IMPORTANCE OF SEEKING SUPPORT FACTS & MYTHS LOCAL MAMMOGRAM RESOURCES
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
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PNJ • 2016
Sponsored by Quint and Rishy Studer
In memory of Rishy’s mother, Mary Perdue, who lost her courageous battle with breast cancer when she was far too young.
DID YOU KNOW?
5
WAYS TO REDUCE Your Breast Cancer Risk BY STACY SIMON
W
hile you can’t change some breast cancer risk factors—family history and aging, for example—there are some risk factors that you can control. And while there is no sure way to prevent breast cancer, there are things you can do that may lower your risk. Here are 5 ways to help protect your breast health.
1.Watch your weight.
Being overweight or obese increases breast cancer risk. This is especially true after menopause and for women who gain weight as adults. After menopause, most of your estrogen comes from fat tissue. Having more fat tissue can increase your chance of getting breast cancer by raising estrogen levels. Also, women who are overweight tend to have higher levels of insulin, another hormone. Higher insulin levels have also been linked to some cancers, including breast cancer. If you’re already at a healthy weight, stay there. If you’re carrying extra pounds, try to lose some. There’s some evidence that losing weight may lower breast cancer risk. Losing even a small amount of weight – for example, half a pound a week – can also have other health benefits and is a good place to start.
2.
Exercise regularly.
Many studies have found that exercise is a breast-healthy habit. The difference in risk between the most active and the least active women is typically around 25%. In one study from the Women’s Health Initiative, as little as 1.25 to 2.5 hours per week of brisk walking reduced a woman’s risk by 18%. Walking 10 hours a week reduced the risk a little more. The American Cancer Society recommends getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week. (Or a combination of both.) And don’t cram it all into a single workout – spread it out over the week.
3.Limit time spent sitting.
Evidence is growing that sitting time, no matter how much exercise you get when you aren’t sitting, increases the likelihood of developing cancer, especially for women. In an American Cancer Society study, women who spent 6 hours or more a day sitting outside of work had a 10% greater risk for invasive breast cancer compared with women who sat less than 3 hours a day, and an increased risk for other cancer types as well.
4.
Limit alcohol.
Research has shown that women who have 2 to 5 alcoholic drinks daily have a higher risk of breast cancer than women who drink only 1 drink a day or not at all. Studies have found evidence that links even lower levels of drinking alcohol to an increase in breast cancer risk. As little as 3 to 6 glasses of wine a week has been shown to slightly increase breast cancer risk. It’s not clear how or why alcohol increases the risk, or which women are most likely to be affected. But limiting alcohol is especially important for women who have other risk factors for breast cancer, such as breast cancer in their families.
or limit hormone 5.Avoid replacement therapy.
Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was used more often in the past to help control night sweats, hot flashes, and other troublesome symptoms of menopause. But researchers now know that postmenopausal women who take a combination of estrogen and progestin may be more likely to develop breast cancer. Breast cancer risk appears to return to normal within 5 years after stopping the combination of hormones. Talk with your doctor about all the options to control your menopause symptoms, and the risks and benefits of each. If you do decide to try HRT, it is best to use it at the lowest dose that works for you and for as short a time as possible. — American Cancer Society
7
Things to know about getting a
mammogram
A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast that’s used to find breast changes. X-rays were first used to examine breast tissue nearly a century ago. Today, the x-ray machines used for mammograms produce lower energy x-rays and expose the breast to much less radiation compared with those in the past.
Find a center that specializes in mammograms. The US Food and Drug Administration certifies mammogram facilities that meet high professional standards of quality and safety. Ask to see the FDA certificate if one isn’t posted near the receptionist’s desk. And when you find a facility you like, stick with it. Having all your mammograms at the same facility will make it easier for doctors to compare images from one year to the next. If you’ve had mammograms done at other facilities, have those images send to your new facility.
It’s best to schedule your mammogram about a week after your menstrual period. Your breasts won’t be as tender or swollen, which means less discomfort during the x-ray.
