BROWN COUNTY, Wis. (WBAY) - The last year has turned a lot of people toward a new focus on preventing illnesses.
Now doctors are trying to translate that into thinking about preventing cancer in a new way as well.
Prevea breast surgeon Dr. Colette Salm-Schmid is usually the one delivering difficult news to patients, often telling them breast cancer has been found.
But now, there’s excitement in her voice.
“We were able to identify a patient so early that they didn’t need chemotherapy. Other success stories are that we’ve had patients where we’ve identified a genetic mutation, then we found that we could do preventative surgery before they ever got a breast cancer,” says Dr. Salm-Schmid.
In March, Prevea Health became the latest health system to roll out the High Risk Breast Cancer Program.
It’s five steps, mixing family history with screenings and technology, to determine how likely a person is to develop breast cancer in their lifetime.
It starts with coming in for a regular mammogram screening.
A patient is asked 10 questions.
“How many biopsies you’ve had, when you had your first period, when you had your first child, those sorts of things,” explains Dr. Salm-Schmid.
Based on a mammogram, a radiologist assigns you to a low, medium or high risk category.
Anyone at a 20-percent or higher risk is referred to a breast surgeon to see if they can undergo more screenings, genetic testing or even start medication to prevent breast cancer.
“I think knowledge is power, so people like the idea that they have a little bit more control. They’re surprised that screening isn’t really prevention, that there’s more to it,” she says.
Dr. Salm-Schmid says high risk patients could get a breast MRI which can detect cancer two years before a mammogram in many instances.
Anyone interested can take part in this lifetime risk program with the hope more people will do it and find themselves leaving the clinic as another success story.
“We’re able to find the cancer, make a difference, give less care. That patient is better off because we found it early, and their outcome, their chance of survival is in the 98, 99-percentile,” says Dr. Salm-Schmid.
To learn more about the program you can find details on Prevea’s website or call (920) 272-3350.
Copyright 2021 WBAY. All rights reserved.
"breast" - Google News
May 19, 2021 at 04:47AM
https://ift.tt/3wm3l03
High-risk breast cancer program could detect cancer earlier - WEAU
"breast" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2ImtPYC
https://ift.tt/2Wle22m
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "High-risk breast cancer program could detect cancer earlier - WEAU"
Post a Comment