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Better Breast Cancer Outcomes: Beyond Genetics | Dr. Kristi Funk
An abnormal mammogram. No ride to the next appointment. No one to watch the kids. And a paycheck that won’t stretch far enough to cover both groceries and medical care.
Breast cancer surgeon Dr. Kristi Funk explains how those everyday challenges can become barriers to timely diagnosis and treatment—and why helping women overcome them can change lives.
She joins Chuck Carroll to examine a troubling finding: Black women have a lower overall incidence of breast cancer than white women, yet a higher death rate. Dr. Funk explains why differences in age, cancer subtype, and stage at diagnosis don’t tell the whole story.
The conversation also follows the connections between the food available in a neighborhood and the health of the people living there. What happens when nutritious food is difficult to find, but less healthy options are everywhere? And how do insulin resistance, inflammation, hormones, and gut bacteria fit into the breast cancer picture?
You’ll hear:
- Whether ultra-processed foods can cause breast cancer
- The difference between a food desert and a food swamp
- How insulin resistance can affect hormone signaling
- The gut microbiome’s role in processing estrogen
- How patient navigators help women manage their breast cancer journey
- Overlooked symptoms that deserve attention after treatment
- Dr. Funk’s experience working with Venus Williams
At the heart of this conversation is a practical question: What can we change so more women get the food, care, and support they need?
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