Wear a 2-piece outfit because you will need to remove your top and bra. Do not apply deodorant, antiperspirant, powder, lotion, or ointment on or around your chest on the day of your mammogram. These products can appear as white spots on the x-ray.
The entire procedure takes about twenty minutes. The breast is compressed between two plastic plates for a few seconds while an x-ray is taken. It is repositioned (and compressed again) to take another view. This is then done on the other breast. Flattening the breast can be uncomfortable, but is needed to provide a clearer view.
You should get your results within 30 days. If you don’t, you should call to ask about them. If doctors find something suspicious, you’ll likely be contacted within a week to take new pictures or get other tests. But that doesn’t mean you have cancer. A suspicious finding may be just dense breast tissue or a cyst. Other times, the image just isn’t clear and needs to be retaken. If this is your first mammogram, your doctor may want to look at an area more closely simply because there is no previous mammogram for comparison.
Under the Affordable Care Act, Medicare and almost all private insurance plans now cover yearly mammograms, with no co-pay or other out-of-pocket costs. Medicaid also covers mammograms. For uninsured or low-income women, free or low-cost programs area available. Some programs are held during Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October, while others are year-round. Call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345 to find a program near you.
BREAST SELF-EXAM The BSE can help you become familiar with what’s normal for you and alert you to changes. There are different ways of doing a breast self-exam. Your nurse or doctor may teach you a different method from what is shown here, and that is OK.
a mirror to 1. Use look for changes in: Size, shape, contour, dimpling, rash, redness, scaliness of nipple or breast skin With arms by your side
With arms over your head
With hands on hips, chest muscles tightened
Lie down and feel for changes in each breast with the opposite hand.
2. Start by placing a pillow under your right shoulder, and your right arm behind your head. Light
Medium Use the pads of your middle fingers to feel for lumps in the right breast, using overlapping dime-sized circular motions.
3.
Firm
Use light, medium and firm pressure to feel all the breast tissue. Use an up-and-down pattern to check all of your breast.
Repeat the exam on your left breast.
Sit or stand, and feel each underarm area.
With your arm only slightly raised, feel the area under each arm.
See your doctor or nurse if you notice any of the following: • Lump, hard knot or thickening • Change in size or shape of the breast • Dimpling or puckering of the skin • Rash, redness or scaliness of the nipple or breast skin • Nipple discharge that starts suddenly • New pain that does not go away
Examine your breasts at the same time every month, usually about a week after the start of your period.
Source: American Cancer Society; Graphics: American Cancer Society, Andy Marlette
GET SUPPORT
BREAST CANCER
Importance of SEEKING SUPPORT
ALICE CRANN GOOD / BELLAMAGAZINE.COM
If a friend or family member ever confides in her about a breast cancer diagnosis, Courtney Cook says her first reaction will be to “just listen, be a sounding board.” “After simply listening, I would learn what is scaring and worrying her and let her know that even though I have never had breast cancer, I will go on the journey with her,” says Cook, a cancer support services specialist at Baptist Hospital. “I would ask if she has family support. I would ask if I can help her by going to doctor appointments with her, cooking meals, picking up the kids from school, cleaning her house or do anything else.” GROUP SUPPORT The next step? It’s crucial to talk about resources and support groups available in the greater Pensacola area, Cook says. “I have seen how support groups help in so many ways,” Cook says. “Generally, people are wary of support groups at first because they think it is going to be sad. But once they see how anxiety is significantly reduced by talking to people who are going through, or have gone through, the same thing, their lives improve greatly.” Support groups include everyone — from the newly diagnosed cancer patient to the 20-plus year survivor, Cook says. “Having someone to talk to is incredibly important for cancer patients, who may feel isolated by the challenges and burdens they face,” says Dr. Tarek Eldawy, a medical oncologist at Sacred Heart Cancer Center. “A listening ear could come from a family member, friend, caregiver or a variety of other sources,” Eldawy says. “The magic of a support group is that patients have the opportunity to share their experiences in a venue where others can understand and relate to what they’re going through. Knowing that you’re not alone and that someone else has encountered similar challenges as you can be incredibly empowering for cancer patients.” COMPLEX NAVIGATION A diagnosis of breast cancer can be overwhelming, Eldawy says. “Cancer affects patients emotionally and physically, as well
