Breast Cancer Awareness Month
By Sheldon Feldman, MD, chief, Breast Surgery & Surgical Oncology and director, Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center Breast Cancer Services
Bronx Voice
October 22, 2024
BRONX - October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time where people wear pink to acknowledge the fight against this disease, but also to remind us that every person, regardless of age, race or gender can be impacted by this cancer.
According to the American Cancer Society, in the United States, more than 300,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women this year alone. The good news is that we know early detection of breast cancer saves lives.
In New York, we're fortunate to have access to world-class healthcare facilities like Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center (MECCC). For Bronx residents, this means access to a comprehensive suite of services, ranging from detection to treatment, with locations in the Bronx and beyond.
In our community, the Bronx has higher breast cancer incidence and mortality rates than New York City overall, and disturbingly, we see a trend of Black women being most likely to die from this disease often because their cancer is detected at later stages. That does not have to be the case. Each year, our research is advancing screening and treatment options and also trying to reduce side effects that might impact some populations more than others.
What is Breast Cancer Screening?
Regular mammograms are recommended for women over the age of 40, but it is essential for all women to be proactive about their breast health, especially if there’s a family history of breast cancer. For women whose mother or sister were diagnosed at an age before 50, screening should start 10 years prior to the date of diagnosis. For example, if a mother was diagnosed at age 40, screening should start at age 30.
A screening mammography for breast cancer is a critical step to detect cancer at earlier stages, which significantly improves the chances of successful treatment and avoiding breast removal. Early detection also reduces the need for aggressive treatments, like radiation and chemotherapy, that often come with side effects, like damage to nearby healthy tissue.
Now in many of our mammogram suites, including at the Montefiore Einstein Breast Care Center at Waters Place, our mammograms come with remote controls so as the patient, you can play an active role in how much pressure you feel on your breast. A screening mammography can detect stage 0 breast cancer, also known as ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), which is where abnormal cells are found in the lining of the milk ducts but have not spread to nearby breast tissue. At this stage, there are more options for treatment, including plans that can avoid radiation and chemotherapy.
Precise Treatment Preserves Quality of Life
In addition to traditional treatment options such as surgery, chemotherapy and photon radiation therapy, proton therapy is a promising form of radiation treatment for men and women with left breast cancer. Through MECCC, we’re able to improve access to this novel therapy which spares the heart and lungs from radiation.
At the New York Proton Center, which is located in Harlem and is the only proton beam facility in New York State, we’re able to precisely target cancer cells, and are seeing results like improved outcomes and reduced risk of side effects for people impacted by breast cancer, which is especially beneficial for Black women in particular who have a higher risk of certain side effects from traditional radiation therapy.
We just celebrated the five-year anniversary of the center, and as a partner with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Mount Sinai Health System, we’re advancing the research around proton therapy for other cancers as well, including pediatric cancers, prostate cancer, head and neck cancer, and more.
Looking Ahead
As we continue Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we encourage everyone to learn more about screening and treatment options for breast cancer. Our goal is to improve access to the best science has to offer and to do so in a way that puts our patients first. We’re confident that together we can reduce disparities in breast cancer.
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