About Breast Disease

Although surveys show that women most fear breast cancer, FIVE times as many women die each year of heart disease!

 

The diagnosis of breast cancer is NOT a death sentence.  In fact, Ninety-seven (97.5%) percent of women survive the disease.

 

Early detection allows most women to avoid mastectomy, rather having a breast-conserving procedure known as lumpectomy.

 

If breast cancer is seen on a mammogram prior to feeling a lump, there is better than a 95% chance of long-term survival.

 

In seven out of eight cancer studies, patients with some type of  religious commitment had fewer symptoms and/or better health outcomes.  (These findings were also borne out in blood pressure, heart disease, and general health studies.)

 

If you have any questions or concerns regarding breast issues, please call your doctor.

Breast Disease Facts

Fine-needle aspiration

 

A needle is inserted into the lump to withdraw the fluid from a cyst or obtain a sample from a solid lump. Anesthesia is local.

 

This procedure is performed in your doctor's office.

Caution: it may miss some cancers because of the very small sample obtained.

 

Core-needle biopsy.

 

A larger sample of tissue can be taken from a palpable lump using a hollow needle.

Using ultrasound or mammogram guidance, a sample can be taken from an impalpable lump.

Anesthesia is local. This procedure is performed in your doctor's office or a breast imaging center.

Advantage of this procedure is that it causes little or no scarring.

 

Excisional Biopsy with needle localization

 

An impalpable mass or abnormality on mammogram or ultrasound (which cannot be successfully addressed by core-biopsy) is localized by a fine wire using mammogram or ultrasound guidance. Anesthesia is local, with sedation, or a short general anesthetic. The surgeon follows the wire down like a fishing line to a fish and removes the abnormality marked by the tip of the wire. This procedure is performed in an outpatient surgery center.

 

Excisional Biopsy of a palpable mass

 

The palpable mass is removed in its entirety through a small incision over-lying the mass.

Anesthesia is local, with sedation, or a short general anesthetic.

The surgeon follows the wire down like a fishing line to a fish and removes the abnormality marked by the tip of the wire.This procedure is performed in an outpatient surgery center. 

Ways to Diagnose Breast Disease

To contact us:

    SUMMIT BREAST CARE

Our mission is to provide state of the art breast care in a calm and caring manner