as in other ways that we don’t often think about,” he says. “The time commitment of receiving treatment and keeping doctors’ appointments is extensive, and staying organized can be difficult, which is why our patient navigator is so important in guiding cancer patients through their journey.” Also, cancer can be a financial burden, even for those with good insurance, and a spiritual struggle, leaving the patient wondering: Why did this happen to me? “All of these challenges, whether they be logistical or emotional stressors, add up to produce a great deal of turmoil in a cancer patient’s world,” Eldawy says. “Patients need help from experts who can guide them.” Dr. Kimberly Garcia, a West Florida Healthcare radiologist, says whether it be the physician team, nursing staff or breast cancer nurse liaisons, the support structure is multi-tiered and critical for any patient diagnosed with breast cancer. “Patients need to be aware that there is someone to talk to during every stage of the diagnosis, treatment and ultimate cure,” Garcia says. “I remind my patients that the journey takes a road, trail-blazed by many women and men before them. One should never feel alone, as we are there with our patients and loved ones, every step of the way.” SUPPORT FOR CAREGIVERS It’s essential to realize that caregivers of patients face a unique set of challenges and need support, too, Eldawy says. Getting support from family, friends and medical social workers is key, he says. “The daily ins and outs of caring for someone with cancer can be overwhelming, and caregivers face understandable emotional strain as well,” Eldawy says. “As you think about ways to help someone you know who has cancer, please also remember their caregiver, whether that be their spouse, child, friend, family member or whoever is helping care for them throughout their journey. “Supporting our caregivers has an extraordinary ripple effect and ultimately helps our cancer patients as well,” Eldawy says.
Having cancer is difficult, but the greater Pensacola area offers professional support opportunities for cancer patients, their families and caregivers. Here are some free services.
• Woman2Woman Support
Group: Open to breast and gynecological cancer patients and their family members. The focus of the group is to provide support and education to address the special needs of women coping with this cancer diagnosis. The group meets the third Thursday of each month from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Sacred Heart Cancer Center, 1545 Airport Blvd., third floor, Conference Room C. For more information, call 850-416-2679 or go to www.sacred-heart.org/ cancercenter/.
• Look Good Feel Better: This is
a program of the American Cancer Society and is held regularly at the Sacred Heart Cancer Center, 1545 Airport Blvd. Look Good Feel Better provides information and cosmetic advice to women battling cancer, including handson instruction on makeup, skin care and nail care, as well as suggestions for using wigs, turbans and scarves. Cosmetic kits are provided for personal makeovers. The program is free and facilitated by trained, licensed cosmetologists. For more information and registration, call 800-227-2345.
• Patient and Family Cancer
Support Group: This group meets the second and fourth Tuesday each month from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at Baptist Health Care Baptist Towers, 1000 W. Moreno St., Tower 3, Suite 233. For more information about this group and other support services, call Baptist Cancer Institute, Cancer Support Services, at 850-469-7372 or go to baptistcancerinstitute.com.
• Women’s Health Center:
Services are located at the Santa Rosa Medical Center, 6002 Berryhill Road, Milton. For more information, call 850-626-7762.
BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR Living as a breast cancer survivor For many women with breast cancer, treatment may remove or destroy the cancer. The end of treatment can be both stressful and exciting. You’ll be relieved to finish treatment, yet it’s hard not to worry about cancer coming back. This is very common among people who have had cancer. For other women, breast cancer may never go away completely. Some women may get regular treatments with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or other treatments to try to help keep the cancer in check. Learning to live with cancer that does not go away can be difficult and very stressful. Living with cancer is different from living after cancer. Life after breast cancer means returning to some familiar things and also making some new choices.
