Recommendations for Patients at High Risk

It doesn't matter what the condition is, there are patients that are at high risk and patients at a lower risk. With cancer, breast cancer to be specific, the situation is the same. Some women are at a far higher risk than others. The level of risk may be attributed to a number of reasons from the person’s health history to environmental factors. Truthfully a single reason is hard, if not impossible to detect. When a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, it’s vital to ensure the proper treatment avenues are followed depending on the stage of the cancer.

So if you are at a high risk for breast cancer, what do you do? Take the proper drugs for reducing the risk of breast cancer. The drugs suggested to have a strong effect are tamoxifen and raloxifene. These two drugs can seemingly reduce the risk of developing estrogen receptor positive breast cancer. The problem on the other side of the equation is always the extreme side effects of the drugs.

The issues with the two drugs mentioned include the following side effects:

1. Blood Clots
2. Cataracts
3. Hot flashes

It’s important to be aware of the good and the bad but also it’s important to be aware of whether or not this is something that applies to a person. Consulting your physician to assess your risk level is a key issue. High risk of cancer does not necessarily equate high risk of side effects and vice versa. Often times these drugs may not really be an issue. If a patient is already dealing with breast cancer, diagnostic imaging procedures as well as specific treatment programs become the main players.

As far as the risk, according to an article on foxnews.com “A woman's risk for breast cancer can be assessed with an online calculator developed by the National Cancer Institute that provides an estimate based on factors such as a women's age, number of close relatives with breast cancer, and smoking and exercise habits.” Multiple issues may play a part in determining what the actual risk is.

If you have any questions about diagnostic imaging procedures please feel free to give us a call. Our team of dedicated professionals here at Clermont Radiology looks forward to answering any questions you may have and aiding you in your diagnostic imaging needs.

Charla Hurst

General Operations Manager

Charla@ClermontRadiology.com  
352-241-6100 

www.ClermontRadiology.

References:

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/09/25/breast-cancer-prevention-drugs-recommended-for-high-risk-women/

Lumps: Facts and Lies

When you feel a lump in your breasts you should not allow fear to wash over you. The fact is that there are many myths and facts about lumps and it’s important to know what’s what. If you have a lump in your breasts there’s an 80% chance that it isn't cancer. There are lumps that are just cysts and are harmless. The following is a list of myths about lumps:

• All lumps are cancer
• If you have a mammogram that’s normal you are all set
• Lumps are painless
• Young girls can’t get lumps
• Lumps are harmless if you don’t have a breast cancer history

A lump is not easy to deal with if you don’t know what the facts are. As a patient it’s vital to stay vigilant. The following list is a list of facts about lumps:

• If a lump is detected, you need to get it looked at
• A mammogram is a good idea
• A biopsy on a lump may be necessary
• If a lump is seen as benign, it’s important to make sure that you monitor it consistently
• Possible tumors may still loom even if it’s not in the lump

It’s important for a patient to understand that keeping an eye on lumps through diagnostic imaging procedures is a smart thing to do. Anything that can develop into a complicated and complex condition is always worth investigating. Patients at risk for breast cancer also need to understand that factors such as diet, family history, and previous successful bouts with breast cancer, are not really relevant when it comes to dealing with the disease.

If you have any questions about mammograms or any other diagnostic imaging procedures please feel free to give us a call. Our team of dedicated professionals here at Clermont Radiology looks forward to answering your questions and aiding you in your diagnostic imaging needs.

Charla Hurst General
Operations Manager

Charla@ClermontRadiology.com  
352-241-6100 

www.ClermontRadiology.com  

References:

http://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/columns/health-talk/health-talk-breast-lumps-myths-facts/

http://www.cancer.med.umich.edu/news/brcancer_myths06.shtml

Considerations For After Augmentation

Breast augmentation is not an uncommon cosmetic procedure that women tend to undergo. The purpose is to increase breast size and boost morale, at least in most cases. With breast cancer being such a big health issue there is the consideration of how it may affect women with breast augmentations. Some questions to consider center squarely on the dangers of an implant leaking, reactions to the solutions used and so on.

A vital question to ask is: Do women that have undergone augmentation need to undergo mammograms routinely? The answer to that question is a simple and emphatic yes. There is a misconception that a mammogram will not be effective or that it will not be safe for a patient. The mammogram is the gold standard of testing for breast cancer. To tell a patient to get a CT scan, MRI, or regular X-Ray, is to give the patient options outside of what’s best. The mammogram is what can best detect any cells or suspicious lesions that may lead to cancer. There are issues with a mammogram for patients with implants that center around the implant itself.

The implant may obscure the tumor and it may in turn require the patient to undergo more mammograms. As a way to keep the mammogram in mind it’s important to think about the placement of the implant. The fact is that breast cancer does not discriminate and it’s as bad for women with implants. In the case of implants there are other recommendations.

