(New York – September 11, 2014) – In the United States, breast cancer is the second leading cause of death in women and one in eight women will develop the disease. According to Mount Sinai experts, early detection and screening are important for saving lives.
Mount Sinai experts are available during October’s Breast Cancer Awareness month to offer tips on early detection, screening and prevention. Patient stories are also available.
Experts Available for InterviewDr. Elisa Port, Chief of Breast Surgery and Director of the Dubin Breast Center at The Mount Sinai Hospital
Dr. Alison Estabrook, Chief, Division of Breast Surgery at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s and Mount Sinai Roosevelt
Dr. Amy Tiersten, Associate Professor of Medicine, Hematology and Medical Oncology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Dr. Laurie Margolies, Director of Breast Imaging, Associate Professor of Radiology at the Dubin Breast Center at The Mount Sinai Hospital
Dr. Karen Brown, Assistant Professor of Genetics and Genomic Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Facts About Breast Cancer• A woman’s risk of breast cancer approximately doubles if her first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter)has been diagnosed with breast cancer.• About 15 percent of women who get breast cancer have a family member diagnosed with it.• About 5 to ten percent of breast cancers can be linked to gene mutations (abnormal changes) inherited from one’s mother or father. Mutations of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are the most common. Women with these mutations have up to an 80 percent risk of developing breast cancer during their lifetime, and they are more likely to be diagnosed at a younger age (before menopause). An increased ovarian cancer risk is also associated with these genetic mutations.
Tips for Breast Cancer Prevention • Limit alcohol. The more alcohol you drink, the greater your risk of developing breast cancer. Limit yourself to no more than one drink a day.• Control your weight. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of breast cancer. This is especially true if obesity occurs later in life, particularly after menopause.• Be physically active. Physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight, which, in turn, helps prevent breast cancer. The recommended activity is 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity weekly.• Limit dose and duration of hormone therapy. Combination hormone therapy for more than three to five years increases the risk of breast cancer.
About the Dubin Breast Center Encompassing more than 15,000 square feet at 1176 Fifth Avenue, the Dubin Breast Center represents a bold new vision for breast cancer treatment and research—one that focuses on the emotional, as well as the physical health of individuals who have or are at risk of developing breast cancer, as well as survivors and their families, and breast cancer related research aimed at improving treatment choices and survival. The Center also includes an evaluation and treatment center for breast medical oncology and an infusion center for chemotherapy. Additional services include screening, genetic and nutritional counseling, access to research protocols and trials, breast reconstruction, psychosocial support and other complementary services, such as massage therapy, for the patient and his or her family.
About the Mount Sinai Health SystemThe Mount Sinai Health System is an integrated health system committed to providing distinguished care, conducting transformative research, and advancing biomedical education. Structured around seven member hospital campuses and a single medical school, the Health System has an extensive ambulatory network and a range of inpatient and outpatient services—from community‐based facilities to tertiary and quaternary care.
The System includes approximately 6,600 primary and specialty care physicians, 12‐minority‐owned free‐standing ambulatory surgery centers, over 45 ambulatory practices throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, and Long Island, as well as 31 affiliated community health centers. Physicians are affiliated with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, which is ranked among the top 20 medical schools both in National Institutes of Health funding and by U.S. News & World Report.
For more information, visit http://www.mountsinai.org, or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
# # #
RSS