Follow-up care after breast cancer treatment Even after you have completed breast cancer treatment, your doctors will want to watch you closely. It’s very important to go to all of your follow-up appointments. During these visits, your doctors will ask if you are having any problems and may do exams and lab tests or imaging tests to look for signs of cancer or treatment side effects. Almost any cancer treatment can have side effects. Some might only last for a few days or weeks, but others might last a long time. Some side effects might not even show up until years after you have finished treatment. Visits with your doctor are a good time for you to ask questions and talk about any changes or problems you notice or concerns you have.
Typical follow-up schedules after breast cancer • Doctor visits: At first, your follow-up doctor visits will probably be scheduled for every few months. The longer you have been free of cancer, the less often the appointments are needed. After 5 years, they are typically done about once a year. • Mammograms: If you had breast-conserving surgery, you will get a mammogram about 6 months after surgery and radiation are completed, and then at least every year after that. If you had a mastectomy you will still need to have yearly mammograms on the remaining breast. • Pelvic exams: If you are taking either of the hormone drugs tamoxifen or toremifene, you should have pelvic exams every year because these drugs can increase your risk of uterine cancer. This risk is highest in women who have gone through menopause. Be sure to tell your doctor right away about any unusual vaginal bleeding, such as vaginal bleeding or spotting after menopause, bleeding or spotting between periods, or a change in your periods. Although this is usually caused by something that isn’t cancer, it can also be the first sign of uterine cancer. • Bone density tests: If you are taking an aromatase inhibitor (anastrozole, letrozole, or exemestane) for early-stage breast cancer, your doctor will want to monitor your bone health and may consider testing your bone density. • Other tests: Other tests such as blood tests and imaging tests (like bone scans and chest x-rays) are not a standard part of follow-up because they haven’t been shown to help a woman treated for breast cancer live longer. But they might be done if you have symptoms or physical exam findings that suggest that the cancer might have come back (recurrence). These and other tests may also be done as part of evaluating new treatments by clinical trials. If symptoms, exams, or tests suggest a possible recurrence of your cancer, imaging tests such as an x-ray, CT scan, PET scan, MRI scan, bone scan, and/ or a biopsy may be done. Your doctor may also look for circulating tumor cells in the blood or measure levels of blood tumor markers such as CA-15-3, CA 27-29, or CEA. The blood levels of tumor markers go up in some women if their cancer has spread to bones or other organs such as the liver. They are not elevated in all women with recurrence, so they aren’t always helpful. If they are elevated, your doctor might use them to monitor the results of therapy.
Keeping health insurance and copies of your medical records Even after treatment, it’s very important to keep health insurance. Tests and doctor visits cost a lot, and even though no one wants to think of their cancer coming back, this could happen. At some point after your cancer treatment, you might find yourself seeing a new doctor who doesn’t know about your medical history. It’s important to keep copies of your medical records to give your new doctor the details of your diagnosis and treatment. Learn more in Keeping Copies of Important Medical Records.
Managing long-term side effects Most side effects go away after treatment ends, but some may continue and need special care to manage. Some of the side effects more likely to occur after breast cancer treatment include: • Lymphedema • Post-mastectomy pain syndrome • Chemo brain
If the cancer comes back (recurs) If cancer does recur, your treatment options will depend on the location of the cancer and what treatments you’ve had before. Options might include surgery, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or some combination of these. For more information on how recurrent cancer is treated, see “Treatment of breast cancer, by stage.” For more general information on dealing with a recurrence, see the Understanding Recurrence section of our website. — American Cancer Society
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer events When you participate in a Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk, you are sharing your passion and raising funds to help save more lives from breast cancer. There’s still time to sign up for a Making Strides walk near you, and make a difference with every step you take. Get more information at www.cancer.org.