A patient may want to undergo MRI scans in order to monitor the implant itself. A rupture may make spotting a tumor more difficult and presents even more problems for the patient. Often times the MRI may actually detect the tumor. Women with implants don’t have higher incidences of breast cancer, but there chances for it are not any less either.

The important thing patients need to remember is to stay on top of monitoring themselves. If there are lumps or suspect formations, mammogram is the next logical step. Early detection is the patient’s best protection.

If you have any questions about diagnostic imaging procedures please feel free to give us a call. Our team of dedicated professionals here at Clermont Radiology looks forward to answering your questions and aiding in your diagnostic imaging needs.

Charla Hurst General
Operations Manager

Charla@ClermontRadiology.com  
352-241-6100 

www.ClermontRadiology.com  

References: 

http://www.heraldonline.com/2013/09/25/5243311/women-should-prioritize-mammography.html

Breast Cancer and External Beam Radiation Therapy

When dealing with cancer there major concerns. Imaging is vital in terms of detecting lesions early and treating them correctly. In the case of treatment there is radiation, imaging, monitoring and sometimes surgery. Breast cancer is not really any different than any other form. Often times breast cancer is as difficult to treat as a more complex cancer and the survival rate gets lower depending on the advancement stage.

A major concern of any treatment for breast cancer is the side effects. Treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, and so on, have the possibility for long term negative side effects. So, what early stage treatments don’t cause problems? One treatment that’s been proven not to cause long term negative side effects is external beam radiation therapy.

External beam radiation therapy is defined as “radiation therapy comes from a machine that aims radiation at your cancer. The machine is large and may be noisy. It does not touch you, but rotates around you, sending radiation to your body from many directions.”

The prospect of external beam radiation therapy doesn’t sound as intimidating when you realize that it’s not an invasive procedure. The one thing that makes you think twice is the word radiation. The word itself is threatening and scary and often times means that there is an ultimately negative result. An obvious question centers around the result of external beam radiation therapy on the patient.

The treatment programs often times seem intense, and given the effects of breast cancer, this can be trying for a patient. Treatment programs can be as follows:

• Once a day
• Five times a week
• Two to ten weeks

For someone with breast cancer this is scary and there are side effects but there is a positive development. If you are an early stage breast cancer patient, the risk for negative side effects is not nearly as high. There is still some form of risk but it’s not nearly as high. This conclusion is based on research done on several thousand cases split between patients divided into groups. One group was patients receiving treatment after surgery and the other group were patients not receiving treatment after surgery. According to sources the study found that:

• Overall survival rates were 91.6% for the external-beam therapy patients and 87% for the group that did not get external-beam therapy.
• Breast cancer survival rates were 97% for the external-beam therapy patients and 95.7% for the nonexternal-beam therapy group.
• Cardiac cause-specific survival was 96.7% for the external-beam therapy patients and 92.7% for the nonexternal-beam therapy group.

This is a positive development that allows breast cancer patients to actually undergo this kind of therapy without major concerns. Yes it’s okay to research it and be fully informed of all the downsides but if it’s necessary, don’t shy away from it.

If you have any questions about any diagnostic imaging procedures, please feel free to give us a call. Our dedicated team of professionals here at Clermont Radiology looks forward to answering all your questions and aiding you in all of your needs.

Charla Hurst General
Operations Manager

Charla@ClermontRadiology.com  
352-241-6100 

www.ClermontRadiology.com  

References: 

http://www.auntminnie.com/index.aspx?sec=sup&sub=roc&pag=dis&ItemID=104588

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/coping/radiation-therapy-and-you/page3

Let’s Talk About Breast Cancer Treatments

When dealing with breast cancer the first thing that the patient feels is fear. The fear comes primarily from the survival rates, possibility for major invasive procedures, and the fears of side effects from treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation treatment and so on. To many patients the fears center on quality of life and how it can be affected.

One way to look at breast cancer is in stages and understanding the treatment on each stage. Let’s start with stage 0 breast cancer and what we know:

1. It’s a non invasive cancer.
2. It describes a growth of abnormal, non invasive cells.
3. It means a woman may be at risk for actually developing the cancer.

Stage 0 breast cancers are easy to treat, it has carcinoma on the name but to be optimistic it’s not really as dangerous. Stage 0 has a treatment option of specific hormone therapy that helps prevent cancer cell growth. Surgery and radiation are often called for but chemo is not something that’s used. To deal with an issue like this the mammogram is a gold standard as is a clinical breast exam.

If the cancer is further developed and it’s stage 1 the issue becomes a little greater. Stage 1 breast cancer is a lot more serious because the cancer is actually there and, while it can be treated effectively, it’s still a danger. The tumor may be small to where it’s barely detectable. Chemotherapy is not often used for these cancers but if the cancer is more advanced, chemo does begin playing to the equation.

