Understanding Breast Cancer

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ee Health )| Understanding Breast Cancer (NAPSA)—If you or someone you care about is ever diagnosed with breast cancer, there are three bits of good news you should know about: 1. Almost all breast cancers can be treated successfully if detected early. In fact, the five-year survival rate for women with localized breast cancer is now 98 percent. 2.The more you know about the condition, the better you can combat it. Here are a few facts: Risk factors include early men- struation; late menopause; not hav- ing children; having a first child after age 30; using oral contraceptives or estrogen replacement therapy; a close relative with breast cancer; the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene; a high-fat diet; drinking more than two alcoholic drinks a day; and radiation exposure. The earliest sign may be an abnormality found on a mammogram. Others may be a lump, thickening, swelling, distortion, tenderness, skin irritation, dimpling, or nipple pain or ulceration. Treatments include chemotherapy—medicinethat gets rid of fast-growing cancer cells; radiation—strong energy rays aimed at the cancer cells to stop them from growing and spreading; surgery— to removeall or part of a tumor. 3.One of the best cancer hospitals in the country is the John Theurer Cancer Center at Hackensack University Medical Center. Its 14 specialized divisions feature a team of medical, research, nursing and support staff with expertise that translates into more ad- vanced, focused care. The Center provides comprehensive multidisciplinary care, state-of-the-art technology, access to clinical trials, compassionate care and medical expertise—all under one roof. Physicians there belong to Regional Cancer Care A specialized approach provides breast cancer patients with the exact physical, emotional and social services they need. Associates, one of the largest professional hematology/oncology groups, and the Breast Oncology Division received Disease-Specific Care Certification from The Joint Commission, scoring perfectly with no recommendations for improvement.It’s listed among the top 50 U.S. News and World Report Best Hospitals for Cancer and it’s dedicated to diagnosis, treatment, management, research, screenings, preventive care, and survivorship of patients with all types of cancer. Unlike manycancercenters, the Breast Oncology Division at the Center, led by Dr. Stanley Waintraub, maintains a team of on-site full-time breast surgeons. The division’s multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and treatment includes working closely with a team of surgeons, radiologists, geneticists, pathologists, plastic surgeons, oncologists, nurses and other experts. The medical center’s Betty Torricelli Institute for Breast Care offers a comprehensive preand postoperative program includ- ing one-to-one counseling. Each patient receives a breast prosthesis and mastectomy bra, as well as an educational book. Learn More For further information, visit www.jtcancercenter.org or call (551) 996-5864.