Making Strides of Pensacola When: Saturday, Oct. 29 Time: 8 a.m. Where: Cordova Mall, 5100 N. Ninth Ave., Pensacola
__________________________
Making Strides of South Alabama
When: Saturday, Oct. 29 Time: 8 a.m. Where: Bienville Square, 150 Dauphin St., Mobile, AL __________________________
Making Strides of Panama City
When: Saturday, Oct. 29 Time: 8 a.m. Where: Aaron Bessant Park, 500 W. Park Drive, Panama City Beach
MAMMOGRAM RESOURCES
FREE MAMMOGRAMS:
Options abound in local mammography Extended hours, assistance programs help meet patient needs FROM PENSACOLA NEWS JOURNAL STAFF REPORTS
O
ne in eight American women will develop breast cancer sometime in her lifetime, and the most important thing women can do is be vigilant by performing regular self-exams and undergoing regular clinical exams and mammograms, doctors say. Finding cancer early does not always reduce a woman’s chance of dying from breast cancer. But early detection and early treatment leads to the greatest possibility of success. A key component in early detection is having an annual mammograms beginning at age 40. A mammogram is a low-dose X-ray of the breast that’s used to detect and evaluate breast changes. It can detect breast masses years before they can be felt, and it may reveal other critical changes in the breast tissue. Women with certain breast cancer risk factors should begin clinical screenings and mammograms earlier. For example, women who have received thoracic radiation between ages 10 and 30 have a significantly increased risk of breast cancer. But getting a mammogram isn’t always easy. Many women have to overcome obstacles that can include cost, accessibility, finding the time, getting a doctor’s referral and the fear of the exam itself. Here, we provide information on some of the local breast services that are offered, from free to reduced-price exams to mobile units that come to your area.
• Not currently experiencing any breast problems. • Be uninsured — self-pay. • Meet or be at least 200 percent above Federal Poverty Guidelines. (Patients must have completed Financial Assistance Application, along with providing proof of income, proof of Food Stamps eligibility, prior year tax returns and two most recent bank statements, plus any other required documentation to prove financial hardship.) Upon meeting this criteria and as long as Baptist has spaces available (due to available funding), patient would qualify for a Free Screening Mammo. For information, 850-434-4080. REFERRALS: The hospital requires patients to have seen their physician within the last two years. For a screening mammogram, patients don’t need a referral. But patients having any kind of breast problem need an order from their physician. DIGITAL MAMMOGRAPHY — 3D BREAST IMAGING: In 2011, Baptist was the first hospital in Florida to gain FDA approval to perform digital breast tomosynthesis, or 3D digital mammography, which is available at these Baptist Health Care locations: • Baptist Hospital • Gulf Breeze Hospital • Baptist Medical Park — Nine Mile
BAPTIST HEALTH CARE FREE SCREENINGS: Baptist Hospital provides “Free DIGITAL MAMMOGRAPHY: Baptist offers the most Screening Mammos” for uninsured women within the advanced equipment available for digital mammogracommunity during October, which is Breast Cancer phy, Hologic Selenia Dimensions, Awareness Month. This program is funded by comat these locations: munity donations and fundraisers. To qualify for a free • Baptist Hospital mammogram, patients must: • Gulf Breeze Hospital • Have a primary care • Baptist Medical Park — Nine Mile physician. • Baptist Medical Park — Navarre What is a mobile • Be over age 35. mammography unit? • Not have had a DIGITAL MAMMOGRAPHY mammogram within the E-REMINDERS: For women over It’s is a customized vehicle past 12 months. that goes to various locations age 40, Baptist Health Care offers • Have had at least to offer mammograms. Mammography e-Reminders to help them five years of cancer-free The purpose is to make remember their appointments. screenings. (No diagnosscreenings convenient and to To schedule a mammogram, tic screening will be done increase community access to 850-469-7500. in this program.) mammograms. Details: www.ebaptisthealthcare.org.
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Mammograms are usually covered at 100 percent by most insurance carriers. If a patient does not have insurance, there are several programs, such as those through the Escambia County Health Department to help with free or reduced-fee services to qualifying patients. Uninsured patients ages 50 to 64 are eligible. Details: 850-490-5910 or 850-595-6650.
