According to the American Cancer Society, approximately one out of eight women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime, and more than 570 Kentucky women will die of invasive breast cancer this year. Aside from skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women.
The KentuckyOne Health Breast Care Center at Saint Joseph East is hoping to improve those statistics in Kentucky, with a recent $1 million expansion that includes the addition of digital breast tomography, also referred to as 3D mammogram technology, to its cancer screening process.
Funded in part by the Saint Joseph Health Foundation, the expansion has increased the size of the breast care center to 5,900 square feet, with the screening area now housed in a separate building adjacent to the hospital. The separate screening facility is designed not only to off er women better technology, but also increased efficiency and comfort during their screening appointments.
“We are one of the only facilities in Kentucky to have this technology,” said Dr. Kimberly Stigers, co-director of the center. “[It will] help us fi nd areas that might be cancer that we couldn’t catch on the two-dimensional views.” 3D mammograms move in an arc over the breasts, taking images from multiple angles rather than just from two angles, like traditional mammograms. This allows radiologists a more comprehensive view of the breast tissue and potential cancerous areas.
“With the 3D technology, the average is about 10 percent fewer unnecessary callbacks and 30 percent better cancer detection,” said breast imaging specialist Dr. Richard Budde Jr.
According to the American Cancer Society, less than 10 percent of women called back for additional testing are diagnosed with breast cancer. Better detection and fewer callbacks means reduced anxiety and inconvenience for cancer-free patients, according to Budde. This also saves money, as more accurate screenings will mean fewer biopsies will be necessary for cancer-free women.
Along with the 3D mammograms, the center also can now perform 3D-guided stereotactic breast biopsy, a minimally invasive biopsy guided by computer.
This new biopsy technique reduces patient procedure time, does not require anesthesia, and finishes within an hour; allowing patients to return to daily activities with minimal delay.
“The ability to do biopsies using the 3D stereotactic approach will help more patients avoid surgery,” said Dr. Marta Kenney, radiologist and co-director of the Breast Care Center. “This procedure is also more comfortable than previous biopsy techniques.”
On top of the new technology, the center now includes an additional mammography suite, private dressing rooms and bone densitometry services, which can help women access their bone density and prevent potentially fatal injuries. To make the space more comforting, the center also partnered with LexArts to include local artwork in the facility.
“We thought ... the space should be beautiful and serene,” Stigers said. “The screening center should be a special one. What makes it special for me is they are all local artists, mostly women, helping embody the spirit of helping women.”
The center’s soothing lights, colors and music all contribute to the center’s goal of making mammograms and other treatments a better, more relaxing experience for their patients.
KentuckyOne Health Breast Care at Saint Joseph East expects to treat more than 7,000 patients in its new suite in the next year, resulting in more than 20,000 total mammograms, ultrasounds and biopsies. Along with the new technology and the renovated center, KentuckyOne Health also offers the Yes Mamm program, funded by the Saint Joseph Hospital Foundation and local cancer centers to help women with or without insurance who can’t afford mammograms receive appropriate care.
“I think it’s a great, great program, and I’m really proud we can off er it,” Stigers said. “There’s a huge need for this.”
According to Stigers, the care center has provided 675 free mammograms to women in need since the inception of the Yes Mamm program roughly two years ago and expects to provide even more in the upcoming year. Early detection through mammograms leads to a greater range in treatment options, including less-extensive surgery and the use of chemotherapy with fewer side effects, according to the KentuckyOne website.
The money for the Yes, Mamm program is also provided through the Lexington Cancer Foundation, Susan G. Komen, and purchases of Kentucky’s pink Breast Cancer Awareness license plates, as well as private donations and funding from other nonprofits across the commonwealth.
To schedule a mammogram or for any questions regarding the center, including the Yes, Mamm program, contact 859-967-5613. Additional information can also be found at the KentuckyOne Health website, www.kentuckyonehealth.org/breast-center.