Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Service at Breast Cancer Alliance of North Texas: Welcome!

The chance of developing invasive breast cancer in a woman's life time is about 1 in 8 (12%). The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates 182,460 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in 2008. In addition 67,770 new cases of carcinoma in-situ will be diagnosed. ACS estimates that 1 in 35(3%) women will die from their breast cancer diagnosis, approximately 40,480 in 2008.

The statistics for breast cancer are staggering. ACS states there are 2.5 million women who are breast cancer survivors. These women require careful annual or semi"annual screening to evaluate for recurrence or new onset breast cancer. There is also a large population of women who may not have had breast CanCer but are at a considerably higher risk than the average woman of developing the disease.

Annual mammography screening is considered to be the single best means for reducing mortality from breast cancer. The Peggy A. Bell Women's Diagnostic and Breast Center at the Margot Perot Center, performed 16,643 screening mammogram and 6,456 diagnostic mammograms in 2007. Of these screenings 364 new breast Cancer, and 56 cases of atypical histology were identified.

Southwest Diagnostic Imaging Center performed 8,326 screening mammograms and 4,147 diagnostic mammograms in 2007. They identified 79 new breast cancer and 15 cases of atypical histology. Breast MRI studies were performed on 705 patients and identified 97 lesions, 27 new breast cancer and 1 atypical histology.

Currently the obligation to schedule annual screening is left to the individual woman with the encouragement of her personal physician. A large number of women do not have a personal physician or do not heed their physician's urging to schedule a potentially lifesaving mammogram. Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Services is a screening service aimed at women with elevated risk for breast cancer (age, personal and/or family history, abnormal histology, eet). Women enrolled in this program will be offered clinical examination, appropriate breast imaging, and formal risk assessment using risk calculators such as the Gail, Claus, and BRCAPRO model. Referrals to breast surgeons, medical oncologists, psycho- social support groups, physical therapy, genetic counselor and alternative medicine will be made based on clinical and radiologic findings.

Examination and clinical evaluation will be performed by an experienced Nurse Practitioner with advanced training in clinical breast examination, and breast cancer risk assessment. The activities of the NP are supervised by Dr. Bourland and Dr. Ganaraj, Breast Oncology Surgeons. The clinic is located in the Breast Cancer Alliance office in the Margot Perot Building.