OTHER MAMMOGRAM RESOURCES:
American Breast Cancer Foundation’s Key to Life Breast Cancer Assistance Program Eligibility: Need doctor’s referral and will be mailed an application. No age limit. Need proof of residency and must not make more than 300 percent above the poverty level. Details: 844-219-2223. Angel Williamson Imaging Center Offers 30 percent discounts on all medical services to the uninsured. Details: 476-1161 or www.awimaging.com. Baptist Hospital’s HealthSource Eligibility: Call for an appointment. Must be 35 and complete a short phone interview. Details: 434-4080. Mobile Mammography Van, West Florida Hospital affiliate Eligibility: 35 and up. Travels through Pensacola. Most insurance accepted. Details: 888-894-2113, ext. 1. Santa Rosa County Health Department’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Program Eligibility: Ages 50 to 64, must make no more than $20,800 in a one-person family, $28,000 in a two-person family or $35,000 in a three-person family. Must make an appointment, have a Pap test and exam completed and then will be referred for a mammogram. Patient must bring a driver’s license. Details: 983-5200, ext. 139. Woodlands Medical Specialists Eligibility: Call 1-850-696-4312.
MAMMOGRAM RESOURCES
FACTS & MYTHS About Breast Cancer • One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime, and every 13 minutes, a woman in the United States dies from the disease. • Except for skin cancers, breast cancer is the most common among American women — one of the leading causes of death, according to the American Cancer Society. • The risk increases with age, and having a first-degree relative also increases a woman’s chance of being diagnosed. • But less than 15 percent of women with breast cancer have a family history. AfricanAmerican women have a higher rate of death from breast cancer than any other race. • The earlier breast cancer is detected, the more likely it can effectively be treated. At stages 0 and 1, cancer cells are confined to a limited area. Stage 2 is still fairly early, but at that point, the cancer has begun to grow or spread. Cancer at stage 3 is considered advanced, when there is evidence of further spreading to surrounding tissues. By the time cancer reaches stage 4, it has spread beyond the breast to other areas of the body. • By age 20, women should perform monthly self-exams to check for abnormalities in their breasts. Clinical breast exams should occur every three years until age 40. At that point, women should be participating in annual mammograms. Depending on family history and genetic tendency, some should be screened with MRI in addition to mammograms. — USA Today
SACRED HEART HEALTH SYSTEM FREE AND REDUCED-PRICE MAMMOGRAMS: Routine screening mammograms are covered by most major insurance plans. The Ann L. Baroco Center for Breast Health also provides a limited number of free and reduced-price mammograms to the uninsured throughout the year through the Ann Baroco Cares program. LOCATIONS: Sacred Heart Health System has two locations: Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola and Sacred Heart Medical Park in Pace. REFERRAL: No referral is needed for a routine annual screening mammogram. However, you do need to have a primary care physician for the hospital to send your results to. To schedule a mammogram, 850-416-8078. Details: www.sacred-heart.org. WEST FLORIDA HOSPITAL BREAST HEALTH SERVICES OFFERED: West Florida Hospital was the area’s first hospital to be designated as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence and is fully accredited by the American College of Radiology. It offers a full range of breast health services. West Florida has an all-female staff of registered and certified mammography technologists. In addition, two board-certified radiologists read all mammograms. West Florida is certified as a Medicare Mammography screening facility. Breast health services include digital mammography, computer-aided detection (CAD), mobile mammography, breast ultrasound, breast MRIs, bone densitometry, stereotactic guided biopsy, ultrasound guided biopsy and MRIguided biopsy. MOBILE MAMMOGRAMS: West Florida Hospital provides mobile mammography services. The mobile unit is a customized 37-foot coach containing dedicated digital mammography equipment that is FDA-certified and accredited by the American College of Radiology. The unit travels throughout Northwest Florida and Southwest Alabama. REFERRALS: Patients do not need an order from their physician to have a screening mammogram, but they must designate a physician to receive the mammogram results. West Florida Hospital offers a discounted rate for mammograms for self-pay patients (uninsured).
