last one in San Antonio...Hi from madubois63

[madubois63]

Well, everyone else is gone, and I will be heading to the airport very shortly. I will need a few days to sift through the many pieces of information I collected. I actually had to buy a new suitcase to bring home all the stuff!! I picked up some information on IBC and just so much on metestatic bc that my head is spinning. It is very exciting to see what is coming our way. Just a little tidbit for you that I thought was so amazing. Dr. Susan Love told us about a project she is working on. It is a sort of band-aid that is placed on the nipple. The woman then massages the breast, and if fluid is present, it will turn the band-aid colors showing protiens that are in bc (or not). From there the woman will go on to get further testing. If it works like they want it too, it will save so many lives. Think about our daughters, grandkids and women in less developed counties that can buy this in the drug store and do a simple test at home...

Please keep the faith. So much is happening, and it is happening fast. I know for some of us it may not seem fast enough, but they are making incredible advancements!!! The doctors, reasearchers and scientists are always happy to see us - the end result of what they are doing. Christine is just AMAZING, but you all know that and the rest of the ladies (and gents) that were here are just the friendliest, most amazing people!! I can not thank Joe and Christine enough for this opportunity and can't wait to have the time to pass along some of the things I learned.

Love to you all...Maryann

[Believe51]

I am so looking forward to hearing all you gathered about IBC. You know by now this is my quest! Thanks for inspiring hope until your return when we shall be revitalized! Travel safe my lil packrat!! LOL>>Believe51

[tricia keegan]

A simple home test?? Now would'nt that be something!
It all sounds very excitng Maryanne and I too will be looking forward to hearing more..wishing you a safe and pleasant trip home!

[dlaxague]

My flight out isn't until 3pm. It feels different to sit here La Quinta's lobby without the hustle and bustle of thousands of symposium attendees coming and going.

This was my fifth consecutive year at SABCS. I am less starry-eyed than I was in those first few years but there is still an overwhelming awe that results from seeing the quality and number of minds that are working to find answers to breast cancer. It is simultaneously encouraging and frustrating. We know so much more about breast cancer than we did 5 years ago. Unfortunately, the overarching theme about what we have learned is that it is an incredibly complex topic, and that each answer gained raises many more questions, often without (yet) improving survival in the trenches. But still, this year included many incremental improvements and some promising new treatments.

I was glad to get to meet Brenda, Mary-Anne-from-Texas, and Chrisy. Joe, you were busy and so I intended to return later to express my thanks for what you do, in person. But time just flew by and the next thing I knew, they were dismantling the exhibit section. So please again accept my cyber-thanks for the existence of this wonderful resource.

There are many online resources for symposium updates and summaries, and of course the SABCS website itself is posting slides and posters more quickly than ever before. Here is CR magazine's page with blogs and podcasts by Musa Mayer and Kevin Begos:

http://www.crmagazine.org/archive/Pa...FromSABCS.aspx

And Susan Love's blogs are posted on several websites:

http://blog.dslrf.org/

http://www.bewell.com/Blog.aspx?blog...ookieSupport=1

I haven't had time to read them and see if they're the same so I included both URLs. (are there any English majors in the audience? I'm pretty sure Grammar Girl said you don't put and apostophre after the initials (URL) when you add an "s", but it looks wrong to me).

It's hard to express what it means to be in the middle of so much brilliance and dedication. While my own starry eyes have become a bit tarnished over time, it still affects me strongly. For example, I attended a lunchtime basic science presentation. I was barely able to follow even the most basic gist of the discussions among these young researchers as they discussed their 6 or 7 different studies on the topic. Kind of like listening to a foreign language that you know just enough of to understand what the topic is that is being discussed but not really to follow what is being said about it. But the energy of these brilliant, mostly-young minds is palpable and hope-generating.

One disappointment this year was that there were no updates on the adjuvant Herceptin trials. Not a single one that I saw (and I was looking).

Time to head to the airport. The first leg of my travels is a flight change in Denver where it appears to be minus eleven degrees. Brrrr.

Love,
Debbie Laxague

[Joe]

Christine and I just returned to an unusually cold and rainy San Diego.

Anyway this year there were many new anncouncements and it will also take me a few days to sort all of the info out.

I do wish to thank all of those who attended the meeting on our behalf. Real dedication is when you can spend 4 days away from home less than two weeks before the holidays in order to help better our organization.

My thanks to:

Brenda, Maryann (TX), Maryanne (Madubois), Loren, Donna, Chrissy, Paty and Veronica for taking the time to help out. There is a special place in heaven for all of you.

Warmest Regards
Joe

[ElaineM]

It must have been amazing to be there and hear about all the new ideas and developments in breast cancer.
Just reading the posts you all provided is amazing.
That band aid test sounds great. I feel hopeful and excited about all the new developments and ideas.
Mele Kalikimaka (Merry Christmas)

[SoCalGal]

Maryanne and Debbie - and all - Thanks for this thread and your updates. These words are very powerful and give so much hope.
Flori

[karenann]

Thanks to everyone who attended SABCS... and for the information you will share with us in the upcoming weeks. I am especially excited to find out more information regarding the "band - aid" project! Breast cancer runs in my family (I am the 9th documented case) and I worry about my daughter.

Yeah Dr. Love!

Karen