Fitbit, Boston Institute Team Up To Research Exercise’s Effect On Breast Cancer Recurrence
Dr. Jennifer Ligibel, the lead investigator, says the six-year study could lead to "weight loss and physical activity becoming a standard part of the treatment for millions of breast cancer patients."
The San Francisco Business Times:
Why This Wearable Device Is Tracking Breast Cancer Patients
San Francisco-based Fitbit Inc. is partnering with Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute on a study to determine whether exercise helps decrease the recurrence of breast cancer. It's the largest research project that Fitbit, a maker of fitness trackers, has collaborated on to date, and comes at the heels of Fitbit's recent office expansion in Boston, where it currently employs more than 110. (Castellanos, 7/7)
In other news, a cancer coalition reaches out to a community that has distrust in invasive medical procedures —
KQED:
In Fresno, Cancer Screening Advocates Reach Out To Hmong Community
Older members of the Hmong community, in particular, often resist undergoing screening tests that could save their lives because of cultural beliefs, say health professionals and advocates. Studies show the Hmong community has a higher cancer mortality rate when compared to other Asian Americans, in part because the disease is diagnosed at a later stage, which greatly reduces chances of survival. Part of the issue — low utilization of cancer screenings — is rooted in a distrust of invasive medical procedures, says Kay Vu Lee, chair of the Hmong Cancer Coalition and one of the event’s organizers. (Romero, 7/7)