To schedule a mammogram, call West Florida Mammography Services at 494-3497 or toll-free 888-894-2113. Details: http://westfloridahospital.com. WOODLANDS MEDICAL SPECIALISTS FACILITY: Woodlands Medical Specialists’ breast health facilities were designed to provide an alternative to the standard experience for breast care. Mammograms and breast biopsies can be stressful, and this facility was designed to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Its breast health team focuses exclusively on the detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. BREAST-IMAGING SERVICES: Woodlands Breast Health’s GE Digital Mammography system provides physicians with a clear and precise all-digital image rather than just X-ray films. This equipment allows for a large field of view to accommodate the breast size of most women. Woodlands’ imaging services for breast health include digital mammography, breast ultrasound, breast MRI, MRI-guided breast biopsy, ultrasound guided biopsy and stereotactic breast biopsy. REDUCED-PRICE MAMMOGRAMS: Insurance will cover a screening mammogram for women 40 and older. But if insurance does not, Woodlands provides screening mammograms for $99. REFERRALS: Referrals are not needed for a mammogram at Woodlands. However, any physician in the area can refer a patient to Woodlands. Woodlands handles all of the necessary referral paperwork and can transfer records upon the patient’s request. It can accept walk-in appointments and is now open on until 7 p.m. on Tuesdays to accommodate women who cannot schedule daytime appointments. DIAGNOSIS: If a mammogram patient is diagnosed with breast cancer, the Woodlands oncology team is located on-site and can be scheduled to see the patient during the follow-up visit. Its team of board-certified oncologists will help patients understand their diagnosis, develop an individualized treatment plan and coordinate all aspects of treatment and surveillance. The oncology team works collaboratively with other specialists to help expedite the healing process. To schedule a mammogram, 850-696-4000. Details: www.woodlandsmed.com.
NAVAL HOSPITAL PENSACOLA BREAST HEALTH SERVICES: The Naval Hospital has a breast cancer coordinator available to its patients. The Naval Hospital was the first hospital in the Pensacola area to provide this service and the first to have a breast patient navigator certified by the National Consortium of Breast Centers on staff. The breast cancer coordinator guides patients through the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer or symptoms associated with breast cancer. The coordinator also works with the patient and family to deal with emotional stress associated with breast cancer. PATIENT QUALIFICATIONS: All TRICARE Prime beneficiaries enrolled at Pensacola Naval Hospital are eligible to receive a mammogram there. If you are enrolled, you can call your Medical Home Port Team or Central Appointments at 505-6719 to schedule a mammogram. Mammograms can be scheduled to coincide with other appointments in order to eliminate additional visits. SANTA ROSA MEDICAL CENTER BREAST HEALTH SERVICES: The Women’s Place at Santa Rosa Medical Center offers all-digital mammography, ultrasound, stereotactic breast biopsy and bone densitometry in a spa-like environment. It is the only center in Santa Rosa County with a certified breast health navigator who can provide education and guidance to women facing tough medical care decisions. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. QUALIFIED PATIENTS: The medical center does see uninsured patients, and some of those are self-pay. REDUCED-PRICE CARE: For those who cannot afford mammograms, the medical center works to see if they are eligible for the Florida Breast Cancer Program. Inquire with the office for pricing and eligibility for discounts. The payment is typically due at the time of care, but if someone is unable to pay the full amount, the clinic is able to work with the patient to establish a payment plan. This applies not only to self-pay patients, but also to those who have not met deductibles or have high co-pays. To schedule a mammogram, 850-626-5129.
