DREES 2025 Banquet Panel Q & A

We are pleased to share the questions and responses from our engaging panel discussion. Each answer reflects the unique perspective and experience of our distinguished panelists.

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Dr. Miles: I had breast cancer 15 years ago and radiation was used. My breast shrunk. Is it too late for breast reconstruction?

It is never too late to undergo consultation for breast reconstruction after cancer surgery. You should have a consultation with a plastic Surgeon.

Does being deficient in vitamin D5 hydroxy have any connection to cancer?

There is no evidence that vitamin D deficiency leads to an increased risk for cancer. There is some evidence that adequate vitamin D levels are protective against cancer spread.

Does chemotherapy or radiation change/alter your DNA?

Chemotherapies frequently target and damage the DNA, causing mutations or genome instability, a major hallmark of both cancer and aging.

Dr. Miles: How long should breast implants be in your body before it's time to replace the implants?

It partly depends on when you got your implants. We do not have enough information about the newer breast implants to say with certainty that they need to be exchanged. It is important to have an annual evaluation with your Plastic Surgeon to determine if they need to be exchanged. If they are not causing any problems, there is no need for exchange.

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Justin Blyden: What types of vitamins should we take to prevent cancer, e.g., ashgwanda?
 

I recommend whole foods rather than supplements. Minerals are just as important as vitamins if not more important. Fermented foods like sauerkraut are really high in folic acid and vitamin C. Foods high in sulforaphane like Broccoli sprouts • Broccoli • Cauliflower • Kale • Brussels sprouts • Cabbage • Bok Choy Please contact me at info@changeyourmode.com to get a full list of some great mineral and vitamin rich food recommendations.

What does sanitizing the colon look like?

One cannot sanitize the colon. There is a population of bacteria in the colon which is important for general health. These bacteria live in balance with each other and generally do not cause health problems.

What is the average lifespan of breast implants?

The original breast implant design had an increased frequency of leakage after 10 years, requiring replacement. The new implants have not been around long enough for us to have long-term data. If your implants are 10 years old or less, it is unlikely that there is a need for exchange at this time.

Justin Blyden: What diets are more preferred for healthier living - pescatarian diet or vegan?

I get this question a lot - The diet that is the best diet is the one that you consciously stick to. The reason why we eat is to get the most nutrients that we need to do work, to play, to live. We as humans are very adaptive and can handle a lot of abuse. Unfortunately, the modern diet does not focus on nutrient density but instead focuses on flavor. The best diet is finding foods that are diverse in nutrients - specifically minerals, protein and fats - because that is what we are literally made of! Many people experience long term benefits like anti-inflammation on a plant-based diet and some experience short term benefits on a carnivore diet. I believe you can get all the nutrients and energy you could every need on an ovo vegetarian diet. That’s vegetarian with eggs. Pescatarian can be good too if you source clean fish only. And once your body adapts to the nutrient demands you can also thrive on a vegan diet.

Dr. Miles here, we are omnivores. I think it is important to have a well-balanced diet, excluding, empty calories such as pasta, white bread, potatoes, and rice. Poor control is important. A small portion of protein, combined with vegetables and leafy greens is preferred for healthier living.

 

What are the chances of getting throat cancer from the radiation of a mammogram?

The chances of developing throat or thyroid cancer from the small amount of radiation in a mammogram are considered extremely low, effectively negligible.

Can you explain what are calcifications- would these gradually become cancer?

Calcifications are small mineral deposits that show up as white spots on a mammogram. They are a natural byproduct of cellular turnover and other benign changes in the breast tissue, such as aging, past injuries, infections, or cysts. The calcifications themselves do not gradually become cancer. They are simply mineral traces left behind by cell activity. The concern arises because certain patterns of microcalcifications can be associated with underlying abnormal cell growth, specifically ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), which is a non-invasive, early form of breast cancer contained within the milk ducts. Most suspicious calcifications turn out to be benign after a biopsy. If cancer cells are found, detecting them at this early stage through mammography generally leads to very successful treatment outcomes.

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If you had breast cancer and it goes into remission but the cancer returns and it's in your neck - is it
still related to breast cancer?

If breast cancer returns in the neck, it's still related; it's considered a regional recurrence if in nearby lymph nodes (like neck/collarbone) or distant/metastatic recurrence if it spread far, meaning breast cancer cells traveled and grew elsewhere, often to lymph nodes near the original site or far away. It's not a new, unrelated cancer, but the original breast cancer finding a new place to grow, even after remission.

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What is the percentage of women getting pancreatic cancer?  Is it detectable prior to diagnosis? What
are the symptoms?

