All The Ways We Care
In The Fight Against Breast Cancer, Main Street Hospital Provides Women a Comprehensive Program of Services
Here’s the hard truth about breast cancer: No woman is safe. One in eight American women will be diagnosed with the disease. That’s the reason Main Street Hospital is committed to providing women in our community with all of the resources to test, detect, manage and treat this all-too-common disease.
Testing and Detection
Early detection of breast cancer significantly improves the chances of a successful treatment. An annual mammogram, starting at age 40, is the most important tool used to detect breast cancer. A clinical breast exam, performed by a health care professional, and a breast self-exam also play an important role.
Mammogram
A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast. It’s used to detect and evaluate changes in the breast that are too small or subtle to be found during a physical exam.
A mammogram doesn’t take much time. The entire procedure lasts about 20 minutes. To create a high quality image, it is necessary to flatten the breast slightly, but this only lasts a few seconds.
Sometimes, you may be called back for more testing to take an additional image or to look more closely at a specific area. Being called back does not mean that you have cancer. In fact, only 10 percent of women who need more testing are found to have breast cancer.
At Main Street Hospital, we’ve invested in a Digital Mammography system. Unlike standard mammography, which records images on photographic film, Digital Mammography records and stores the images digitally on a computer. Some studies have found that Digital Mammography reduces the need for additional imaging tests.
MRI
For women with a high risk for breast cancer, a yearly MRI is recommended in addition to a mammogram. An MRI should not be used as a screening tool by itself. Talk to your physician about your risk factors to determine if you should have an MRI.
Biopsy
If a mammogram or MRI reveals something suspicious, a biopsy may be performed. During a breast biopsy, cells are removed from the area of concern and then examined by a physician under a microscope. A biopsy is the only sure way to know if a woman has breast cancer. Fortunately, about 80 percent of all breast changes that are biopsied are not cancer.
Treatment
Surgery
When a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, surgery is usually required to remove the tumor as well as to check the lymph nodes to see if the cancer has spread. Surgery can be an overwhelming experience for any woman. If a woman feels comfortable knowing more about the details of her case, she and her family should discuss the different treatment options with her doctor.
If the breast cancer is detected early enough, breast-conserving surgery is often a possibility. For example, a partial mastectomy removes only the part of the breast affected by the cancer. A lumpectomy removes the lump in the breast as well as surrounding tissue.
More serious cases may require a mastectomy, surgery that removes the entire breast. A modified radical mastectomy also removes the lymph nodes, and a radical mastectomy removes the entire breast, the lymph nodes and the muscles under the breast. Breast reconstruction can be performed during the initial surgery or at a later time.
Radiation
Our specially trained staff is highly skilled in a wide range of radiation therapies. After breast-conserving surgery, radiation therapy is often used in order to reduce the risk of the cancer reoccurring. It’s also used after a mastectomy if the tumor is large, or if the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes.
Chemotherapy
Our staff provides a friendly and supportive environment for breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, which can last for several months. Chemotherapy uses drugs that travel in the bloodstream to kill cancer cells throughout the body. It can be given before surgery in order to shrink the size of the tumor or after surgery to kill any cancer cells that may not have been removed.
Support and Education
Support Groups
It’s a frightening experience when a woman learns she has breast cancer. This is a time to lean on the emotional support of family and friends. It’s also a time when talking to women who have either survived breast cancer or have been recently diagnosed can provide additional reassurance, encouragement and hope through support groups sponsored by Main Street Hospital.
Education
Our Breast Cancer Education program raises awareness and empowers women with lifesaving information. We help women understand the lifestyle factors that can increase their risks for the disease and how to use nutrition and exercise to live a more healthy life. We also help women become more aware of the many resources available to help them detect breast cancer early.
Are you a woman and need a primary care physician? Visit our website at hospital website address and click on “Find A Physician” for a list of OB/GYN or Family Practice physicians.