BREAST CANCER
Crowdsourcing effort takes aim at breast cancer
Patients want better treatment for disease’s deadliest form
LINDSEY TANNER / ASSOCIATED PRESS
F
orget the pink ribbons. Spitting in a tube for tumor tissue samples and medical records. Researchers science is what unites a growing group of breast use social media to keep them posted about progress cancer patients taking part in a unique project to and periodically invite participants to visit the advance treatment for the deadliest form of the disease. Cambridge, Massachusetts, lab where their specimens For many of the 150,000-plus patients nationwide are being analyzed. whose tumors have spread to bones, brains, lungs or The Metastatic Breast Cancer Project is run by other distant organs, the hue heralding breast cancer scientists at Harvard and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute awareness and survival each October is a little too rosy. and was launched last October with funding from the They know cancer will likely kill them. And they’ve Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, an independent often felt neglected by mainstream advocacy and nonprofit group. medical research. Using word-of-mouth and social media, it has But now they have a way to get involved, with a big already enrolled more than 2,600 patients — a pace new project that aims to gather enormous troves of nearly unheard of in medical research. information about their diseases in hopes of finding “I enrolled from my recliner in my living room. I did new and better ways of treating patients like them — my spit tube in bed,” Caldwell said. women whose cancer has spread, or metastasized, and The mother of two is turning 40 this week, and left them nearly out of options. cancer has reached her brain, lungs, bones and liver. “Patients want to live, and we know that research She tries to stay positive, but October “is a month is the way that we’re going to be able to live,” said where I just want to hide under the covers and check Beth Caldwell, a former civil rights attorney in Seattle out,” Caldwell said. “I just don’t want to be confronted diagnosed with metastatic disease in 2014. with all this pink garbage.” The idea is to gather molecular and genetic clues Lara MacGregor, who runs a Louisville, Kentuckyfrom as broad a group of metastatic breast cancer based nonprofit group for cancer patients, said she patients as possible. With data from thousands of feels the same way. people, researchers think they will be better able “Everything about breast cancer is about survivors to target treatments or come up with new ones by and beating cancer,” MacGregor said. “And we’re sitting answering important questions about the disease. For in the wings saying, ‘I’m never going to celebrate the example: Is there something unique about tumors end of treatment.’” that spread to the brain or recur many years after Now 39, MacGregor read about the project online, diagnosis? What allows a very few women to outlive decided immediately to take part, and emailed others by many years despite the same prognosis? dozens of friends and connections who also Most breast cancer patients are treated at signed on. centers that don’t do research on tumors, so Before she mailed her saliva kit, “my participating in studies at academic medical 8-year-old drew a picture on the ONLINE: centers far from home is cumbersome at box and said, ‘Thanks for helping Metastatic Breast best. Patients sick or dying from their my mom,’” MacGregor said. Cancer Project: disease face additional hurdles. “I hope that real data about www.mbcproject.org This project is different. Patients real people is going to lead to sign up online, mail in saliva kits for better treatment options,” she Breast cancer statistics: genetic testing, and allow use of their said. “My life depends on it.” bit.ly/1sicnbs
Signs & Symptoms
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idespread use of screening mammograms has increased the number of breast cancers found before they cause any symptoms. Still, some breast cancers are not found by mammogram, either because the test was not done or because, even under ideal conditions, mammograms do not find every breast cancer. The most common symptom of breast cancer is a new lump or mass. A painless, hard mass that has irregular edges is more likely to be cancerous, but breast cancers can be tender, soft, or rounded. They can even be painful. For this reason, it is important to have any new breast mass or lump or breast change checked by a health care professional experienced in diagnosing breast diseases. Other possible symptoms of breast cancer include: • Swelling of all or part of a breast (even if no distinct lump is felt) • Skin irritation or dimpling • Breast or nipple pain • Nipple retraction (turning inward) • Redness, scaliness, or thickening of the nipple or breast skin • Nipple discharge (other than breast milk) • Sometimes a breast cancer can spread to lymph nodes under the arm or around the collar bone and cause a lump or swelling there, even before the original tumor in the breast tissue is large enough to be felt. Swollen lymph nodes should also be reported to your doctor. Although any of these symptoms can be caused by things other than breast cancer, if you have them, they should be reported to your doctor so that he or she can find the cause. — American Cancer Society
Every day I put my feet on the ground is a good day.” — Kathy Harris, Breast & Lung Cancer Survivor