograms for the next five years,” detailed Montgomery.
Early detection and diagnosis have become easier in recent years, with the encouragement of at home exams and yearly mammograms. These tests may seem like a hassle but having them done can really protect you in the long wrong when it comes to detecting breast cancer early.
Currently, doctors are working to streamline the screening process for patients and mitigating the number of callbacks that must occur. In this vein, studying breast tissue density and understanding how to take sliced photographs of particular tissues through breast MRIs and the development of new tomosynthesis techniques has allowed doctors to detect breast cancer much quicker and easier than ever before.
“When somebody says the word cancer, you know what that carries. You know immediately that has an emotional, psychological impact. So being able to have someone that they see and get to know every step of the way – I think is crucial to them,” expressed Montgomery.
Wearing pink in October may have just started as a weeklong awareness campaign by the American Cancer Society in 1985, but now every time we wear pink, we show our support for those around us that truly need it. When you wear pink this October, remember just who you are supporting and the people around us that are fighting for a better future.
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