MDNews - Greater Boston

which can be skin-sparing or nipple-sparing. Drs. Rothschild and O'Donnell also evaluate affected areas for the potential spread of cancer to the lymph nodes. When it comes to medical oncology, the Center for Breast Care now also offers its patients access to one of the most well known names in cancer care. Thanks to a partnership with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, medical oncology services such as chemotherapy and biologic and targeted therapies are available at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center side-by-side with a patient's other procedures. "Da na-Fa rber is now located at St . E l i z a b et h 's Me d ic a l Center," Dr. O'Donnell says. "The oncologists who see our patients here are Dana-Farber oncologists and have access to all the resources that any Dana-Farber physician has. This partnership brings those resources under the same roof as the other services at St. Elizabeth's." Nurse navigators help guide patients facing a cancer diagnosis. "There are typically a lot of steps that need to be taken before a physician and patient will come up with a final plan for treatment," Dr. Rothschild says. "The nurse navigator is crucial in keeping all those steps in order." The three nurse navigators at the Center for Breast Care serve as patients' mentors and advocates. They provide follow-up information when a patient remembers the questions she forgot to ask during a physician visit, the connection to education programs and support groups before, during and after treatment, and the expertise of more than 50 years of experience caring for patients with breast cancer. One of the nurse navigators is, herself, a breast cancer survivor. A patient's first step in her survivorship following treatment can be one of recon- s t r uc t ion . W it h t he a dd it ion of board-certified plastic surgeon Michael Tantillo, MD, to the multidisciplinary team, a full range of reconstructive options is now available, from prosthetic implants to the use of a patient's own tissue. The complex techniques are planned in tandem with the oncologic surgery, ensuring that a patient's choice of curative treatment will not affect her cosmetic outcome. For patients facing mastectomy, St. Elizabeth's now also offers same-day breast reconstruction, including using their own tissue or synthetic tissue in the most up-to-date surgical procedures available. "Over the last number of years, more patients have opted for mastectomies or even bilateral mastectomies," Dr. Rothschild says. "According to the patient's preference, those procedures can be coupled with immediate reconstruction." Following a patient's diagnosis and treat- ment, the Center for Breast Care becomes a long-term home base offering rehabilita- tion, annual mammography and any other ancillary support. Some patients have even been coming to St. Elizabeth's Medical Center for the past 20 to 25 years. "That speaks first of all to the fact that breast cancer is curable," Dr. O'Donnell says. "Secondly, it speaks to the fact that these women really feel at home here." St. Elizabeth's Medical Center recently earned the prestigious American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Center of Excellence designation for its expertise in mammography, stereotactic breast biopsy, breast ultrasound and ultrasound-guided breast biopsy. The center also offers the latest in diagnostics, including 3-D mam- mography, the most advanced screening for breast cancer developed in the past 30 years. Appointments with same-day readings are available. For more information or to refer a patient, please visit semc.org/breastcare. ■ THE QUESTION OF GENETICS ACCORDING TO THE National Cancer Institute, 2015 will see roughly 232,000 people diagnosed with breast cancer. Of American women, five to 10 percent can count a mother or a sister who has had breast cancer, while 20 percent can name either a first-degree or second-degree relative who has also received a diagnosis of breast cancer. At the Center for Breast Care at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, the multidisciplinary team, which includes a geneticist, is prepared to evaluate patients who may be at a high risk for breast cancer. Jan Rothschild, MD, breast surgeon at the Center for Breast Care at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, explains that more and more primary care physicians utilize the Center for Breast Care when genetics may increase a patient's risk. Often, she says, physicians discover a concern during a routine, annual physical. In those cases, Dr. Rothschild and her colleagues offer genetic testing, a schedule of more frequent screenings or more high-tech screening, such as 3-D breast tomosynthesis, while coordinating with the referring physician. "We are very dedicated to giving primary care physicians feedback in a timely fashion so that they know what's going on with their patients," says Kevin O'Donnell, MD, breast surgeon and Chief of General Surgery at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center. To refer a patient to the Center for Breast Care at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, call 617-789-2400. Dr. Rothschild consults with a patient at the Center for Breast Care at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center. M D N E W S . CO M ■ MD NEWS Greater Boston | 1 1

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