LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we are shining light on the escalating cancer crisis here in Nevada for both men and women.
The numbers from the American Cancer Society are alarming. Nevada faces a higher death rate than other parts of the country.
Those on the front lines of the fight know that a lack of medical personnel is also an issue.
Two-time breast cancer survivor, Patti Kellerhouse, is at her "happy place" at her Henderson barn.
"It gives me a place to go when I'm feeling anxious about my disease or about anything."
Patti is a volunteer with the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. She was working as a cancer researcher for a new clinical drug trial for Verzenio when she received her second breast cancer diagnosis.
"Ironically, I got my diagnosis the same month, October of 2017, when they got FDA approval. I ended up taking that drug along with anti-estrogen."
Patti has been her own advocate.
"Only 31% of metastatic breast cancer patients survive. past five years. So I'm pretty lucky."
But not everyone is. Three years ago I lost my best friend Felicia of 20 years, who I met right here at Channel 13, to breast cancer.
She told me that there was a real inadequacy when it comes to care for Black and brown people versus white women.
"That's true, I mean, it's about 40% of Black women are dying more than white women," Patti agreed.
Patti says access to care and screenings are an issue and studies are being done on whether genetic factors are involved in the higher cancer rates among Black and brown women.
"A lot of it's just not getting the care the you need."
While Patti says organizations like the American Cancer Society are working to address those disparities, she says when it comes to cancer treatment a lot of people chose to leave Nevada.
"UCLA or Huntsman Cancer Center, or Mayo Clinic in Arizona, is probably your best bet for that type of teaching hospital and so that's what we need here in Vegas."
Comprehensive Cancer Centers' Oncologist Rupesh Parikh says recruiting doctors is another concern. Nevada is not a top choice and fewer people are entering the field.
"Oncology is a field where the number of cancer doctors is going to keep declining through 2030— is what is predicted, just because there's going to be more retirements than more graduations."
Dr. Parikh says that puts pressure on the field.
"So we are looking into other ways we can expand using our nurse practitioners, our physician assistants, to help see some of these patients."
Here in Nevada, according to the American Cancer Society, there's another problem—and Patti has seen it.
"We definitely need more radiologists, we definitely have a void. People are waiting and waiting for their treatments, you know, to get their scans."
But, Patti also says there is some hope.
"A new non-profit that started this year—it's called the Las Vegas Cancer Institute—they hope to fill a lot of these gaps.
Still, both Patti and Dr. Parikh stress the importance of being your own advocate.
"Everyone should get screened. There's no excuse. 'I don't have insurance. I don't know what to do,' because, if you have the diagnosis, we can get help with that funding to you and get treatment."
