On Tuesday, October 23rd,
MMC’s Comprehensive Breast Center hosted its 2nd Annual ‘Stronger
TogetHER’ event. The evening featured entertainment and education, with an
expert panel of MMC physicians sharing the latest recommendations for breast
health and answering several questions from the audience.
Below, you will find some
follow-up questions and answers that the physicians were unable to get to
during the event.
Q: Does the size of the breast
increase/decrease the odds for breast cancer?
A: The size of
the breast actually does not appear to play a role in the risk of developing
breast cancer. While you might think that larger breasts would be more
likely to develop breast cancer, no large, peer-reviewed studies have
supported this assumption. With that being said, we do know that obesity does
play a role in the development of breast cancer. Other risk factors for
developing breast cancer include smoking, heavy alcohol use, and having a
positive family history of breast cancer. – Lisa White, M.D.
Q: When using tools such as the
Tyrer Cuzick model or Gail model, what factors are surgeons looking for?
A: Risk
assessment tools, like the Tyrer Cuzick model or Gail model, help us to better
understand a woman’s personal risk of developing breast cancer. We input
many factors such as your age, weight, height, family history of breast cancer,
personal history of breast biopsies, age at first menstrual cycle, and age of
first childbirth into these models. Then, the computer generated model calculates
your individual risk of developing breast cancer. If your lifetime risk
of developing breast cancer is greater than 20%, you qualify for a high risk
screening protocol, which means coming in every six months for a breast exam
and imaging. – Lisa White, M.D.
Q: More women seem to be
diagnosed than ever before. What could be causing this?
A: We aren’t
quite sure why more women seem to be developing breast cancer. So many
environmental and genetic factors could be playing a role. At this time,
our best way of protecting women against breast cancer is to encourage a
healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise, good nutrition and smoking
cessation. Also, please seek professional care right away if you have a new
breast lump, unusual nipple discharge, new changes on the breast skin or any
abnormalities on your mammogram or ultrasound. – Lisa White, M.D.
Q: How long is the reconstruction
process?
A: No reconstruction process is
exactly the same, and therefore there is not one straightforward answer here.
There are many determining factors that affect the length of the reconstruction
process, such as the drain duration, toleration of sizers and setbacks during
recovery. – Brad Medling, M.D.
MMC’s Comprehensive Breast Center is comprised of MMC’s
Radiology, General Surgery and Plastic Surgery departments. From detection to
restoration, it is the MMC Comprehensive Breast Center’s promise to walk hand
in hand with every patient through each individual’s health journey. To learn
more about Murfreesboro Medical Clinic’s Comprehensive Breast Center visit our
website, mmclinic.com, or call 615-867-8040.
