St. Mary Medical Center Women’s Diagnostic Centers Expanding Services with High Risk Breast Clinic

St-Mary-Medical-Center-Womens-Diagnostic-Centers-Expanding-Services-with-High-Risk-Breast-ClinicWomen living with the fear of breast cancer may find peace of mind after visiting the new High Risk Breast Clinic at St. Mary Medical Center’s Women’s Diagnostic Centers in Hobart and Valparaiso. The High-Risk Breast Clinic is staffed by experts in the field who provide individualized recommendations for prevention and surveillance to those at increased risk.

Women at elevated risk for breast cancer can come into the clinic, with their physician’s order, and receive an individualized assessment. There they will find other important services including a clinical breast exam by a certified nurse practitioner, education about breast self-exams, screening tests, education about breast cancer risk, a personalized surveillance plan, and prevention strategies. The High Risk Breast Clinic staff is on hand to help coordinate scheduling and pre-authorization of imaging studies. They are also ready to provide referrals to valuable resources and supplemental support, such as genetic or psychological counseling; nutrition experts; and research studies.

“Our primary goal is to help women make the best decisions about reducing their risks of developing breast cancer through knowledge and education and to help them develop ways to cope with their concerns,” said Charisa Spoo, D.O., the lead-interpreting breast radiologist at the hospital’s Women’s Diagnostic Centers and medical director of its High Risk Breast Clinic. “Our team collaborates to ensure each woman has an individualized assessment of their risk and the tools they need to determine their best course of action.”

Factors that can increase a women’s risk of developing breast cancer include her age (four out of five breast cancers diagnosed are in women over 50); family history (close female relative had breast or ovarian cancer, particularly before menopause or a male relative with breast cancer); an

Ashkenazi Jewish heritage; certain breast changes (diagnosis of atypical hyperplasia or lobular carcinoma in situ); menstrual period beginning at an early age; going through menopause at a late age; having no children, or having your first pregnancy after age 30.

Screening tests that are used to detect early-stage disease in those who show no symptoms include clinical breast exam and digital mammography. For women with an elevated lifetime risk of breast cancer, annual screening breast MRI, in addition to an annual mammogram is recommended by the American Cancer Society. The Women’s Diagnostic Centers of Community Healthcare System, known for innovative breast care, provide results of screening mammograms within the same visit, and next-day results for non-surgical biopsies.

At-risk women do have options to reduce their risk for breast cancer. These options, which may be explored at the High-Risk Breast Clinic, include:

Surveillance - Monthly breast examination and an annual breast exam by a primary-care provider is encouraged for all women. A yearly mammogram is recommended for women age 40 and older and an annual breast MRI is an added recommendation for those at high risk. Regular exercise, smoking cessation, maintaining a healthy weight and limiting alcohol are also key prevention strategies.

Drug therapy - Two drugs, Tamoxifen and Raloxifene, have been proven to reduce the risk of breast cancer in women at high risk.

Surgical therapy – This is the most life-changing approach women may take to reduce breast cancer risk.

Although most breast cancers occur in women who do not have a strong family history, about 5-7 percent are traced back to a genetic predisposition for the disease. Patients with a significant family history (mother, father, brother or sister) of breast cancer have a risk of carrying a specific genetic mutation, and may benefit from a more specific method of estimating breast cancer probability, available at the clinic through our medical geneticist.

“Genetic testing may help some women learn whether or not they have an increased likelihood of developing breast cancer or whether inherited factors have contributed to their own or a family member’s cancer,” said Janice Zunich, M.D., medical geneticist on staff at the High-Risk Breast Clinic.

You may want to consider a visit to the High-Risk Breast Clinic if you:
Have a lifetime risk of breast cancer of 20 percent or greater using standard risk assessment models
Have a mutation in BRCA1, BRCA2 or some other cancer predisposition gene
Have a relative with a mutation in BRCA1, BRCA2 or some other cancer predisposition gene
Received radiation treatment to the chest between ages 10 and 30
Carry or have a relative with genetic mutation in the TP53 or PTEN or other breast cancer predisposition genes

With the opening of St. Mary Medical Center’s new High Risk Breast Clinics at its Hobart and Valparaiso locations, there are now clinics at each of the Community Healthcare System hospitals, including Community Hospital in Munster and St. Catherine Hospital in East Chicago, making services accessible to patients throughout Lake and Porter counties.

St. Mary Medical Center’s Women’s Diagnostic Centers are located in Hobart, 300 W. 61st Ave., and at the Valparaiso Health Center, 3800, St. Mary Dr., in Valparaiso. A physician order is necessary for referral. For more information, call 219-947-6830.