CentraState - Healthy Directions

Fall 2015 Healthy Directions 4 A Life-Changing Diagnosis MARGARET PAPPAS IS WILLING TO TELL ANYONE WHO WILL LISTEN ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF REGULAR MAMMOGRAMS. T he Manalapan woman had been going for mammograms for more than 20 years when her annual screening exam in the summer of 2013 detected a lesion in her right breast that was later determined to be cancer. "It was tough, but I just kept telling myself that I need to fight through it and that I'm going to get better," Margaret says. "If I didn't go for that mammogram, I don't know how things might have turned out." More than two years since her breast cancer diagnosis, Margaret is cancer free. Because her breast cancer was detected at an early stage (Stage 1), and she pursued aggressive treatment, her doctors are optimistic about her chances of beating the disease. "She has an excellent outlook," says Jeffrey Silberberg, MD, a board-certified oncologist on staff at CentraState Medical Center. "Given the size of her tumor, the type of the tumor and the treatment she's received, the chances are excellent that she'll do fine and won't have any other issues." A TEAM EFFORT For her treatment, Margaret took advantage of the comprehensive services available locally through the Breast Cancer Program at CentraState. Her mammogram was performed at The Star and Barry Tobias Women's Health Center. Her surgery was performed by Cynthia Kocsis, MD, a board- certified general surgeon on staff at CentraState, to remove a section of her breast as well as nearby lymph nodes. While the cancerous lesion was fairly small and had not spread beyond the breast, it was found to be an aggressive form of cancer. As a result, Margaret pursued additional therapies to target any potential microscopic cancer cells, including chemotherapy and radiation treatments, and a year of a cancer-targeting drug. For at least several more years, she will continue on hormone therapy, which deprives breast cancer cells of the estrogen they need to grow. The treatments were difficult, she says, as she has also been living with multiple sclerosis (MS) for more than 15 years. She has tried to keep a positive attitude as well as her sense of humor. "I guess my MS wasn't enough, so I had to shake it up a little by being diagnosed with cancer," jokes Margaret, who has a grown daughter and a son who is a senior in high school. "I'm Sicilian, so I'm very stubborn. I wasn't going to let cancer beat me." THE NEED FOR SCREENING Margaret had no family history of breast cancer and was relatively young, at age 50, when she was diagnosed. In general, the American Cancer Society recommends women age 40 and older have a mammogram every year as long as they are in good health. However, screenings may start at an earlier age or may include additional imaging tests such as breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), for women considered at high risk for the disease. Women should consult their doctor for the most appropriate screening schedule. When breast cancer is caught during an early stage— localized to the breast—the five-year survival rate is more than 98 percent, according to the National Cancer Institute. "The goal of a screening mammogram is to detect breast cancer at an early stage, when treatments are most effective, " says Lisa Farro, a mammography specialist at the Women's Center. "Margaret is a great example of how early detection can make a difference." Call 732-294-2778 or visit www.centrastate.com/appt to schedule your mammogram today. HD A Routine Mammogram, Margaret Pappas is living proof of the importance of routine mammograms. Jeffrey Silberberg, MD, board-certified oncologist

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