Breast Cancer Conversations

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When many people hear the words "clinical trial," they immediately think of a last resort.
But that's one of the biggest misconceptions in breast cancer care.
In this episode of Breast Cancer Conversations, host Laura Carfang sits down with Dr. Ada Waks, breast medical oncologist and clinical investigator at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, to demystify clinical trials and explain how they are shaping the future of breast cancer treatment.
Dr. Waks cares for patients across all stages of breast cancer while leading clinical research that helps develop tomorrow's treatments. Together, Laura and Dr. Waks discuss how clinical trials work, who they are designed for, and why patients should consider asking about them much earlier in their treatment journey.
In this episode, you'll learn:
 What a clinical trial actually is 
 The difference between Phase I, II, and III trials 
 Randomized vs. blinded clinical trials 
 Why clinical trials are not just for patients who have run out of treatment options 
 How new breast cancer drugs become FDA-approved 
 What informed consent really means 
 How patient safety is protected 
 Why clinical trial participants often receive additional monitoring and support 
 How to find clinical trials that may be right for you 
 The future of personalized breast cancer treatment 
Whether you're newly diagnosed, living with metastatic breast cancer, navigating survivorship, or supporting a loved one, this episode provides an accessible introduction to one of the most important—and most misunderstood—aspects of cancer care.
About Today's Guest
Dr. Ada Waks is a breast medical oncologist and clinical investigator at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. She divides her time between caring for patients with breast cancer and leading clinical research focused on developing safer, more effective, and more personalized treatments. Dr. Waks also co-directs Dana-Farber's breast oncology clinical trials program, helping bring innovative therapies from the laboratory to patients.
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When you're diagnosed with breast cancer, your first thought is often survival.
But what about everything that comes after?
For many young adults diagnosed with breast cancer, questions about fertility, family planning, hormone health, identity, and future possibilities quickly become part of the conversation. Yet too many patients never learn about their options until after treatment has already begun.
In this episode of Breast Cancer Conversations, Laura Carfang sits down with Kara Bendle, RN, MSN, CPN, CNL, Fertility Preservation and Adolescent & Young Adult (AYA) Program Manager at Cleveland Clinic, to discuss why fertility conversations matter from the very beginning of a cancer diagnosis.
Together, they explore:
• When fertility preservation conversations should happen
• How breast cancer treatments can affect fertility and hormone health
• The difference between fertility preservation and family building
• Egg freezing, embryo preservation, and ovarian tissue preservation
• The emotional impact of infertility and loss of choice
• Dating, relationships, and family planning after cancer
• Fertility considerations for hormone-positive breast cancer patients
• Insurance barriers and access to care
• Why patients deserve information—even when options are limited
• The importance of keeping future possibilities open
This conversation goes far beyond fertility. It explores identity, grief, survivorship, and the power of informed decision-making after a breast cancer diagnosis.
Whether you are newly diagnosed, in treatment, navigating survivorship, or supporting someone you love, this episode offers compassionate and practical guidance for understanding your options and advocating for your future.
Love this episode? Send us a text through the link in the show notes. Messages are completely anonymous. If you'd like a response, include your email address so we can follow up directly.
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If this episode resonated with you, we invite you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
You can also click the link in the show notes that says "Love this episode? Send us a text" to share feedback.
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If you would like us to follow up directly, please include your email address in your message so we can respond.
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Getting a mammogram should not feel complicated.
Yet many women face delays, confusion, long wait times, and unanswered questions when navigating breast cancer screening and follow-up care.
In this episode of Breast Cancer Conversations, Laura Carfang and William Laferriere sit down with Dr. Ryan Polselli, radiologist, entrepreneur, and founder of Mammolink, a mobile breast cancer screening company designed to bring mammography directly to women while reducing barriers to care.
Dr. Polselli shares how his own experience as a medical student facing a potential cancer diagnosis inspired him to rethink how healthcare is delivered. Together, they explore the realities of delayed diagnoses, dense breast tissue, same-day results, mobile mammography, artificial intelligence in healthcare, and what it will take to create a more patient-centered screening experience.