When the stages increase it means that the cancer is growing and it can be a far more difficult problem requiring a more complex form of treatment. More difficult forms of treatment include more aggressive treatment altogether. When the treatment is more complex it may depend on the physician how it’s administered. Often times it’s the patient’s history that helps determine what’s right and wrong in terms of treatment.

Always ask your physician about the pluses and minuses of different treatments such as:

• Chemotherapy
• Invasive surgery
• Radiation therapy

It’s important to know what each manner of treatment can and cannot do and what each manner of therapy can mean for the short and long term.

If you have any questions about diagnostic imaging procedures, please feel free to give us a call. Our team of dedicated professionals here at Clermont Radiology looks forward to answering all your questions and aiding you in all your imaging needs.

Charla Hurst General
Operations Manager

Charla@ClermontRadiology.com  
352-241-6100 

www.ClermontRadiology.com  

References:

http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-stage-0-and-stage-1

http://www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancer/detailedguide/breast-cancer-treating-by-stage

Eclipse Breast-Self Exam Device

Most of the time people go to sites like indiegogo.com in order to raise funds for creatively inclined projects. So how exactly does indiegogo.com fit in to the equation in terms of medicine? Well , that’s actually a question with an easy answer. The big thing now is a company named Eclipse Breast Health Technologies out of San Diego, CA that is developing a device that the company hopes will make self-exams more precise and help women track suspicious lumps over time.

Part of the need for self breast exams has to do with the fact that most women do not conduct self exams properly. If a self exam is not conducted properly it means one of two things, a lump may be missed or there may be a false positive diagnosed. This new system featured on indiegogo.com uses low level photons in order to produce an image of the breast. This is a great development that will aid in the fight against breast cancer.

Eclipse Breast-Self Exam Device is not a panacea and it will not end the fight against breast cancer but it’s going to make a major impact in a battle that still leaves behind many innocent victims. A big reason for accurate early examination is making sure that the patient has the benefit of early detection. While diagnostic imaging plays a big role through the gold standard know as the mammogram, self detection helps in the sense that it puts some control in the hands of the patient.

It’s good to see a strong initiative toward making these types of inventions approachable to the market. Sometimes a big problem with medical technology is the fact that it’s not only complex and intricate but it can be priced out of the reach of individuals. Hopefully the amount of funding sought out will be reached and provide the market with this new and seemingly better form of self exam.

If you have any questions about diagnostic imaging procedures, please feel free to give us a call. Our professional and attentive staff here at Clermont Radiology looks forward to answering any questions that you may have.

Charla Hurst General
Operations Manager

Charla@ClermontRadiology.com  
352-241-6100 

www.ClermontRadiology.com   

References:

http://www.medgadget.com/2013/08/eclipse-breast-self-exam-device-now-on-indiegogo-raising-funds-for-commercialization.html

Low Dose Mammography and What it May Mean

Cancer and any other complex condition always require some sort of imaging procedure. Whatever is done usually involves a dosage of radiology, no matter if it’s an MRI or a CT scan. Ultimately the big concern is the level of damage that a high dosage of radiation can lead to. When dealing with complex conditions it’s that high level that often exposes patients to a higher risk of developing cancer. So, what happens if you already have a form of cancer?

The big concern with any form of cancer is the possibility that it may re-surface for one reason or another. A concern like that only intensifies if the patient has suffered an aggressive form of cancer. For breast cancer patients this is a particularly major concern, given the unpredictable nature of breast cancer. So how does a patient suffering from breast cancer deal with something like this?

We know what needs to be done in order to fight breast cancer successfully. A patient needs to self monitor and also have mammograms done. Early detection is a key as is also a proper and well thought out treatment program. When it comes to radiation concerns there seems to be a new development that’s proving to help, low dose mammography.

The concept of low to moderate dosages of radiation has been an issue in the world of imaging for a number of reasons. The reasons for dosage concern read as follows:

• Image quality
• Image accuracy
• Identifying the proper form of treatment may prove more difficult
• Inaccuracies may require more repeat procedures

With these types of concerns, it’s understandable that low dose mammography may meet some opposition. There are studies that show that the detection rate is high amongst women in the range between 40 and 49 years of age. While said studies also show that it’s for asymptomatic low stage tumors, it’s promising because it means there is a hope of dealing with the radiation issue to where it’s not as great of a concern.

There is still a long way to go in really zeroing in on what’s right and what’s not. Ultimately there will be a positive result provided that physicians, manufacturers and drug companies continue to research the graduation of radiation dosage.

If you have any questions about mammography or any other imaging procedures please feel free to give us a call. Our dedicated team of professionals here at Clermont Radiology is eager to answer your questions and aid you in all your imaging needs.

Charla Hurst General
Operations Manager

Charla@ClermontRadiology.com  
352-241-6100 

www.ClermontRadiology.com  

References: 

http://www.diagnosticimaging.com/

http://radiology.rsna.org/content/early/2013/04/07/radiol.13122278.full?sid