Hi all
I listen to Sarah Kennedy review the papers on R2 in the mornings and she mentioned this report in the Daily Telegraph:
telegraph.co.uk/health/women_shealth/5006437/Spotting-secondary-breast-cancer-early-can-halve-the-risk-of-death.html
I’ve read this a couple of times and really don’t know what to make of it.
I don’t like the interchanging of the words 'second and ‘secondary’, as it is my understanding that ‘secondary’ in particular has a very precise meaning when talking about cancer.
I’m not sure where the last paragraph (and the earlier mention of a recurrence in breast tissue) fits in; surely secondary tumours can occur in many other places besides breast tissue - the last three lines seem to have been tacked on.
Finally, for a piece of medical journalism by a ‘broadsheet’, it is incredibly, irritatingly, tantalisingly, short.
Has anyone else seen it?
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S
Hi bahons…you are absolutely right to query this. I’ve just been following a thread on this article on another site.
It appears that the research says that early detection of secondary (ie metastatic) breast cancer reduces death rate, but in fact on closer perusal the research was about a second primary in the other breast and/or possibly a recurrence in the first breast…so not about ‘secondary’ breast cancer at all.
The standard thinking is that early detection of metastic breast cancer does not affect outcome (though some research has queried whether early detection of bone mets may be advanteageous in terms of strengthening bones and preventing fractures.)
Yes indeed this is horribly misleading jounalism.
Sadly, most people with metastatic disease die of breast cancer…perhaps 2-3% die of other causes.
I wonder if someone from BCC would like to comment on this…even publish a press release to clarify (there are going to be a lot of worried women with primary bc clamouring for scans.)
Jane
Flipping heck I thought it was too good to be true!No need to book an MRI then!
It is indeed horribly misleading journalism Jane!
The bit in the Telegraph is quoted from Prof. Houssami’s article
bio-medicine.org/medicine-news-1/Early-detection-of-second-breast-cancers-halves-womens-risk-of-death-39876-1/
Nowhere does she use the word ‘secondary’.
Dawn
Thanks for that link, Dawn - I’ve just had a read through. A much better summary all round.
Your link confirms what I suspected about the Telegraph’s article; that it is a sloppy and irresponsible piece of journalism. How on earth did it get through the editing process, I wonder. I thought reporters who filed medical copy had to have some sort of background in the field - seems not to be the case here.
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I rarely bother to complain to newspapers about what I read but in this instance I am quite annoyed so have emailed. If any of you want to follow suit I emailed
dtletters@telegraph.co.uk
dawnhc
I am writing to complain about the article now.
I don’t think their reporters have any medical background - a couple of weeks ago in their coverage of Jade Goody they mentioned that she had bowel cancer!
Hi Dawn
Thanks for that e-mail address.
The Daily Telegraph has now just been sent a few well-chosen words by yours truly,too. I don’t suppose they’ll take any notice, but at least they are being made aware of our displeasure about this article.
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If you are emailing the DT then don’t forget to put your name, address and phone no. I don’t think they print that but wont publish your comments without the info. If our comments do get published hopefully some will read them and we may prevent the stampede of those with primary dx rushing to demand regular scans!
Hi Dawn
Yes, I did remember (just!) to add those details. Thanks for the reminder.
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The use of terminology in the Telegraph article and specifically the headline is misleading. The research it refers to only includes people with a new primary breast cancer or a local recurrence (breast cancer that comes back in the same breast as the original cancer).
Confusion sometimes arises when the lay and medical definitions of a term imply different things. Generally ‘secondary’ in a cancer context refers to the cancer spreading away from the original site to other parts of the body, whilst secondary in a lay context might refer to something happening a second time.
The Press team at Breast Cancer Care will be talking to the journalist who authored this piece to explain the differences between new primary disease, local recurrence and secondary (metastatic) breast cancer and will convey the potential consequences of confusion, anxiety and false hopes that such misleading use of terms can have.
Good to hear that the press team will be talking to the Telegraph.
Jane
I hope the Press team have more luck in communicating with the DT than I have.
My letter of complaint has been bounced back as ‘temporarily undeliverable’. Anyone else in the same boat?
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Mine was received but neither printed nor followed up.