Topics we discuss:
• Why women often face delays in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment
• The growing concern of breast cancer in younger women
• What dense breast tissue means and why it matters
• Mammograms vs. ultrasound: understanding the differences
• How mobile mammography is improving access to screening
• Why same-day results can reduce anxiety and improve follow-up care
• The role of AI in breast cancer screening and patient navigation
• How employers and healthcare systems can help close screening gaps
• What patients need to know about advocating for themselves
Whether you are newly diagnosed, living with breast cancer, navigating survivorship, or simply due for your next screening, this conversation offers valuable insights into the future of breast cancer care.
Learn more about Mammolink: https://mammolink.com
Love this episode? Send us a text through the link in the show notes. Messages are completely anonymous. If you'd like a response, include your email address so we can follow up directly.
Support the show
Listener Feedback
If this episode resonated with you, we invite you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
You can also click the link in the show notes that says "Love this episode? Send us a text" to share feedback.
Messages are completely anonymous.
If you would like us to follow up directly, please include your email address in your message so we can respond.
Latest News: 
Join our Mailing List - New content drops every Monday! 
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Become a Breast Cancer Conversations+ Member! Sign Up Now. 
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What happens when breast cancer survivors and thrivers come together to celebrate 300 episodes of Breast Cancer Conversations?
In this special milestone episode, host Laura Carfang welcomes members of the SurvivingBreastCancer.org community for an honest, heartfelt discussion about diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, metastatic breast cancer, advocacy, and finding connection after cancer.
Together, they reflect on the stories that shaped them, the support that carried them through difficult moments, and what they wish every newly diagnosed patient knew.
Whether you're newly diagnosed, living with metastatic breast cancer, supporting a loved one, or navigating survivorship, this episode is a reminder that you are not alone.
💜 Topics include:
 Finding community after diagnosis 
 Support groups and survivorship 
 Living with metastatic breast cancer 
 Storytelling and emotional healing 
 Life after treatment 
 Patient advocacy and self-advocacy 
 Managing long-term side effects 
 What breast cancer survivors wish they knew sooner 
Thank you for helping us reach 300 episodes.
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If this episode resonated with you, we invite you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
You can also click the link in the show notes that says "Love this episode? Send us a text" to share feedback.
Messages are completely anonymous.
If you would like us to follow up directly, please include your email address in your message so we can respond.
Latest News: 
Join our Mailing List - New content drops every Monday! 
Discover FREE programs, support groups, and resources from SurvivingBReastCancer.org! 
Become a Breast Cancer Conversations+ Member! Sign Up Now. 
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What happens when you give yourself one year to “get through breast cancer” — only to realize that the timeline is much longer and more complicated than you imagined?
In this episode of Breast Cancer Conversations, I’m joined by Jessica Thomas, who was diagnosed with ER/PR-positive, stage 2B breast cancer with lymph node involvement. After finding a lump herself, Jessica moved through the overwhelming sequence of imaging, biopsies, chemotherapy, double mastectomy, radiation, reconstruction delays, implant complications, DIEP flap reconstruction, tamoxifen, and Verzenio.
But as Jessica shares so honestly, one of the hardest parts was not only the treatment itself. It was the waiting: waiting for results, waiting for a plan, waiting to know what came next, and trying to live inside the uncertainty.
This conversation is for anyone who has ever thought, “I just need a plan.” It is for anyone who has felt overwhelmed by the number of medications, appointments, side effects, and decisions that come with breast cancer. And it is especially for anyone who has reached the end of active treatment only to realize there is still so much more to navigate.
Support the show
Listener Feedback
If this episode resonated with you, we invite you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
You can also click the link in the show notes that says "Love this episode? Send us a text" to share feedback.
Messages are completely anonymous.
If you would like us to follow up directly, please include your email address in your message so we can respond.
Latest News: 
Join our Mailing List - New content drops every Monday! 
Discover FREE programs, support groups, and resources from SurvivingBReastCancer.org! 
Become a Breast Cancer Conversations+ Member! Sign Up Now. 
Enjoying our content? Please consider supporting our work.