While pancreatic cancer is generally more common in men, women make up nearly half of all cases
(around 50%), with recent studies showing rapidly increasing rates in younger women (under 55), particularly Black women, though overall lifetime risk for women is slightly lower than men (around 1 in 60). 

Pancreatic cancer can often be detected or show signs prior to a formal diagnosis through subtle
changes in blood sugar, weight loss, or elevated tumor markers like CA19-9, which can rise years before symptoms appear, but there is no single, easy screening test for the general public, making early detection challenging. Research is focused on developing blood tests and monitoring risk factors (like new-onset diabetes) for earlier detection in high-risk groups, as early stages often lack symptoms.

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After radiation, what are the side effects and when or how long does it take for your body to detox
from the radiation, roughly?

After radiation therapy, common side effects (fatigue, skin issues, nausea, hair loss) often start a few weeks in and fade within weeks to months post-treatment as your body heals, though some effects can linger or become long-term, depending on the area treated and dose; your body naturally processes and eliminates the effects of external radiation, but staying hydrated, active, and eating well helps recovery, while flushing internal contamination (if any) involves water, fiber, and medical guidance.

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Kindly tell us about Light Therapy (PDT) as a cancer treatment.

Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) is a treatment using a light-sensitive drug (photosensitizer) and a specific
wavelength of light (like red or blue) to destroy abnormal or cancerous cells by creating a reaction that
produces cell-killing oxygen, offering a less invasive way to treat skin cancers, precancers (like actinic
keratosis), and certain internal cancers (lung, esophageal), as well as some acne and other skin issues,
with minimal scarring and potential immune system activation.

Are you seeing an increase in DCIS?  Do you think the mammograms are causing DCIS in the breast?
Do you think that radiation for stage zero DCIS is over-treatment?

There's a significant increase in Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) diagnoses, directly linked to widespread screening mammography, which finds these early-stage, non-invasive lesions that were previously missed; however, mammograms don't cause DCIS, they just reveal it, with some cases potentially never becoming invasive, though most are treated due to uncertainty.

Radiation for Stage 0 DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ) isn't always overtreatment; it's standard to reduce recurrence risk, but newer guidelines suggest some low-risk cases (small, low-grade, ER+) might skip it, balancing benefit against potential side effects (fatigue, rare heart/lung issues) and long-term recurrence risk, with personalized decisions crucial. While radiation significantly lowers risk, it's debated if everyone needs it, especially older patients or those with minimal disease, leading to personalized approaches like observation or shorter radiation courses.

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Do you provide an option for Cryotherapy? 

While Maryland Oncology Hematology (MOH) offers broad cancer care like chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and radiation, they don't explicitly list cryotherapy as a service; they provide comprehensive oncology, so you should contact them directly to confirm if cryotherapy (using extreme cold) is available or if they can refer you.

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Is sea moss good or bad for the body?

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Sea moss is excellent for the body! It has over 90 essential minerals that your body desperately needs. Sea moss is just a plant that comes from the sea and contains the same amount or more than some of the plants you can get on land. Minerals like iodine that actually breast cancer protective. It’s rich in iodine because of it’s proximity to the ionizing waves of the sea. It’s very alkaline because of these rich minerals. The abundance of sulfur compounds in sea moss binds to toxins and heavy metals, aiding the body’s natural detoxification process. High levels of iodine in sea moss make it a key player in maintaining a healthy thyroid and balancing hormones.

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I've heard that CT scans are used to detect lung cancer and you can request CT scan of lungs like you
request mammograms - Is this true?

Low-Dose CT (LDCT) scans are the standard for detecting lung cancer early, similar to how mammograms screen for breast cancer, and you can request a lung cancer screening CT if you're high-risk, but you still need a doctor's order and must meet specific criteria (like age, smoking history) for it to be considered a preventative screening.

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Should we do blood work to see if DNA will show the probability of cancer; and if so, should we opt to
do a double mastectomy to extend life?

You can get blood work (or saliva/cheek swab) for DNA to see your inherited risk for cancer (hereditary
cancer panels), and newer blood tests (Multi-Cancer Early Detection or MCED) can find DNA fragments from existing cancers, but these aren't definitive diagnoses and usually require follow-up, with hereditary tests identifying mutation risk, not guaranteed cancer, and MCED tests finding signals that need further investigation to confirm cancer. 

Major studies show that a double mastectomy generally does not extend life or improve survival rates for most women with early-stage breast cancer compared to a lumpectomy plus radiation, though it does reduce the risk of a new cancer in the other breast. While it lowers the chance of a second cancer in the opposite breast, this doesn't change the overall mortality from the original cancer, and the decision often comes down to personal choice and anxiety reduction, not survival benefit, unless a high-risk gene like BRCA is present.