Never fear, always forward.

The MemorialCare Breast Centers are among the most comprehensive breast centers in the region with caring and compassionate physicians and staff that are solely dedicated to the prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.

Early Detection is the Key

Breast cancer accounts for more than 30 percent of all cancers found in women and it is not selective. The majority of women diagnosed with breast cancer have no family histor y of the disease and while it occurs more frequently in women who are over the age of 50, younger women are at risk, too. In her lifetime, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer.

Partner in Breast Care

Whether visiting a MemorialCare Breast Center for a routine mammogram or other needs, all patients are treated by a compassionate, expert team. The inter- disciplinar y breast care team, all with sub- specialized training and extensive experience, works together to ensure the best outcomes for patients. Care is provided at convenient locations in a safe, spa- like atmosphere. MemorialCare’s fellowship- trained, sub- specialized radiologists are focused exclusively on breast imaging and inter vention. Clinical studies have shown that this focus results in more accurate imaging interpretation and a higher quality of care. If the need arises, the team of breast surgeons, breast oncologists and breast radiation oncologists have extensive experience managing all sub- t ypes of breast cancer. Certified breast care navigators possess the extensive knowledge and skills to compassionately navigate patients through the breast cancer journey, ensuring that patients receive timely exam results and are scheduled for appropriate follow- up care.

Screening Recommendations

Screening mammography remains the only screening technology proven to improve breast cancer survival. For optimal benefit, most women should have a baseline mammogram between the ages of 35 and 40, and begin routine screenings at age 40.

This year has completely turned the world upside down, but one thing that hasn’t changed is that breast cancer remains the second most common cancer occurring in women, just behind skin cancer. During the statewide COVID- 19 lockdown, the

MemorialCare Breast Centers reduced appointments, meaning there were less mammograms conducted in April and May.

“It was important to avoid the risk of exposure to the virus, but the closure was medically worrisome,” said Gary Levine, M. D., medical director, MemorialCare Breast Centers.

“The early stages of breast cancer are easily curable,” Dr. Levine said. “For women who have breast cancer, a two- month delay gives it more time to advance, which could make it more complicated to treat.”

All nine centers reopened in June with the safety protocols we are familiar with: masks, temperature checks, staggered appointments and social distancing in the waiting room. In addition to the safety measures, the MemorialCare Breast Centers make it convenient to get a mammogram.

The nine MemorialCare Breast Centers are located throughout Los Angeles and Orange Counties, and chances are one of these centers is close to home or work. Each is equipped with the most up- to- date high- definition 3D technology, but what is unique is who reviews the images.

“At general radiology centers, it would be common that a radiologist will look at a chest x- ray in the morning, an MRI of a knee at noon and a mammogram in the afternoon,” Dr. Levine said.

“At the MemorialCare Breast Centers, mammograms are reviewed by radiologists who specialize in diseases of the breast. They have experience and expertise in finding cancer where it lurks. They use the technology to its best effect, and find even the smallest tumors,” Dr. Levine said.

The MemorialCare Breast Centers screen hundreds of women every day, he said. The five to six percent of mammograms with possible abnormalities will trigger a follow- up appointment. It might mean another mammogram focused more closely on a suspicious area, or if a tumor is suspected, the next step is a needle biopsy.

“A needle goes through the skin to get a piece of tissue for testing,” Dr. Levine said. “If we confirm that the woman has cancer, a comprehensive team is ready to care for her. The patient is never left to fend for herself.”

“We assign each patient a clinical navigator, usually a nurse, who will guide the patient through every step of the process,” he said.

The process includes a review by a group of specialists, including radiologists, oncologists, neurologists, and surgeons, who come to a consensus on the best treatment. It might involve chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, or all three. If the cancer is in an early stage, surgery and breast reconstruction procedures are less complex than they would be for an advanced stage, the doctor said.

The medical community recommends women begin having yearly mammograms at age 40, or earlier for women who find lumps during self- examinations, and those who might have a genetic mutation that predisposes them for breast cancer. MemorialCare’s health team includes genetic counselors who can advise those patients and their families, Dr. Levine said.

“One in eight women will experience breast cancer in their lifetime,” Dr. Levine said. “We can’t prevent breast cancer, but with regular yearly screenings, we can detect it early. Early intervention is not only saving a life; it improves the quality of that life.”